Rick Sweet Returns as Nashville Sounds Manager for Sixth Straight Season

Rick Sweet will lead the Nashville Sounds again in 2026, a vote of confidence in the veteran skipper whose run in Hit City has become a pillar of Milwaukee’s player-development pipeline. The Sounds announced their on-field staff on February 4, 2026, and confirmed Sweet’s return as manager for a sixth consecutive season (seventh overall) with Nashville.

Sweet arrives for 2026 as the club’s all-time leader in victories in Nashville, his record standing at 484-379 (.561). OurSportsCentral noted that he “enters the 2026 season with the most wins among active minor league managers and owns the third-most wins in Minor League Baseball history.” That combination of longevity and sustained winning gives prospects a stable, experienced voice as they move toward the major leagues.

The club’s announcement named Tyler Thornburg as Nashville’s pitching coach. Thornburg joins the Triple-A staff after serving as an associate coach at Double-A Biloxi, a promotion that aligns experienced pitching oversight with the Sounds’ veteran manager. The Nashville Instagram post summarizing the move read, “The Nashville Sounds are thrilled to announce our 2026 field staff! Rick Sweet returns as manager, supported by an incredible coaching team.” The team’s release noted a full supporting staff was listed; the supplied excerpts identify Thornburg as the only assistant explicitly named beyond Sweet.

Across the Brewers organization, the same February 4 player-development announcement reshuffled coaching roles and front-office oversight. Bryan Conger was hired as director of player development after five seasons with the Cincinnati Reds, where he served as pitching coordinator from 2021-24 and was promoted to senior pitching coordinator in 2025. The Brewers’ social media lead read, “Introducing our 2026 Player Development Staff 👇” as the club outlined a system-wide plan to align instruction and scouting.

The organizational moves extend beyond Nashville. Julio Borbón and Al LeBoeuf will serve as special advisors and travel throughout the system, working with minor-league players and staff while acting as liaisons between player development, scouting, and player personnel. Affiliate assignments include Mike Guerrero returning to manage Double-A Biloxi, Nick Stanley promoted to manage Class-A Wisconsin, and Eddy Morgan joining the organization to manage Class-A Wilson after a 12-season run as head coach at Concordia University Wisconsin. The Brewers’ announcement also lists a slate of coaching shifts at Biloxi, Wilson, Rookie Arizona, and the DSL club, including Matt Lipka, Jesús Hernández, José García, Ricky Carvajal, Jairo Cuevas, and Conor Baxter.

For fans and the local baseball economy, Sweet’s return signals continuity on the field and familiarity in the clubhouse. His sustained win total and reputation for steady leadership matter to prospects carving out careers and to a Nashville fan base that recognizes identity and consistency. For the Brewers, the Conger hire and advisory roles for Borbón and LeBoeuf represent an emphasis on coordinated instruction across levels.

With spring training approaching, the Sounds and Brewers now turn theory into practice. Expect Sweet and Thornburg to set the tone for pitching and game management in Nashville, while the front-office changes in Milwaukee aim to accelerate development outcomes across the system. Fans should watch spring roster moves and the full club release for the complete list of supporting coaches as the 2026 season approaches.