The Los Angeles Dodgers promoted Brandon McDaniel to vice president of player performance, and Thomas Albert to head athletic trainer. The announcement was made along with new titles in the Dodgers front office for Brandon Gomes and Alex Slater, and the hire of Damon Jones.
McDaniel is entering his 10th season at the Major League level with the Dodgers. He previously was their director of player performance from 2019-2021, which came after a stint as head strength and conditioning coach (2014-2018), and strength and conditioning coach (2013).
McDaniel first joined the Dodgers organization in 2012, when he worked as the strength coach for Triple-A Albuquerque. His experience spans 14 seasons in professional baseball, including three with the Pittsburgh Pirates (2007-2009).
In 2017, McDaniel was named the Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year. Several Dodgers players have lauded his work, including Kenley Jansen last year for being instrumental to his bounce-back season.
“Everything I did in the offseason, in Spring Training and during the season — keep working with B-Mac, keep working with our pitching coaches — all that stuff is paying off,” Jansen said during the 2021 season.
McDaniel has also been involved with fans, including in 2020 when he conducted free workouts that were streamed online, and last month during the team’s Strength & Conditioning Symposium that featured Chase Utley and others.
New Dodgers head trainer
Albert now is the head trainer after spending the past six seasons (2016-2021) as the Dodgers’ assistant athletic trainer. Albert is entering an 11th season in professional baseball after serving four years with the Cleveland Indians as medical/rehabilitation coordinator from 2012-2015.
Albert’s profile amongst fans was raised in 2020, when he transformed to the Joker and finished in second place for the annual Dodgers dress-up day.
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