Braves Name Dave Wallace and Garey Ingram to Minor League Posts

The Atlanta Braves have named Dave Wallace minor league pitching coordinator and Garey Ingram the hitting coach at Class-AA Mississippi. We already knew about the Wallace hiring from a Seattle newspaper, but here is the official announcement:

Atlanta Braves Director of Player Development Kurt Kemp announced today that the Braves have hired two new staff members, as Dave Wallace has agreed to terms to become the Club's Minor League Pitching Coordinator and Garey Ingram has been named the hitting coach at Mississippi (AA). Wallace, who was given a two-year contract through the 2011 season, replaces Kent Willis. Wallace's primary responsibility will be to oversee the progress and development of the Braves' minor league pitchers at all levels.

The rest of the release is after the jump.

"With the hiring of Dave Wallace as our Pitching Coordinator, we feel that our minor league pitching program couldn't be in better hands," said Kemp. "Dave's depth of experience, his knowledge, and his leadership give us great confidence that the pitchers in our system will have the greatest opportunity to grow, learn, and develop into the best pitcher's they can be."

Wallace began his professional career as a pitcher in the Philadelphia Phillies organization in 1970 and has worked as a major league and minor league coach and/or front office executive since 1981.

Wallace worked in the Los Angeles Dodgers organization from 1981-97 and again from 2001-03, when he served as the Dodgers' Sr. Vice President/Baseball Operations, overseeing LA's minor league operations and consulting with the General Manager on baseball operations. Wallace also served the Dodgers as a Special Assistant to the GM (Dec., 2000-April, 2001) and interim GM (April-Oct., 2001).

He has served as a major league pitching coach with the Dodgers (1995-97), New York Mets (1999-2000), Boston Red Sox (2003-06) and Houston Astros (2007). He joined the Seattle Mariners in October 2007 and spent two seasons (2008-09) as Special Assistant to the General Manager/Minor League Pitching Coordinator.

Ingram spent the 2009 season as the hitting coach for San Francisco's Double-A Connecticut affiliate after spending the previous seven seasons (2002-08) as a minor league hitting coach in the Los Angeles Dodgers system. He was the hitting coach for two years at Class-A Great Lakes and also coached the Columbus/South Georgia Waves from 2003-06.

"We are very pleased to have Garey join our staff," said Kemp. "Hitting Coordinator Leon Roberts and I have been impressed with Garey and we feel he will do a great job teaching and coaching our Double-A hitters at Mississippi."

Ingram retired from his 14-year professional playing career in 2002 and began his coaching career that same season with the Gulf Coast League Dodgers. His playing career included parts of three major league seasons (1994-95, '97) with the Dodgers. He made history on May 19, 1994, when, as pinch-hitter, he became the 67th major league player to homer in his first plate appearance, doing so at Denver's Mile High Stadium.

The former infielder/outfielder was drafted by the Dodgers out of Middle Georgia Junior College in 1989. He currently resides in Columbus, Ga.

Good moves by the Braves.