Nashville Sounds Announce 2026 On-Field Staff

Experienced coaching group led by manager Rick Sweet returns to lead Sounds in 2026 season

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

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The Nashville Sounds, the Triple-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers, have announced their on-field staff for the 2026 season. Rick Sweet will return as manager for his sixth consecutive season, leading a group of coaches with extensive experience at the Triple-A level. The staff includes several returning coaches as well as some new additions, all of whom are focused on player development and competing for championships.

Why it matters

The Nashville Sounds are a crucial part of the Milwaukee Brewers' minor league system, serving as a pipeline for top prospects to reach the major leagues. The continuity and experience of the coaching staff is important for maintaining a winning culture and ensuring the development of young players.

The details

Rick Sweet, the Sounds' manager, is the club's all-time leader in wins with a record of 484-379 (.561) over six seasons. His staff includes several coaches with extensive experience in the Brewers' system, including pitching coaches Tyler Thornburg and Bryan Leslie, hitting coaches Tim Doherty and Zack Jones, and a number of other returning coaches and support staff.

  • Rick Sweet returns as Nashville's manager for a sixth consecutive season (seventh overall).
  • The 2026 home opener is Tuesday, March 31 against the Charlotte Knights (Triple-A, Chicago White Sox).

The players

Rick Sweet

The Nashville Sounds' manager, who is the club's all-time leader in wins with a record of 484-379 (.561) over six seasons. He enters the 2026 season with the most wins among active minor league managers and owns the third-most wins in Minor League Baseball history.

Tyler Thornburg

The Sounds' new pitching coach, who made 23 combined starts on the mound for Nashville between 2012-2013 and was the Brewers' top ranked pitching prospect in 2013.

Bryan Leslie

The Sounds' returning pitching coach, who helped coach the team's pitching staff to the third-best overall ERA in Triple-A (3.91) and a bullpen ERA that also ranked third among all Triple-A clubs (3.80) last season.

Tim Doherty

The Sounds' returning hitting coach, who previously served as a hitting coach in the Washington Nationals and Colorado Rockies systems.

Zack Jones

The Sounds' returning hitting coach, who previously coached in the Philadelphia Phillies organization and served as the lead hitting trainer at Driveline Baseball in Seattle.

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What they’re saying

“I'm very excited to bring an experienced group of coaches back to Nashville with me this season. From top to bottom, the Brewers have put together a staff ready to maximize player development and compete for championships at every level of the organization. We're eager to get to spring training in Arizona and prepare to lead a talented young group of players that I am really, really excited about.”

— Rick Sweet, Manager (maurycountysource.com)

What’s next

The Nashville Sounds will open their 2026 season on March 31 against the Charlotte Knights.

The takeaway

The continuity and experience of the Nashville Sounds' coaching staff, led by veteran manager Rick Sweet, is crucial for maintaining a winning culture and developing top prospects within the Milwaukee Brewers' minor league system.