Dave Brundage to manage Richmond Braves

The Braves Show has learned that Dave Brundage will be named the new manager of the Richmond Braves. Bill Shanks has more.

The Atlanta Braves will soon name Dave Brundage as the new manager for the Richmond Braves replacing Brian Snitker, who was promoted last month to be Atlanta's third base coach next season.

Brundage spent the last twelve seasons as a manager and coach in Seattle's minor league system. He led the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers to a 74-70 record last year in the Pacific Coast League. Brundage is 653-605 in nine seasons as a minor league manager.

Dave Brundage was drafted by the Phillies in the fourth round of the 1986 draft out of Oregon State University. Along with playing outfield on the baseball team, Brundage was a punter and quarterback on the Beavers football team.

The Phillies traded him after one year in their farm system to the Mariners. Mike Jackson and Glenn Wilson also went to Seattle in that trade for Phil Bradley and Tim Fortugno on December 9, 1987.

Brundage played in the minors for ten seasons, including six seasons in Triple-A with Calgary. He was converted to a pitcher in 1992 in the Arizona Instructional League and then taken by the Expos in the 1992 Rule V draft. The Expos released him that next spring and he re-signed with the Mariners.

In 1993 and 1994 Brundage was a player and coach for Calgary. He started his managerial career in 1995 in the California League. Brundage managed in AA with San Antonio from 2001-2005.

Brundage will be joined in Richmond by pitching coach Guy Hansen, who rejoins the Braves after two seasons in the Kansas City Royals organization, and hitting coach Leon Roberts.

Roberts will replace Rick Albert, who will now coach with the Myrtle Beach Pelicans. Roberts was with the Braves' organization as a manager and coach in the farm system from 1992-1998. He managed in Durham (Carolina League) in 1992 and 1993 and then in Macon (South Atlantic League) in 1994.

Roberts was the Braves' minor league hitting instructor from 1995-1998. He then joined the Tampa Bay Devil Rays as their big league hitting coach in 1999. After two years as a major league coach Roberts joined the Cincinnati Reds, where he coached for the past six seasons in their farm system.



Bill Shanks is the author of Scout's Honor: The Bravest Way To Build A Winning Team, a look inside the Braves‘ traditional scouting and player development philosophies. He can also be heard regularly on the Braves Radio Network. Email Bill at .