Braves Announce Two Hires to Baseball Operations Department

ATLANTA, Ga. - The Atlanta Braves today announced two new hires to the baseball operations department, as Fred McGriff and Greg Walker have each been named as a Special Assistant to Baseball Operations. The hires were made by John Hart, Braves President of Baseball Operations.

McGriff, a familiar face within the Braves organization, makes his return to the Club in a support role after spending the 2014 season as a consultant for the Toronto Blue Jays. In his role, McGriff will attend Major League spring training as an instructor and during the regular season he will primarily focus on professional scouting. McGriff also held an advisory role for four seasons (2007-10) with the Tampa Bay Rays.

The former first baseman and five-time All-Star enjoyed parts of five seasons with the Braves from 1993 to 1997, which included a World Series Championship in 1995. McGriff played for six different organizations during his 19-year career (1986-2004) and posted a .284 career batting average, with 493 home runs and 1,550 RBI.

Walker most recently spent three seasons (2012-14) as the Braves' Major League hitting coach after previously serving as the hitting coach for the Chicago White Sox for eight-and-a-half seasons, from May 2003 through the 2011 season. He also worked as the hitting coach for Chicago's Triple-A Charlotte affiliate in 2002 and '03. Walker's primary responsibility will have him working with the organization's minor league hitters during spring training, as well traveling to some of the Club's minor league facilities during the regular season.

As a player, Walker posted a .260 career batting average with 113 home runs and 444 RBI in 855 games over a nine-year career (1982-90) with the White Sox and Baltimore Orioles. Walker is a native of Douglas, Ga. (Coffee High School), and still makes his home there.