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Chris Valaika was hired from Cleveland as the Cincinnati Reds hitting coach

Vaseline October 24, 2024

The Cincinnati Reds have hired Chris Valaika from the Cleveland Guardians as their new director of hitting and Major League hitting coach, the first coaching hire since Terry Francona was hired to lead the team after a year of retirement.

Valaika, the former Reds infielder who played four seasons in the Majors, has spent the past three seasons as the Guardians’ hitting coach, including two of those years under Francona.

The Reds’ third-round draft pick in 2006 replaces Joel McKeithan as hitting coach. All three members of the big league team’s hitting coaching staff were fired after the season, along with infield coach Jeff Pickler.

A number of other coaches from this season’s staff are expected back, but the team has not yet announced those decisions, with the exception of returning pitching coach Derek Johnson.

Valaika, 39, spent four seasons as a minor league coach and coordinator before joining the Chicago Cubs staff as an assistant hitting coach in 2021 prior to his stint in Cleveland.