The Atlanta Braves have seen fan favorites and household names depart the organization in the last few years, such as Freddie Freeman, Dansby Swanson, Ron Washington, Eric Young Sr., Max Fried, and AJ Minter. Even Chip Caray, the team’s longtime play-by-play announcer, departed for the same job with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2023. Likewise, the upcoming 2025 MLB Season could be the final season for another noteworthy figure within the organization: the team’s manager, Brian Snitker.
Snitker has been a part of the Braves organization for nearly five decades, starting as a minor league catcher in 1977. He spent over twenty years as an assistant coach and manager within the team’s farm system before spending seven years in Atlanta as a third-base coach. After serving two full seasons as the triple-A affiliate Gwinnett Braves manager, Snitker returned to Atlanta, this time as the team’s interim manager during the 2016 season. The team’s improved play and overwhelming support for Snitker from players resulted in him being named the full-time manager by then-general manager John Copolella. He was nearly replaced following a disappointing 72-win season in 2017 before Copollella left the organization. He was eventually banned from Major League Baseball due to repeated violations regarding the team’s international free-agent signing process.
Incoming general manager Alex Anthopoulos retained Snitker and extended him after the 2018 season, one in which he guided a young Braves team to their first National League East Division title and playoff appearance in five seasons. Snitker received National League Manager of the Year honors thanks to the team’s unexpected turnaround. Fast-forward seven years later, and Snitker has overseen a 735-582 record, seven consecutive playoff appearances, six division titles, and a World Series win in 2021 as manager of the Atlanta Braves. However, despite the regular season success the Braves have had under Snitker, the team’s lack of playoff success excluding 2021 (the Braves have gone one and done in five of their seven playoff appearances under Snitker) and questionable in-game managerial decisions have frustrated Braves fans, with many calling for a managerial change after the team collapsed in the National League Division Series against the Philadelphia Phillies in 2022 and 2023.
Nonetheless, barring an unforeseen turn of events, Snitker will depart the Braves on his terms. In January 2023, he signed a contract extension to keep him with the team through the upcoming 2025 season. He is now entering his ninth full season as manager and final under that extension, with questions looming about when exactly the longtime Brave will retire. In August 2024, baseball’s New York Post columnist Jon Heyman predicted that 2025 may be Snitker’s final year managing the Braves.
“There is a decent chance that he will manage out his contract next season and retire after next year,” Heyman said last August.
Likewise, During Major League Baseball’s Winter Meetings in December, more speculation about the manager’s looming retirement plans arose after an interview with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Justin Tuscano.
“I’m up in the air right now,” Snitker said. “Which, I’ll be honest with you, I have been for – when you get to my age, you do that. I think if I’m still enjoying what I’m doing, I’ll think about it” he continued.
Snitker, who turned 69 in October, has yet to sign another extension with the team. He is notably the same age as former longtime Braves manager and Major League Baseball Hall of Famer Bobby Cox was during his final season with the organization in 2010 (Snitker served as an assistant and third-base coach under Cox for four seasons).
2025 looks to be an exciting year for the Braves on the field, as they return several All-Stars who were sidelined with injuries last season. It may also be the last hurrah for another prominent member of the organization if Brian Snitker fulfills Heyman’s prediction and deservedly hangs it up after spending his entire career with one organization once the Braves’ season ends.
