The Arizona Diamondbacks have hired former Texas Rangers Manager Jeff Banister to be their bench coach in 2022.
Banister, 57, was the manager of the Rangers from 2015-2018 and won the American League Manager of the Year Award in 2015. His first two seasons as skipper went well, and the Rangers won back-to-back AL West titles. The following two years produced opposite results, as the club missed the postseason and finished well below 0.500.
Banister has quite the story, not only did he have bone cancer in his ankle in high school, but he also became temporarily paralyzed in college after a home-plate collision. He managed to get one plate appearance at the Major League level with the Pittsburgh Pirates, fulfilling his lifelong dream to play Major League Baseball.
Banister has been coaching in some capacity since 1993, where he started as a player-coach with the Carolina Mudcats, the Double-A affiliate of the Pirates at the time.
He has extensive knowledge of the game given his experience, and is likely to be a very influential piece in the Diamondbacks clubhouse.
Banister will also be inheriting duties related to the catching unit, replacing Robbie Hammock in that position. His experience as a catcher for his entire career helps young players like Daulton Varsho, who’s inconsistencies behind the plate have led to an attempted transition to the outfield.
Diamondbacks Manager Torey Lovullo had many great things to say in Banister’s opening press conference.
“Banister was always somebody that I admired from across the field,” he said.
Lovullo also said that Banister’s background as a Pirates bench coach where he oversaw lots of young and prospering talent was important.
During his press conference, Banister said that the young core of the Diamondbacks reminds him a lot of his early days in that same role with Pittsburgh.
While Banister isn’t getting the opportunity to work with a ballclub that is playoff-bound, he is getting a chance to do something arguably just as important, which is molding young players into superstars.
Contact the reporter at mgaraffa@asu.edu.
