Baltimore Orioles lose coach to White Sox

The Orioles are losing two key coaches from their coaching staff next season.

Apr 21, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Baltimore Orioles hat and glove sits in the dugout during the ninth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images | William Purnell-Imagn Images

Some more changes are unfolding to the Baltimore Orioles' coaching staff for next season.

It was first reported by Andy Kostka of The Baltimore Banner that assistant hitting coach Sherman Johnson is leaving the Orioles' organization and will join the Chicago White Sox as a minor league hitting coordinator. Kostka also reported that fellow assistant hitting coach Tommy Joseph will not return to Baltimore in 2026, but did not indicate whether Joseph will be joining another ballclub like Johnson.

Sherman Johnson, the Orioles’ assistant hitting coach, is joining the Chicago White Sox as a minor league hitting coordinator, two sources said

— Andy Kostka (@afkostka) October 28, 2025

Both Johnson and Joseph worked under primary hitting coach Cody Asche this season, who was promoted from an offensive strategy coach to the Orioles' hitting coach before the 2025 season.

Johnson first joined the Orioles' organization on February 2, 2023 and was announced as the hitting coach for their Double-A affiliate, the Bowie Baysox. Less than a year later, Johnson would be promoted to the role of upper–level hitting coordinator for the 2024 season in the O's minor league system.

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The 35-year-old continued to rise through the ranks of the Orioles' organization as it was announced last offseason that Johnson, along with Joseph, would be hired as co-assistant hitting coaches for the 2025 season to work alongside Asche. Joseph previously spent the 2024 season as the Seattle Mariners' assistant hitting coach.

The Orioles endured a disappointing 2025 season, as they finished last in the AL East for the first time since 2021 with a record of 75-87 after back-to-back playoff campaigns. Their offense also disappointed during the season as they ranked 24th in all of baseball in runs scored (677), batting average (.235) and on-base percentage (.305).

Aug 30, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Baltimore Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson (2) sits in the dugout during the second inning against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images | D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images

Baltimore was also shut out eight times this season, which was tied for the third most in the major leagues. The offense particularly struggled in September, as the O's scored two or fewer runs in eight of the final 25 games of the regular season.

This past season's struggles at the plate were also due to the team missing some of their key offensive pieces throughout points of the year, with the likes of Gunnar Henderson, Adley Rutschman, Tyler O'Neill, Jordan Westburg and Colton Cowser, to name a few, all landing on the injured list at several points of the season.

Johnson and Joseph will now leave Baltimore after just one season at the helm of their respective positions. After the Orioles hired Craig Albernaz as their new manager, Johnson and Joseph's departure should not come as much of a surprise, as new leadership will be taking over for the O's coaching staff.