Jay Bell, Jeff Pico won't return to Reds in 2016

Before the Reds’ 64th and final victory of the 2015 season earlier this month, Reds general manager Walt Jocketty announced manager Bryan Price’s job was safe, but the rest of the team’s staff would be evaluated.

On Thursday, the team announced it would not renew the contracts of bench coach Jay Bell and pitching coach Jeff Pico. The team promoted third base coach Jim Riggleman to bench coach and minor-league pitching coordinator Mark Riggins to pitching coach.

Before 2015, Riggleman had spent the three years as a manager in the Reds’ minor-league system, while Riggins has been with the Reds for the last four seasons after serving as the Cubs’ pitching coach in 2011.

“We’re going to be involved with a lot of teaching with the guys we have and the guys we have coming up in the near future and we want people who are familiar with the guys coming up in our organization and are good teachers,” Jocketty said on Thursday. “I think we’ve accomplished that with the staff we hired for next year. Jim is a guy who has had vast experiences as a manager, coach, minor-league manager. He was our field coordinator for me in St. Louis for a few years. He’s done it all and I think he’ll be a good asset to Bryan on the bench.”

Billy Hatcher will move from his role as first base coach to third base coach and Freddie Benavides will be the new first base coach. Hatcher will continue to coach the outfielders and Benavides will continue to coach the infielders.

Hatcher has spent 10 seasons with the Reds, much of it as first base coach. He was the Rays’ third base coach in 2000.

Bullpen and assistant pitching coach Mack Jenkins, hitting coach Don Long, Major League catching coordinator Mike Stefanski and bullpen catcher Dustin Hughes will return in 2016, as well.

“We felt the combination of Mark and Mack Jenkins and Bryan will be involved a lot with the pitching,” Jocketty said. “We’re trying to develop these young guys and we felt this was the best way to do that.”

Assistant hitting coach Lee Tinsley, who was arrested for driving while impaired in July, will not return. Tony Jaramillo, who has served as Louisville’s hitting coach the last three seasons and been in the organization since 2008, will serve as the assistant hitting coach.

Tinsley was placed on administrative leave after his arrest and did not return to the team.

Bell, who served as the Reds’ bench coach for each of Price’s first two seasons as manager, said in a text message to the Enquirer the decision was both “mutual” and “amicable.”

“I want to manage,” Bell wrote. “This does not rule out maintaining a relationship with the Reds.”

Jocketty said that door is still open. If Bell doesn’t find a job in the big leagues or in the high-minors, he could return to the Reds' organization in some capacity. Jocketty said unless Triple-A manager Delino DeShields or Double-A manager Pat Kelly are hired for a big-league job by another team, they are expected to return to their respective clubs for the 2016 season.