The hiring of Craig Albernaz by the Baltimore Orioles is both exciting and intriguing.
At first, I really didn’t know much of anything about the guy. Right off the bat, the initial reaction was about how well the Cleveland Guardians are coached and being excited about taking a piece of that for our own.
When you have a chance to really look into the young career of Albernaz, you get even more excited about a hiring that looks like a gem.
I really do like the idea of a hiring that follows the trend of the young coach who is development oriented being given the keys that we are seeing around the league. Kevin Cash sort of started that trend, followed by guys like Stephen Vogt, John Schneider and Carlos Mendoza.
At just 43 years old, Albernaz has a decently extensive coaching career under his belt. Following a lackluster playing career as a minor league catcher, Albernaz entered into the coaching sphere with the Tampa Bay Rays rookie ball level in 2015.
By 2017, coaching was already mastered, as Albernaz was the third base and catching coach for the Rays’ Triple-A affiliate, the Durham Bulls. He was even moved to manager of the organization rookie ball level that same year.
In 2018, Albernaz was already a Manager of the Year, winning the honor in the Midwest League. That year as the award-winning manager for the Rays’ High-A affiliate, he notched a 90-49 record, good for the league victory.
Going back to my reaction of this hiring, Albernaz’s next career move is an example of why I am excited.
Seeing a 43-year-old first-time manager make the jump from bench coach to skipper seems a lot as a fan. However, a team like the San Francisco Giants in 2019 must have known what the Guardians and now our front office knows.
He was ready for the jump, as the Giants brought him in as bullpen and catching coach for the major league team. A decent jump from manager of a High-A affiliate at the same age as the average of the Giants bullpen itself.
Immediately, he made a difference within that bullpen and pitching staff as a whole. In 2021, he helped the Giants pen lead the league with a combined 2.99 ERA, which was a very large reason for their franchise-best 107-win campaign that year.
Even when the Giants fell off a decent bit the following season, their bullpen hardly followed that trend. Albernaz coached arms like Tyler Rogers, Camilo Doval and Jake McGee to not only some of their best seasons but also their healthiest.
Another exciting note after really diving into the new Orioles manager is how well regarded he is within an organization like the Cleveland Guardians.
On the playing side, the Guardians do so many things right, and we as Oriole fans have unfortunately been victim of “Guards Ball” over the last couple of years in the O’s match-ups against them. Albernaz, alongside former Manager of the Year Stephen Vogt, is literally the catalyst of that “Guards Ball” Oriole fans hate having to play against because, quite frankly, we have been jealous of that over the last few seasons.
During the 2025 season, we saw a historic late-season push from the Guardians to catch up to the Detroit Tigers en route to an AL Central Division crown. By all accounts, Albernaz played a huge role in that season turnaround that led to triumph.
Another team who desperately needs a voice that can cut through adversity and lead a team that isn’t loaded with superstars like the big markets – the Baltimore Orioles.
Generally, the reaction is very positive. Nearly everything Albernaz has touched as a coach so far in his career has turned to gold, from his major influence within the Rays’ minor league system, which was the marvel of the minor league world during that time, to helping the Giants’ bullpen become a force.
Most importantly, seeing him so loved as the right-hand man to a Manager of the Year within one of the best coached teams in baseball is what sets this apart.
Also, did the Orioles finally bring in someone who actually knows how to use a bullpen correctly day in and day out? That may be the best part of this hire.
Only time will tell how Craig Albernaz’s tenure as Oriole manager will go. Will it be like Brandon Hyde’s tenure, or will the great things we are hearing about our new manager from within the industry come to fruition, leading to a World Series Championship in Charm City?
As of this moment in time, this looks to be a exemplary hire.
What are your early thoughts on Craig Albernaz, and how do you think his tenure as Orioles manager will play out? Let us know in the comments below! Make sure to follow The Baltimore Battery on Facebook, X, Bluesky and TikTok, and use the hashtag #baltimorebattery when sharing our content!
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