Dodgers promote Danny Lehmann to game planning / communications coach

LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers finalized their 2018 major league coaching staff on Thursday, including a new position for Danny Lehmann, the new game planning and communications coach.

Lehmann was an advance video scout in the organization for the last three seasons, but in his new role per the Dodgers will “combine that game planning and positioning knowledge with more on field and in the dugout responsibilities, including both pre-game and in-game work.”

The 32-year-old Lehmann was a catcher for eight minor league seasons in the Twins organization after getting drafted by Minnesota in the eighth round in 2007.

Major league rules allow for seven coaches in uniform during games through Aug. 31, and the Dodgers have eight coaches. Last year the odd man out during games was Juan Castro, who as quality assurance coach would coach players on the field before the game but during the game would do his work from a stadium suite. It will be interesting to see how that gets handled in 2018.

Castro left in September to become the director of baseball operations of the Tijuana Toros in the Mexican League.

Joining Lehmann as additions to the major league staff are newly-hired bullpen coach Mark Prior and assistant hitting coaches Brant Brown and Luis Ortiz, the latter two also splitting time as minor league hitting instructors.

Former assistant hitting coach Tim Hyers left to join the Red Sox staff, and bullpen coach Josh Bard is now the bench coach for the Yankees.

Rick Honeycutt is back for his 18th season in the organization and 13th year as the pitching coach. He is the third-longest tenured pitching coach in the majors, behind only Don Cooper of the White Sox and Darren Balsley of the Padres.