Andy Tracy Returns as Clippers Manager, Ordomar Valdez Among Five New Coaches

The Cleveland Guardians have announced the player development assignments for their Triple-A affiliate, the Columbus Clippers, and Andy Tracy will return to lead the club as manager while five new faces join the Columbus field staff. The move preserves continuity at the top of the Clippers’ ladder while injecting new hands into coaching roles that shape the pipeline to Cleveland.

Andy Tracy “begins his seventh year with the Clippers, and his sixth as manager.” The Lewis Center, Ohio resident has guided Columbus to a combined record of 356-360 (.497), placing him 4th on the list of all-time managerial wins in franchise history. Tracy’s tenure brings institutional knowledge about the franchise, a track record that includes a second-half title in 2024, and a background as a hitting coach who joined the Guardians organization in 2019 after previous stops as Philadelphia’s minor-league hitting coordinator and a season managing at Williamsport. That mix of local roots and pro experience frames expectations for a team balancing player development with winning in 2026.

Returning staff stability includes bench coach Daniel Robertson, who is listed as Bench Coach/Asst. Baserunning Coordinator. Columbus also welcomes Ordomar Valdez among the newcomers on the hitting side. Valdez is entering his fifth season as a coach in the Guardians organization and served as hitting coach last season for Class-A Lake County; he also played six years in the Guardians system, including three games with the Clippers in 2016. Matt Angle returns for a second season as a Columbus hitting coach; the Ohio State alum reached the majors with Baltimore in 2011 and brings college coaching experience dating to his 2018-2022 stint at Ohio State. Andrew Moore returns to Columbus as a pitching coach after one season at Lake County; Moore was a 2015 second-round pick of Seattle who reached the majors in 2017 and 2019 and helped guide the Clippers to a playoff run in 2024.

“Five new faces are coming to Ohio’s capital city, joining the field staff that will once again be piloted by manager Andy Tracy and bench coach Daniel Robertson,” the organization noted in its assignment release. The MLB player-development listing emphasizes organizational continuity across levels, naming coordinators such as Matt Eiden in strength and conditioning, TJ Rivera as outfield coordinator, and Chris Smith as coordinator of hitting development and analysis. Those layers shape how Columbus coaches implement curriculum, analytics and workload management for prospects on the doorstep of the majors.

From a business and cultural standpoint, the blend of continuity and new hires supports both fan engagement and franchise objectives. Tracy and Angle sustain local connections that matter at the gate in Columbus while Valdez and Moore represent internal mobility that reinforces the Guardians’ development model. For fans tracking prospects, the changes matter because hitting and pitching coaches at Triple-A directly influence timing of promotions, refinement of swing mechanics, and bullpen sequencing for veterans on rehab assignments.

What comes next is spring preparation and roster construction. The organization still lists five new faces without naming them all publicly, so expect the Clippers and Guardians to finalize and flesh out staff titles before spring training opens. Fans should watch how Tracy’s clubhouse culture and the new coaches’ approaches translate into performance, prospect readiness and another push toward postseason contention.