The Orioles are expected to add Dustin Lind as hitting coach, according to Rich Dubroff of BaltimoreBaseball.com. The club has yet to announce the move. Lind would be the first hire for new manager Craig Albernaz’s coaching staff.
Lind began his coaching career in 2018 as a minor league quality assurance coach in Seattle’s organization. He joined the Giants in 2020 as an assistant hitting coach, a role he would retain through 2023. Lind has been an assistant hitting coach with the Phillies for the past two seasons.
Albernaz and Lind should be plenty familiar with each other, as their paths crossed perfectly in San Francisco. Baltimore’s skipper joined the Giants as bullpen coach and catching instructor in 2020, staying through 2023. Both Albernaz and Lind left for other opportunities after Gabe Kapler’s managerial tenure ended.
Baltimore has multiple positions to fill on the hitting side. Hitting coach Cody Asche was hired by Detroit. It was reported in late October that assistant hitting coaches Sherman Johnson and Tommy Joseph wouldn’t be returning in 2026.
The Orioles ranked 24th in scoring last season. It was a disappointing outcome after they scored the fourth-most runs in 2024. Lind will have plenty of young firepower to work with next year. Gunnar Henderson, Adley Rutschman, Jackson Holliday, and Jordan Westburg have been fixtures in the lineup the past couple of seasons. Colton Cowser, Samuel Basallo, and Coby Mayo are pushing for regular at-bats. Rutschman is the oldest among the core group, and he’s only entering his age-28 season.
Photo courtesy of Nathan Ray, Imagn Images
Again with the lack of quality context… Cowser is “pushing for regular at bats”? But Westburg has been “a staple in the lineup the last couple of seasons”? They both debuted in 2023 and Cowser has played more games in 2024 and 2025 by a wide margin. They’re only separated by a whopping 29 career ABs.
Yeah and unfortunately while Westy has been productive while he’s been available he’s played 260 games in 3 years. Cowser 271 in 3 years. With really the only full season played between the two is Cowser in 2024. The two of them definitely need to be healthy to be relied on. But as you said I’m not sure you can consider Westy a fixture over Cowser when the two of them cant stay on the field consistently.
I would guess platoon splits and positional competition ( OF compared to 3B/2B) might be the more relevant context. But just a guess…
Orioles hitting: “All we are is Dustin the Lind”