Snitker played right field for the 1971 Macon High Schoolbaseball team in Illinois. The team's surprising run to the state championship tournament was documented in Chris Ballard's 2012 book One Shot at Forever: A Small Town, an Unlikely Coach, and a Magical Baseball Season. As a youth, Snitker also played American Legion Baseball, an experience that he said in a 2018 interview, "Gave me the platform to be seen because there are always scouts at American Legion games. It had a big part on my development as a player and helping me get a jump on a professional career." Snitker is a graduate of the University of New Orleans. Snitker joined the Braves organization in the minor leagues as a player in 1977, playing through 1980. He played mostly catcher and some first base in the minor leagues, batting.254/.316/.390 with 23 home runs in 780 at bats. Snitker has been manager of the Anderson Braves, Macon Braves, Durham Bulls, Myrtle Beach Pelicans, Greenville Braves, Mississippi Braves and Richmond Braves, all in the Braves farm system. He was also the Atlanta Braves' bullpen coach in 1985 and 1988-1990. A few of his honors during his fifteen-year run as a minor league manager are winning two championships with the Myrtle Beach Pelicans in 1999 and 2000, and in those same years he won the Carolina LeagueManager of the Year. From 2007 to 2013, Snitker served as the Braves' third-base coach. He was named to that position on October 3, 2006, replacing Fredi González, who left to join the Florida Marlins as manager. When González was named Braves manager for the 2011 season after Bobby Cox's retirement, Snitker was kept on as third base coach. On October 14, 2013, Snitker was named the manager of the Braves Triple-A club, the Gwinnett Braves. On May 17, 2016, Snitker was named Atlanta's interim manager, replacing Fredi González, who was fired. On October 11, 2016, the Braves named Snitker their full-time manager for the 2017 season. The team announced on October 5, 2017, that Snitker would return as manager for the 2018 season. On October 15, 2018, the Braves gave Snitker a two-year contract extension with a club option for 2021. On November 13, 2018, Snitker was awarded the National League Manager of the Year Award for the 2018 season. Snitker shared that year's Sporting News National League Manager of the Year Award with Craig Counsell. In 2019, he led the Braves to their second consecutive division title. Snitker and Counsell were named finalists for the National League Manager of the Year Award in 2019, losing to Mike Shildt. On October 23, 2019, Snitker won his second Sporting NewsNational LeagueManager of the Year Award. In February 2020, Snitker agreed to another contract extension with the Braves, through the 2021 season.
Managerial record
Personal life
Snitker and his wife, Veronica have two children. In the 2011 MLB Amateur Draft, Snitker's son Troy was drafted by the Braves in the 19th round and traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates in March 2013. After retiring as a player, Troy joined the Houston Astros organization as a coach. Snitker's mother Catherine died in March 2019.
