Cleveland Baseball Insider

REPORT: Guardians Bench Coach Named Finalist For MLB Manager Vacancy

According to Miami Herald Sports' Craig Mish, Cleveland Bench Coach Craig Albernaz is a finalist for the Miami Marlins manager position.
Logan Potosky|
Apr 6, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Cleveland Guardians bench coach Craig Albernaz (55) walks to the dugout after meeting with the umpires before the game against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Blewett-Imagn Images
Apr 6, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Cleveland Guardians bench coach Craig Albernaz (55) walks to the dugout after meeting with the umpires before the game against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Blewett-Imagn Images | Matt Blewett-Imagn Images

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Cleveland Guardians

The Cleveland Guardians had a very successful season under first-year manager Stephen Vogt, winning the franchise's 12th American League Central title and making it all the way to the American League Championship Series.

Shortly after Vogt was hired last year, Cleveland brought in a few coaches to complete his inaugural coaching staff as the team's skipper.

One of these coaches has now reportedly drawn the attention of another team.

According to Miami Herald Sports Senior Contributor Craig Mish, Guardians Bench Coach Craig Albernaz is a finalist for the Miami Marlins' manager position.

The 41-year-old Albernaz became Cleveland's bench coach for the 2024 campaign after serving as the San Francisco Giants' bullpen coach and catching instructor for the previous four seasons. He was also reportedly being considered for the Guardians' managerial vacancy last season before the team eventually hired Vogt.

Albernaz has two seasons of managerial experience in the Minor League ranks.

A baseball coach wearing a navy shirt, navy hat, and black sunglasses with an orange tint.
Apr 6, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Cleveland Guardians bench coach Craig Albernaz (55) walks to the dugout after meeting with the umpires before the game against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Blewett-Imagn Images | Matt Blewett-Imagn Images

In 2017, he won the Class A Short Season New York-Penn League Championship as manager of the Hudson Valley Renegades, who were a Minor League Affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays at the time. One year later, he won the 2018 Class A Midwest League Championship as manager of the Bowling Green Hot Rods, also a Rays Affiliate.

The Marlins are seeking their next manager after 2023 National League Manager of the Year Skip Schumaker stepped down following the 2024 campaign.

Whether Albernaz remains with Cleveland or becomes Miami's next skipper remains to be seen. But the Marlins' reported interest in him and Guardians' postseason success shows that he has had a strong impact during his time with Cleveland so far.

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Logan Potosky
LOGAN POTOSKY

Logan Potosky is an aspiring play-by-play sports broadcaster who, to date, has called approximately 350+ hours of professional, college, and high school sporting events. He is currently the Play-by-Play Broadcaster for the Lake County Captains, the High-A Affiliate of the Cleveland Guardians. He graduated from John Carroll University in May of 2023 with a degree in Communication, with a concentration in Digital Media, and a minor in Entrepreneurship.

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