Team USA WBC Coaching Staff Filled With Former Braves

There are a lot of familiar faces on Team USA's staff, especially to Atlanta Braves fans

A lot of familiar faces who are familiar with each other from their time with the Braves | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

The coaching staff for Team USA’s World Baseball Classic team is filled with mainly former members of the Atlanta Braves. Alongside former Braves utility man and Team USA manager Mark DeRosa, former manager Fredi González, former catchers Brian McCann and David Ross and former outfielder George Lombard have signed on. 

González and McCann will serve as assistant managers. Lombard will be the first base coach, and Ross will be the bullpen coach. 

110 big-league seasons.
24 All-Star Game appearances.
11 World Series titles.
8,566 career hits.

Our coaching staff for the 2026 World Baseball Classic is LOADED 🇺🇸

📰: https://t.co/EDREzeQJxp pic.twitter.com/A46VNTv77v

— USA Baseball (@USABaseball) April 11, 2025

González managed the Braves from 2011 until part of the way through 2016. He succeeded Hall of Fame manager Bobby Cox. Under Gonzalez, the Braves won 94 games or more twice and reached the postseason twice. He was fired 37 games into the 2016 season, and he was immediately succeeded by current manager Brian Snitker. Before serving as manager, González was with the Braves organization from 2002 to 2006. 

McCann made his debut with the Braves in 2005 and was the starting catcher from 2006 to 2013. He returned for one last season in 2019. He made seven All-Star teams and won four silver slugger awards while the Braves' catcher. The Atlanta metro area product has yet to coach in MLB. 

Ross backed him up from 2009 to 2012. He provided the Braves with a quality backup catcher option, batting .269 with an .819 OPS in 227 games with the team. He managed the Chicago Cubs from 2020 to 2023. While he grew up in Florida, Ross was born in Georgia. 

Both catchers were managed by González.

Lombard is an Atlanta native drafted out of high school by the Braves in 1994. He played in 39 games for the Braves across three seasons from 1998 to 2000. He’s been a coach in MLB since 2016 -first with the Los Angeles Dodgers and now the Detroit Tigers. His time with the Braves overlapped with DeRosa's.

The next World Baseball Classic will be held in 2026 from March 5 to March 17. Team USA will start in Pool B in Houston against Mexico, Italy, Great Britain and Brazil.