The Oakland A’s named Ryan Christenson as their new bench coach on Thursday, the team announced. The 43-year-old spent the last five seasons as a manager in the A’s minor league system
Christenson, a SoCal native, spent most of his playing career in Oakland. He was drafted by the A’s in 1995 and made his MLB debut three years later, grading out as a solid CF but a light hitter. He roamed the Coliseum outfield until being traded midway through 2001, and retired two years later after quick stints with three other clubs (ARI, MIL, TEX).
Fast forward 10 years, and he began his coaching career as a manager in the A’s lower minors.