Craig Albernaz
Craig Francis Albernaz
- Bats Right, Throws Right
- Height 5' 8", Weight 185 lb.
- School Eckerd College
- High School Somerset (MA) High School
- Born October 30, 1982 in Fall River, MA USA
Biographical Information[edit]
Catcher Craig Albernaz played in the Tampa Bay Rays' chain from 2006-2013, reaching AAA from 2009-2013. He was originally signed by scout Kevin Elfering as an undrafted free agent, reaching a high level for someone not drafted and never considered a serious prospect. After his time with Tampa, he played one more year at AA in the Detroit Tigers' chain in 2014 before retiring as a player. He was a catcher, but was never a regular during his time: the most at-bats he ever had for one team in one season was 204 in his final season with the Erie SeaWolves; before that, in his years in the Rays' system, it was 156 with the AA Montgomery Biscuits in 2010. A true organizational soldier, he would often change levels during a season to serve as a back-up wherever he was needed, and over the course of his career appeared 14 times as a pitcher in blow-out games. His batting average was .199 in 380 games, with 5 homers and 86 RBIs.
Albernaz became a hitting coach with the Princeton Rays in 2015 and the Hudson Valley Renegades in 2016. He started 2017 coaching the AAA Durham Bulls. When Tim Parenton took the head coaching job at the University of North Florida just before the New York-Penn League season was set to begin in June, Albernaz was sent to manage the Renegades. After that season, Albernaz journeyed to the other side of planet Earth to serve as an assistant coach with the Perth Heat of the Australian Baseball League. He returned to the U.S. in 2018 and managed the Bowling Green Hot Rods for one season. Albernaz spent his final season in the Tampa Bay Rays organization as their minor league field coordinator.
In 2020, he was named bullpen coach and catching instructor for the San Francisco Giants and he remained in those roles through the 2023 season. In 2024, he moved to the Cleveland Guardians as bench coach. Albernaz remained with the Guardians in 2025, but now with the title of Associate Manager. Following that season, he emerged as the leading candidate for the vacant managerial job of the Baltimore Orioles. He had been interviewed for managerial jobs with the Chicago White Sox and Miami Marlins the previous winter. He was confirmed as the O's manager for 2026 on October 27th.
| Preceded by Tony Mansolino |
Baltimore Orioles Manager 2026- |
Succeeded by current |
Year-By-Year Managerial Record[edit]
| Year | Team | League | Record | Finish | Organization | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Hudson Valley Renegades | New York-Penn League | 44-32 | 3rd | Tampa Bay Rays | League Champs |
| 2018 | Bowling Green Hot Rods | Midwest League | 90-49 | 1st | Tampa Bay Rays | League Champs |
| 2026 | Baltimore Orioles | American League | Baltimore Orioles |
Further Reading[edit]
- Jake Rill: "Orioles announce hiring of Craig Albernaz as manager", mlb.com, October 27, 2025. [1]
- Jake Rill: "Dodgers GM Gomes dishes on childhood friend 'Alby'", mlb.com, November 11, 2025. [2]
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