Every MLB offseason is full of surprising organizational decisions but the Atlanta Braves haven't really had much to worry about coaching-wise. They lost Eric Young Sr. and Ron Washington after 2023 to the Angels but the main core of coaches remained mostly the same.
Atlanta was a juggernaut offensively in 2023 and it seemed like they'd return to that same form this season. Unfortunately, that didn't happen thanks to a disappointing 2024 season. It's weird to say an 89-win season is a let down but the offense was almost unwatchable for most of the year.
It seems that a rough offensive season led Atlanta to make a few notable changes to the coaching staff ahead of next season.
Kevin Seitzer highlights Braves' announcement of shocking coaching departures for 2025 season
The Braves unexpectedly announced on Thursday afternoon that a few coaches would not return in 2025. Hitting coach Kevin Seitzer, assistant hitting coach Bobby Magallanes, and catching coach Sal Fasano were informed they would not be back with the team.
This news contradicts what the Braves initially stated after losing in the Wild Card round that they hoped to return all of their staff. However, that was before they had evaluated everything.
Hitting coach Kevin Seitzer, assistant hitting coach Bobby Magallanes and catching coach Sal Fasano have been informed they will not be retained for the 2025 season. Each is under contract one more year. Braves wanted to give them a chance to land elsewhere.
— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) October 10, 2024
All three coaches were under contract for 2025 but the team decided it was time to move on. This allows them all the opportunity to seek employment elsewhere. It's not very shocking to see them let go of Seitzer and Magallanes after the offense horribly underperformed and struggled to make adjustments.
Sal Fasano being let go is the most shocking decision out of the three. Fasano is a favorite amongst Braves players and did a great job helping with Atlanta's backstops. The catching coach position was created just for Fasano as the position didn't exist before he was hired. It was reported that his role will not be replaced next season. That makes sense when you have Travis d'Arnaud who already acts in a bit of a player-coach role.
Atlanta will look to hire two hitting coaches ahead of 2025 and to answer your question, no, Chipper Jones will not be one of the replacements. Braves insider David O'Brien stated that everyone he talked to said Jones has too much going on outside of baseball and is not a candidate.
Also, Chipper's comments on Corey Kluber's podcast earlier this season made it clear that he isn't a fan of the organization's philosophy on hitting. So, that doesn't seem like a fit even if he wanted to take on a coaching role.
It's hard to say all of the offensive woes fall on the hitting coaches but someone had to take the fall. The players need to be able to make on-field adjustments throughout the season but hitting philosophy does play a part in that. Being a coach in Major League Baseball isn't easy and it comes with the risk of being let go if things go sideways, regardless if it's their fault or not.