43) Kristopher Negron
Kristopher Negron has never served as an MLB coach before but he is slated to be Seattle’s first base coach in 2022.
Negron, who turns 36 in February, played in the majors in parts of six seasons and professionally for parts of 14, last playing in 2019. In 2020, Seattle immediately hired Negron to be an assistant to the director of player development. In 2021, Negron was Seattle’s manager at Triple-A and they had the best record in the Triple-A West at 73-47.
Negron doesn’t have much coaching experience but given his quick rise to the MLB coaching staff, he will likely be an MLB managerial candidate in the near future.
44) Donnie Ecker
Donnie Ecker only played 36 games in the minor leagues before playing in independent ball and he has no professional managerial experience but he is definitely an MLB managerial candidate.
Ecker, who turns 36 in March, will be the new bench coach for the Texas Rangers in 2022 and he will also have the title of “offensive coordinator.” He won’t be the first bench coach on this list to have no professional experience managing as well as having a background as a hitting coach either.
He joins the Rangers from the Giants where he was their primary hitting coach in 2020 and 2021. He joined the Giants from the Reds, where he was their assistant hitting coach in 2019. He was the Triple-A hitting coach for the Reds in 2018 and he was the hitting coach for three years at Single-A for the Cardinals.
His only managerial experience comes from being the head coach at Los Altos High School in California in 2013 and 2014.