The Baltimore Orioles hired Craig Albernaz as their new manager to help bring the team back after a disappointing 75-87 season in 2025.
A former catcher, Albernaz played in the Tampa Bay Rays organization from 2006-2013 and spent his final season with the Detroit Tigers organization in 2014. Albernaz crossed paths with future big league catcher Curt Casali during his time with the Rays.
“When I first got traded to Tampa in the spring of 2013, he was in big league camp with Tampa,” Casali said on Glenn Clark Radio Oct. 28. “I just remember that anytime that the catchers would throw to bases, everybody — even the minor league catchers — would go over because they knew that Alby was going to be throwing to the bases, and he had an absolute bazooka.”
Albernaz began his coaching career in 2015 after his playing career came to a close. He was named the 2018 Midwest League Manager of the Year when he helmed the Bowling Green Hot Rods, the Rays’ Low-A affiliate at the time. He then coached with the San Francisco Giants and the Cleveland Guardians, reconnecting with Casali in San Francisco.
Casali was asked if he knew Albernaz was going to be a future manager during their time with the Giants. Casali mentioned that Albernaz, originally hired as the club’s bullpen coach, had to be moved to the dugout because he was so valuable.
“We had a great team in 2021. He’s been a complementary part of those Cleveland teams that have made the postseason the past couple of years,” Casali said. “I truly cannot think of a better person that I’ve met in my baseball life, and I’ve met a lot of people. I was around a long time. Craig jumps to the top of the list in terms of just the human being that he is, the friend that he is, and I think it’s going to translate really well to leading a bunch of young guys over there in Baltimore.”
The Orioles are coming off a season with a lot of underwhelming performances from players they are counting on, such as Colton Cowser and Adley Rutschman.
“You just need to get this guy around as many people as you possibly can, because it doesn’t take more than a conversation for him to be able to impact you, impact the way you feel, give you a piece of his mind, a piece of his knowledge,” Casali said. “He’s just got a lot of it because he’s been around a lot.”
Casali was also asked about Orioles catchers Rutschman and Samuel Basallo and the impact Albernaz can have on them. Albernaz is well regarded as a catching instructor.
“I think he’ll have a great impact,” Casali said. “I think anytime you have a former catcher that’s able to manage, it creates an even closer bridge between that and the current catchers, and sometimes that bridge is a little bit longer, but I think if you have somebody like Craig, who’s going to be managing the team, helping and constantly communicating with the players who’ve managed the actual playing of the game, which is the catchers, it’s only going to be a benefit for everybody.”
Casali said what sets Albernaz apart is his communication and collaboration with the front office and trusting what he thinks is best from his gut.
“At the end of the day, you’re hiring Craig because you trust in this his ability to manage a team. You trust his baseball instinct. You trust his instincts of being able to help a team win a game. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter what it looks like. As long as you get the W, that’s all that matters.”
For more from Casali, listen to the full interview here:
Photo Credit: Courtesy of the Cleveland Guardians