Aug 1, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates manager Don Kelly (12) before the game against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Pirates Add Five New Coaches for 2026

Originally posted on Pittsburgh Pirates on SI
By Erin Shapland | Last updated Dec 18, 2025 3:17 PM ET

The Pittsburgh Pirates have released their 2026 coaching staff, revealing five new hires to round out Don Kelly's team.

Kelly stressed the importance of baseball knowledge and devotion to taking the team to the next level when it came to these hiring decisions, expressing confidence in the staff he has assembled.

“We have talked a lot as an organization about being better on and off the field," Kelly said, via MLB.com. "We are constantly working on measures that will allow us to take our game to the next level. We believe this group will help us accomplish that. We have added some unique perspectives, postseason experience and success, and an enormous amount of baseball knowledge to our staff. I am excited to navigate the 2026 season with this group.”

Don Kelly has announced his 2026 coaching staff with the addition of five new members. pic.twitter.com/Ni1RHKrduL
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) December 18, 2025

Breaking Down the Pirates' New Hires

Two of the five new coaches had not been previously announced, with Major League field coordinator Shawn Bowman and assistant pitching coach Thomas Whitsett coming as news with this released list. The others, third-base coach Tony Beasley, pitching coach Bill Murphy and bench coach Kristopher Negrón were reported back in November.

Bowman, 41, was hired as the Pirates' Triple-A affiliate Indianapolis Indians manager in May 2025, managing the team for most of the season before this promotion. Bowman previously managed the Pirates' Dominican Summer League in 2019.

Murphy and Whitsett both join the Pirates organization from the Houston Astros coaching staff. Murphy served as the Astros pitching coach from 2022-2025, and Whitsett served as the pitching coach for their Triple-A affiliate Sugar Land.

Beasley, joining the Pirates after a stint as the Texas Rangers' third base coach, served as their interim manager in 2022. He previously worked with the Pirates organization as their third base coach from 2008-2010.

Negrón, a former utility player known for his broad versatility (playing all defensive positions other than pitcher and catcher over his MLB career), retired from professional baseball in 2019 with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Since, he has worked with the Seattle Mariners, first as assistant to the director of player development, then as manager for their Triple-A affiliate Tacoma Rainiers. He was hired as the Mariners' first base coach in 2022 and became their third base coach for 2025.

Fans were less than thrilled by the announcement, particularly noting the three hitting coaches contrasted by an utter lack of new bats this offseason (and generally speaking, every offseason for some time).

The Pirates will need to bolster their offense if they want to make these hires count for anything, and they still have plenty of time to live up to the lofty expectations they have set yet again.

This article first appeared on Pittsburgh Pirates on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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