Former Cincinnati Reds infielder Kristopher Negron was hired by the Pittsburgh Pirates to be their bench coach, according to Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 

Negron, 39, has spent the last four seasons as a coach with the Seattle Mariners. In 2025, he was promoted to be their third base coach.

The former utility player appeared in 96 games for the Reds throughout the 2021, 2014, and 2015 seasons. He slashed .220/.296/.353 with 19 extra-base hits. He also spent time with the Mariners, Arizona Diamondbacks, and Los Angeles Dodgers.

Negron was drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the seventh round of the 2006 MLB Draft out of Consumnes River College. He made his MLB debut with the Reds in 2012 as a defensive replacement.

The Reds went 83-79 last season, making the postseason for the first time since 2020 and just the second time since 2013. They fell in two games to the eventual World Series Champion Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Wild Card Series.