The Atlanta Braves are promoting Walt Weiss. The Braves struck a deal to hire Weiss as their next manager on Monday, the team announced. Weiss, who has been the team’s bench coach since 2018, will replace Brian Snitker as manager.
Snitker stepped down from the role last month but will remain with the organization as a senior adviser.
Weiss played as a shortstop in MLB for 14 seasons, including his final three with the Braves before he retired in 2000. He earned his lone All-Star nod with Atlanta in 1998.
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Weiss has been a coach in Major League Baseball for more than a decade. He spent four seasons as the manager for the Colorado Rockies from 2013 to ’16, compiling a 283-365 record. The team didn’t make the postseason under his watch. Weiss was then hired as the Braves’ bench coach in 2018, and he has been there ever since.
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Snitker was hired as the team’s interim manager in 2016, and he led the franchise to a World Series title in 2021. He retired this fall after the Braves missed the playoffs for the first time since 2017.
Snitker, according to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, always considered Weiss his right-hand man and his choice to replace him. Now, even with the Snitker era over, the franchise is sticking with Weiss.
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The Braves went 76-86 this past season, which marked their first losing campaign since 2017, and they were widely considered one of the most disappointing teams in the league. But they will have much of their lineup back next season and a very solid rotation to work with as they try to bounce back.
Weiss undoubtedly is in a great situation for his second run as a manager in the league. He is already familiar with the players and the system in Atlanta. He will now be tasked with taking the next step as a leader and getting the Braves back to their winning ways, starting with a postseason berth next fall. Clearly, the team’s front office is confident in their succession plan.