Toronto Blue Jays have hired a new coach

Toronto announced December 10 that Cody Atkinson is joining John Schneider's staff as an assistant hitting coach, giving David Popkins another day-to-day partner in the cage.

Atkinson is 36 and spent the last six seasons in the Texas Rangers system, with a reputation for tying player plans to repeatable routines.

This matters because the Jays have been chasing consistency for a while, especially after Don Mattingly's departure opened up a few new lanes for voices and responsibilities.

In 2024 the Jays hit .241/.313/.389, scored 671 runs, and popped 156 homers. Last year they jumped to .265/.333/.427 with 798 runs and 191 homers on the way to a 94-68 record.

I still remember how flat those 2024 at-bats felt, so any extra hitting voice is welcome to built off of the Blue Jays great offensive season last year.

Ossanna popped up on social media with a post that sparked Blue Jays chatter as he announced that he would also be joining the organization as a hitting coach for the 2026 season.

What Atkinson can add is drill design and swing-decision feedback, turning video into simpler cues hitters can trust when the count gets ugly. If Popkins owns the plan, Atkinson can own the reps and Ossanna will also be helping in some way but his role has yet to be announced by the team.

With Mattingly officially joining the Phillies on Monday, Toronto's staff keeps evolving behind the scenes. The next checkpoint is March, when Blue Jays hitters try to make the 2025 jump feel repeatable.