Guardians assistant coach could be poached as 'big candidate' for manager-needy team

The Cleveland Guardians are still in the postseason this year, with each member of their organization being solely focused on the Detroit Tigers in their Game 5 matchup. (At the time of writing this, the Guardians are tied with the Tigers 0-0 in Game 5).

But once their season ends, they have a few members of their organization that could be headed in different directions during the Winter months.

Obviously, the roster could see some shake up with free agency, potential trades and prospects coming up. But the Guardians could see some shake up on their coaching staff, specifically with some of their staff leaving to pursue opportunities in bigger roles with other organizations.

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MLB insider connects Guardians assistant coach to vacant Marlins manager role

MLB insider Jon Heyman recently made the connection between Guardians bench coach Craig Albernaz and the Miami Marlins.

"Guardians bench coach Craig Albernaz is considered a big candidate for Marlins manager. He’s linked to GM Peter Bendix as a former Rays minors coach and as bullpen and catching coach in San Francisco for Gabe Kapler, now Marlins assistant GM," Heyman wrote this week.

Heyman listed a few other names including current Marlins bench coach Luis Urueta. But the most intriguing option has to be Albernaz right now, specifically because of his connections to Miami, their front office and the organization as a whole.

Albernaz has spent around two decades in the professional baseball world, both as a player and a coach. He spent time with the Tampa Bay Rays, mainly working in the minor leagues with prospects. With the Rays, he worked under Peter Bendix, who's now the President of Baseball Operations for the Miami Marlins. This is where the connections begin for Albernaz.

Albernaz would get his first big league coaching job with the San Francisco Giants as the bullpen and catching coach. Albernaz was a spectacular defensive catcher during his playing days, but his bat was never good enough to make him usable at the big league level.

While with the Giants, Albernaz was working under their then-manager, Gabe Kapler. Kapler is now with the Marlins as well, working as the assistant general manager. There's no shortage of direct connections for Albernaz with the Marlins.

But, as of now, Albernaz is focused on the postseason. This could quickly change when the Guardians are eliminated, as he would likely be very eager to take a career upgrade like this, even if it has to start with a rebuilding organization like the Marlins.