The Guardians have made significant alterations to their coaching staff, as detailed on X by Mandy Bell of MLB.com. Grant Fink assumes the role of hitting coach, succeeding Chris Valaika who joined Terry Francona in Cincinnati. Additionally, bench coach Craig Albernaz receives a promotion to assistant manager.
Fink, who turns 34 next month, had a brief professional playing career. Drafted by Cleveland in 2013, he played in the minors through 2015, but never progressed beyond Single-A. He transitioned to a coaching position in the minors in 2017 and spent the last three years as minor league hitting coordinator. With Valaika’s departure to Cincinnati following Francona, Fink will have the opportunity to elevate to the major league coaching staff.
Albernaz, 42, has recently emerged as a prominent name in managerial searches. He was connected to the open manager positions for both the Marlins and White Sox, even reportedly becoming a finalist for both roles. However, the White Sox selected Will Venable, prompting Albernaz to withdraw from consideration for the Miami position.
Instead, he remains with the Guardians, transitioning to a new title and potentially a salary increase—although that speculation remains unconfirmed. Albernaz spent four years on the Giants’ staff as bullpen/catching coach before joining the Guardians last year. After just one season as bench coach in Cleveland, his industry reputation led him to become a sought-after candidate for managerial positions, but he will continue to serve as manager Stephen Vogt’s top assistant.
