Jeff Branson (baseball)


Jeffery Glenn Branson is an American former Major League Baseball infielder who is a Major League Baseball coach. He was the assistant hitting coach for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2013 and the hitting coach from 2014 until 2018.

Early and personal life

Branson was born on January 26, 1967, in Waynesboro, Mississippi. He is an alumnus of Southern Choctaw High School in Silas, Alabama, and the University of West Alabama. He was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the second round of the 1988 MLB amateur draft.

Career

Branson played for three different teams during his playing career: the Cincinnati Reds, Cleveland Indians, and Los Angeles Dodgers. He made his Major League Baseball debut April 12, 1992 and played his final game October 6, 2001.

Coaching career

On November 18, 2013, Branson was named hitting coach of the Pittsburgh Pirates. He was previously the assistant hitting coach in 2013. He was relieved of this position on October 1, 2018.