The Braves Add Proven Pitching Coach to Backroom Staff

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00:00The Braves add proven pitching coach to backroom staff.

00:04The Braves have made a calculated move by naming Jeremy Heffner as their new pitching coach,

00:09working under freshly appointed manager Walt Weiss.

00:12At 39, Heffner's trajectory from the dugout to the bullpen has been quietly methodical,

00:18understated perhaps, but not definitely unnoticed.

00:21Jeremy Heffner began his coaching career with the Minnesota Twins in 2017 as an advanced scout

00:27before being promoted to bullpen coach under Rocco Baldelli in 2019.

00:32After one season, he joined the New York Mets as pitching coach for the 2020 season,

00:37a role he held for six years through three GMs and two managers.

00:42Despite the Mets' disappointing 2025 season, finishing 18th in ERA, 4.03, and missing the playoffs,

00:50Heffner was credited with providing consistent and occasionally excellent pitching performances,

00:54highlighting his ability to manage a rotating staff.

00:58The Braves ended 2025 with the 22nd-ranked ERA in baseball, 4.36,

01:04a mark that fell far below expectations for a club with postseason ambitions.

01:09Atlanta ranked 9th in strikeouts, 1,416, a sign that the talent, at least in terms of raw stuff,

01:17is already embedded within the roster.

01:19The challenge and opportunity for Heffner lies in converting that strikeout upside into more consistent run prevention.

01:27This is not a reclamation project, it's refinement.

01:31Heffner is being brought in to lead that transformation.

01:34His history with a variety of arms in New York, from veterans to unproven prospects,

01:39gives him a well-rounded toolbox.

01:41As a former pitcher himself, he logged parts of two seasons with the Mets from 2012 to 2013.

01:47In eight minor league seasons, he managed a 3.96 ERA over 868 innings,

01:55while bouncing through the Padres and Cardinals systems before finding big league time with New York.

02:00That grind, that persistence, now informs his voice as a coach.

02:05For the Braves, who continue to blend analytics with tradition,

02:08the hiring of Jeremy Heffner may not be flashy, but it is, in every sense, strategic.

02:14His presence marks the start of a new chapter for Atlanta's pitching infrastructure,

02:19one that could pay dividends quickly if the underlying pieces align.