Braves hire Walt Weiss as new manager: Atlanta’s bench coach has been promoted to the top dugout job

The Atlanta Braves announced Monday that they have reached an agreement on a new manager and former player Walt Weiss. Weis replaces the retired Brian Snitker in the Braves’ dugout.

Weiss, 61, spent parts of 14 seasons in the major leagues, pitching for the A’s, Marlins and Rockies and concluding with three seasons with the Braves. He was part of the 1999 pennant-winning Braves team, hitting .286 in the NLCS.

Previously, Weiss managed the Rockies from 2013-16, where they went 283-365 and failed to make the playoffs. He’s spent the past eight seasons as the Braves’ bench coach, which is the best MLB A copy of the top lieutenant, second-in-command.

The Braves have had a great run of success with Snicker and Vice. Snitker took over as interim manager in 2016 after the firing of Freddy Gonzalez and impressed the higher-ups enough to retain the position on a full-time basis. Weiss joined as Snitker’s No. 2 player in 2018. Starting that season, the Braves captured six straight NL East titles and subsequently clinched a Wild Card berth. They have won over 100 games twice and won the 2021 World Series. Snitker was obviously the boss there, but Weiss has had to have a hand in running the team and there is something to be said for continuity in the dugout.

Weiss was originally selected by the Athletics in the first round out of North Carolina in the 1985 draft. He won American League Rookie of the Year for the A’s pennant-winning A’s in 1988 and was the starting shortstop for the 1989 World Series and then again the following year for a third straight AL pennant. He made the All-Star team for the Braves in 1998.

It’s been a busy managerial round since the end of the regular season. Nine teams are looking for their next manager and so far we have seen seven teams fill their vacant position. The Rockies and Padres are still searching for their next manager.