The Orioles continued to fill out their coaching staff around manager Craig Albernaz by hiring an assistant hitting coach and bullpen coach.
Baltimore is adding Brady North as an assistant hitting coach to work alongside hitting coach Dustin Lind, two sources said. And one source confirmed that the Orioles are hiring Hank Conger as bullpen coach, as MASN first reported.
Former Tampa Bay Rays assistant hitting coach Brady North poses for a picture during Tampa Bay Rays Photo Day in 2024. (Elsa/Getty Images)
North, 34, has experienced working with Albernaz before. In 2019, North was a hitting coach for the Tampa Bay Rays’ rookie ball affiliate, and Albernaz served as one of Tampa Bay’s minor league field coordinators at the time. He went on to become an assistant hitting coach for the Rays, but he was not retained in that role for 2026 (he was offered a different position in the organization).
He joins Lind in Baltimore, and together they’ll be in charge of revitalizing an offense that underperformed in 2025.
Conger, a former first-round pick in 2006 who played parts of seven seasons in the majors as a catcher, brings another coach with catching experience to the staff. Albernaz was a catcher. So, too, was Joe Singley, who was hired as major league field coordinator and catching coach, sources said.
Conger served as the Minnesota Twins’ assistant bench coach last season after performing the first base coach and catching coach duties for a few years.
It’s a young staff around first-time big league manager Albernaz. Conger is 37. There is experience on board, however, with Miguel Cairo, the former interim manager for the Nationals who will join as an infield coach.
North comes from Tampa Bay’s well-regarded player development system. He rose quickly there and played a part in the Rays’ improvement hitting with runners in scoring position. In 2024, the Rays hit a league-worst .212 with runners in scoring position. That rose to .266 in 2025.
The emphasis on hiring former catchers should only be a benefit for Adley Rutschman and Samuel Basallo. While Rutschman is considered a strong defensive catcher already, the 21-year-old Basallo still has room to grow, particularly with game calling and blocking.