Atlanta Braves announce new-look M-Braves coaching staff for 2022 season

PEARL - In conjunction with the Atlanta Braves, the Mississippi Braves, coming off their second league title in franchise history, are pleased to announce the club's coaching staff for the 2022 season. The M-Braves will be led by Bruce Crabbe, who joins the organization for his first season in 2022. Joining Crabbe on the bench will be pitching coach Bo Henning and coach Angel Flores, who were both on the staff of High-A Rome last season, while Mike Bard will serve as the club's hitting coach. Bard worked with Low-A Augusta during the 2021 season. Dan Leja will return as the club's athletic trainer, while Tyler Enns will work as the strength coach after spending last season with High-A Rome.

"After spending 17 years with a tremendous organization like the Boston Red Sox, I am thrilled to be joining another this year with the Braves," said Crabbe, who played in the Braves organization for Triple-A Richmond in 1990 and 1991. "I know (current Atlanta Braves manager) Brian Snitker from my time with the Braves and know the organization is playing at a championship level with a World Series and Double-A title in 2021. We have good athletic players, a young staff, and I'm excited to jump in and add something to an already great organization."

Crabbe, who turns 60 years old today, joins the Atlanta Braves organization after spending the previous 17 seasons in the Boston Red Sox organization, including the last eight as a coach for the Triple-A Pawtuckett/Worcester Red Sox.

2022 will mark his first season as a manager since 2013, bringing to Mississippi a career managerial record of 382-398 over nine seasons.

The Orlando, FL native was the manager of the Lowell Spinners (Boston's short-A affiliate) in 2012 and 2013 (along with 2006 & 2010), and he spent the 2011 season as skipper of the Salem Red Sox (high-A).

Crabbe's tenure with the Red Sox began in 2005 when he was the hitting coach for the Wilmington Blue Rocks (A). He was Boston's minor league infield coordinator from 2007-2009. From 1995-97, Bruce was a coach and the director of player development for the Colorado Silver Bullets, a professional women's baseball team. He returned to Minor League Baseball as a manager, infield instructor, and batting coach in the Texas Rangers system from 1998 to 2004.

Crabbe's professional playing career began in 1984, taken by the Cubs in the 19th round, after helping the University of Florida to an SEC title in his final season. Crabbe played with five teams over his nine professional seasons before climbing through the coaching ranks in 1994.

Henning enters his first season in Mississippi and third with the Atlanta Braves after being hired before the 2020 season. Henning earned the promotion to Double-A Mississippi after serving as the Rome Braves pitching coach in 2021. Henning joined the organization after managing the Wilmar Stingers of the collegiate wood-bat Northwoods League and Nova Southeastern University. In addition, Henning acts as a part-owner alongside his father and brother of the Sacramento Sports Center, a baseball academy on the west coast.

Bard enters his first season as Mississippi hitting coach after spending 2021 in the same role for the Single-A Augusta. Prior to joining the Braves in 2020, the Colorado native has spent many years as a private baseball hitting instructor and has more than a decade of NCAA Division I coaching experience. His college coaching stints include time at the University of Kansas, Texas Tech University, the University of Texas at Arlington, and Dallas Baptist University. Bard also spent the 2007 season as Assistant Hitting Coach for the Colorado Rockies.

Flores enters his first season in Mississippi after serving as a coach for Rome in 2021. Flores was a six-year minor league veteran in the Tigers organization before opening the Action Force baseball academy in Orlando, Florida. Flores has been in the organization since 2017, working in the rookie leagues.

The Mississippi Braves will open the 2022 season on Friday, April 8, against the Montgomery Biscuits at 6:35 pm. Season Tickets, Group Outings, and Sponsorship Opportunities are now available by calling 888-BRAVES4 or visiting mississippibraves.com.