The Texas Rangers will hire Pittsburgh Pirates bench coach Jeff Banister as their new manager, according to Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal. Citing unnamed sources, Rosenthal tweeted the hiring report this morning.
The club is expected to make an announcement today.
Banister beat out interim Rangers manager Tim Bogar for the job along with Cleveland bullpen coach Kevin Cash.
Banister, 49, has been the Pirates’ bench coach for the last four years, but has spent all 29 seasons in baseball in the Pittsburgh organization. He had one major league at-bat, then embarked on a long career as a minor league instructor and then manager before joining the Pittsburgh coaching staff.
Two ex-Rangers figured in Banister's one at-bat, a single for the Pirates in 1991. Banister was filling in for catcher Don Slaught and used the bat of outfielder Cecil Espy.
