Rangers staff for new manager Skip Schumaker includes 2 former Texas players and six carryovers

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ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Former Rangers players Rod Barajas and Travis Jankowski will be part of the coaching staff for new Texas manager Skip Schumaker, whose pitching and hitting coaches will be returning staff members.

The Rangers on Wednesday announced 10 members of Schumaker's staff for the 2026 season, and said one more major league coach would be added at a later time. There are six returners from former manager Bruce Bochy's staff, four of them in different roles, and four newcomers.

Jordan Tiegs takes over as pitching coach after working as the Rangers' bullpen coach last season. Justin Viele was named the lead hitting coach. Viele finished his first season with the team as a co-hitting instructor with Bret Boone, who won't return after being hired in May when Donnie Ecker was fired as the team's offensive coordinator.

Corey Ragsdale is moving to third base coach after being the first base coach the past six seasons. Brett Hayes, the quality control coach last season, is taking over as the catching coach.

The returning staff members in the same positions are bench coach Luis Urueta and assistant pitching coach Dave Bush. Before joining the Rangers staff last season, Urueta was the bench coach for Schumaker in Miami from 2023-24.

In addition to Barajas as the quality control coach and Jankowski as first base coach, the other newcomers are Alex Cintrón as major league hitting coach and Colby Suggs as bullpen coach.

Barajas was a catcher and first baseman for Texas from 2004-06, and was on Schumaker's staff with the Marlins from 2023-24. Jankowski was an outfielder for the Rangers from 2023-24, and part of their World Series championship two years ago.

Cintrón joins the Rangers after nine seasons as a coach with the Houston Astros, the last seven as hitting coach. Suggs was Minnesota's bullpen coach the past 3 1/2 seasons.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB