Barring a historic turnaround, the Atlanta Braves only have two key dates remaining on their 2025 schedule: the July 31 trade deadline and the Sept. 28 regular-season finale against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Despite entering the season with lofty expectations and strong odds to win their second World Series in five years, the Braves dropped to 14 games under .500 with Friday’s 8-3 loss to the Texas Rangers. The end is likely nearing for veteran skipper Brian Snitker, who turns 70 in October and is expected to retire in the coming months.
It’s too early to know who would replace Snitker, but Braves legend Chipper Jones has potentially worked his way into the conversation. The 53-year-old Jones has never been a full-time coach at any level, though he’s worked for the organization as both an advisor and the assistant hitting coach.
Don’t be surprised to see two of Jones’ former teammates emerge as possible candidates. Bench coach and ex-Braves shortstop Walt Weiss is the likely favorite, especially considering Weiss has prior managerial experience leading the Rockies from 2013-16.
Then, there’s longtime Atlanta catcher Brian McCann, who earned seven All-Star selections and five Silver Sluggers across 10 years and two stints with the Braves. Although McCann has never coached in the majors, he’s set to serve as Mark DeRosa’s assistant manager for the 2026 World Baseball Classic.
Should the Braves hire Brian McCann as their next manager?
Assuming that Snitker announces his retirement — or at least notifies the Braves privately in advance — then the Braves theoretically have an advantage over other teams. Atlanta can begin contacting potential candidates ahead of time, whether they’re in-house like Jones or elsewhere like McCann.
Teams have long favored hiring catchers as their manager, and Kevin Cash, A.J. Hinch, and Bruce Bochy are all outstanding examples of successful catchers-turned-skippers. We’re skeptical, though, that McCann is next to join them, at least as it relates to the 2026 Braves.
The Braves are still in a championship window, and adding an experienced manager who has been around World Series teams makes far more sense. Weiss won rings with the 1989 A’s as a player and the 2021 Braves as their bench coach. That’s not to say that rings always matter in these situations, but it certainly helps when you’ve been in locker rooms that know the feeling of playing in the World Series.
The 2026 WBC is an excellent opportunity for McCann to get his feet wet, and perhaps he’ll emerge as a trendy interview following next season. While the Braves could give their former catcher a courtesy interview, we feel that they should realistically target someone else besides McCann or Jones.
