Donnie Ecker, who was part of the Texas Rangers’ coaching staff from 2022 until about six weeks into the 2025 season, is reportedly being brought on board by new Baltimore Orioles manager Carlos Albernaz
to be the new bench coach for the A’s.
Ecker was hired away from the San Francisco Giants, where he had been a hitting coach in 2020 and 2021, after the 2021 season. Albernaz was the Giants’ bullpen and catching coach during that time.
Ecker was originally both bench coach and offensive coordinator for the Rangers, but prior to 2025, the Rangers named Luis Urueta the new bench coach so Ecker could focus solely on his offensive coordinator duties. After the bats got off to a putrid start in 2025, Ecker was fired, and replaced by former major leaguer turned podcaster Bret Boone.
Interestingly, Ecker isn’t the only new member of Baltimore’s coaching staff to have a Rangers connection. Jason Bourgeois, the Rangers’ second round pick in 2000, has joined the Orioles as their new first base coach, a position he had held with the Chicago White Sox the previous two seasons.
