18) DeMarlo Hale
Of all the people on this list, DeMarlo Hale is, perhaps, the one that is most deserving of getting an MLB managerial job. Hale, 60, would be a bit old for a first-time manager but odder things have happened in recent years.
In 2021, Hale was in his first season as the bench coach for the Cleveland Indians after long-time bench coach for Terry Francona, Brad Mills, retired. He coached for Francona back in Boston from 2006 through 2011. He also coached with Francona on the 2002 Rangers so the hiring was not a surprise. Since Francona dealt with health issues for a good chunk of the season, Hale managed the team for a total of 65 games.
He was a minor league player in the 80s and retired after reaching the Double-A level in 1988. He became an instructor at Bucky Dent’s Baseball School before becoming a minor league hitting coach for the Boston Red Sox in 1992. From 1993 through 1999, he was a minor league manager for Boston spending one season at Single-A, three at Advanced-A, and three at Double-A.
He left the Red Sox to join the Rangers as their Triple-A manager for two seasons before he joined their MLB coaching staff in 2002.
Since then, he has been a first, third, or bench coach for the Rangers (first base coach 2002-2005), Red Sox (third base coach 2006-2009, bench coach 2010-2011), Orioles (bench coach 2012, where he rejoined Buck Showalter who was in Texas when Hale was there), Toronto (bench coach 2013-2019), and Braves (interim first base coach after Eric Young, Sr. opted out 2020).
He has interviewed for numerous MLB managerial jobs in the past including with Boston before they hired Terry Francona, the Blue Jays before they hired John Farrell, the Red Sox before they hired John Farrell, the Cubs before they hired Dale Sveum, the Nationals before they hired Matt Williams, and the Twins before they hired Paul Molitor.