00:00The Braves add another member to coaching staff.
00:03Under newly minted manager Walt Weiss, the Atlanta Braves are rounding out a staff move that could ripple through the dugout.
00:10According to reports from The Athletic, the Braves are set to bring in Tommy Watkins, a well-regarded baseball mind from the Minnesota Twins organization.
00:19Watkins' role is still being ironed out, with expectations that he will join as either a third-base coach or a general major league coach.
00:26That uncertainty matters, because Atlanta had only recently announced the hiring of Tony Mansellino as its third-base coach, and that position now appears to be in flux.
00:36Should Watkins be installed at third, Mansellino could shift into the bench coach role, a position that remains unfilled and critical to game management.
00:44On the other hand, if Watkins slides into a general coaching position, the original plan likely holds.
00:50Watkins brings both experience and continuity, having been with the Twins' major league staff since 2019.
00:58Before that, he spent over a decade developing players in the Twins' minor league system, a full-circle journey after his playing days with the same organization.
01:07His reputation for player development and clubhouse leadership would be a strategic gain for Atlanta, bolstering a staff undergoing sweeping changes.
01:16Monday night proved especially eventful for the Braves.
01:20Even as reports about Watkins emerged, news broke that rookie catcher Drake Baldwin had been named the 2025 National League Rookie of the Year.
01:29The prestigious honor cements the 24-year-old's breakout season.
01:33It hints at a promising future for Baldwin and the franchise's continued push for dominance.
01:38The Braves have been methodical, yet aggressive, in reshaping the staff around Weiss.
01:44Jeremy Hefner, brought in from the Mets, will handle the pitching staff, while Antoine Richardson takes over at first base.
01:51Another former Met, J.P. Martinez, joins as bullpen coach.
01:55It's a coordinated effort to infuse the organization's culture with new voices, fresh ideas, and trusted experience.
02:03With Watkins' arrival, the Braves signal that their ambitions aren't just about maintaining success, they're aiming to evolve it.
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