ATLANTA — The Atlanta Braves have announced that they've signed manager Brian Snitker to a contract extension through the 2023 season with an option for the 2024 season.
“I am thrilled that Brian will continue to lead our club on the field and in the clubhouse” said the club's general manager and president of baseball operations, Alex Anthopoulos in a statement. “Three consecutive division titles speak to the impact of Brian and his staff, and we are pleased that he will continue to guide our club through 2023.”
Snitker has led the Braves to consecutive division titles for the last three seasons, including a 35-25 record in 2020 to win the National League East title by 4 games.
Last year, he guided the Braves to their first postseason series win since 2001, advancing Atlanta to the National League Championship Series.
Snitker is the only manager in the franchise's history to take the club to the postseason in three of his first four full seasons.
He was named interim manager for the major league Braves on May 17, 2016, and given the full-time job that October, compiling a 353-317 record in the role. Only Bobby Cox, Fredi Gonzalez, and Lum Harris have tallied more victories as Braves manager since the franchise relocated to Atlanta in 1966.
The 2021 season will mark Snitker's 45th as part of the Braves organization and his sixth as the major league manager. He first signed with the club in 1977 as a non-drafted free agent.
Snitker played as catcher for the club for four seasons, from 1977-1980, and began his coaching career as a roving instructor in 1981. He has also served as a coach with the Braves farm system for three seasons, with Danville from 1993-1994 and in Durham in 1995.
Snitker served 20 seasons as a minor league manager, tallying an overall record of 1,301-1,309, while managing at all levels of the farm system and taking five of his clubs to the postseason. He won two league titles, both at High-A Myrtle Beach in the 1999 and 2000 seasons.