Coaching/Playing Career
Jeff Branson officially joined the Major League coaching staff on December 13, 2012. In his role, he will act primarily as the assistant hitting coach, working with Jay Bell to implement the club's hitting program.
Branson spent the 2012 season - his 11th with the Pittsburgh organization and his 24th in professional baseball - as the Hitting Coach with Indianapolis. He spent a total of four seasons with the Pirates Triple-A affiliate.
Following a 14-year playing career, Branson joined the Pittsburgh organization in 2003 as the Hitting Coach with Williamsport in the New York-Penn League. He then managed the Williamsport club in 2004 before serving as manager with Hickory (2005-06) and Lynchburg (2007-08). In his five seasons as a minor league manager, Branson posted a 269-350 (.435) record.
An infielder during his playing days, Branson was selected by Cincinnati in the second round of the 1988 First-Year Player Draft and made his professional debut with Cedar Rapids in 1989. He made his Major League debut with the Reds on April 12, 1992 at Houston and collected his first hit in his fourth big league game on May 2, 1992 vs. Chicago - a double off Mike Morgan as a pinch hitter. Jeff's first Major League home run came on June 12, 1993; a two-run shot off John Smoltz at Fulton County Stadium in Atlanta.
Branson played a total of nine seasons in the big leagues and produced a .246 batting average (383-for-1555), 34 home runs and 156 RBI in 694 games. He appeared in the National League Championship Series with the Reds in 1995 and stole home as part of a double-steal with Lenny Harris in Game Two vs. Atlanta - the first steal of home in N.L.C.S. history.
The Cleveland Indians acquired Branson and left-handed pitcher John Smiley from the Reds in a deal for four players on July 31, 1997, and he played with the Indians in the 1997 World Series. Jeff played his final Major League game with the Dodgers on October 6, 2001, at San Francisco and finished his playing career with Triple-A Las Vegas in 2002.
Personal
Jeffrey Glenn Branson...Wife's name is Chastity...Has three children; sons Shelton (9/3/97) and Landon (6/2/06) and daughter Maclai (1/19/00)...Is a 1985 graduate of Southern Choctaw High School in Silas, AL, where he played baseball, basketball and football...Attended Livingston (AL) University and was named to the Converse Division II All-American Team as a junior in 1988...Was a member of the 1988 United States baseball team that won a Gold Medal at the Olympic Games in Seoul, Korea.
