Anthony Iapoce’s hiring answers the question: who will lead the Reds’ assistant hitting-coach role?

The Cincinnati Reds hired Anthony Iapoce as assistant hitting coach, a new addition to manager Terry Francona’s coaching staff announced by MLB on Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2026.

Iapoce, 53, is entering his 10th season on a Major League coaching staff. His most recent Major League role was assistant hitting coach for the Houston Astros during the 2026 season.

With Iapoce in that Astros staff role, Houston led MLB with 226 home runs in 2026, a total cited in the announcement as the fifth-highest in franchise single-season history.

Before his Astros assignment, Iapoce spent two seasons as the Tigers’ first base coach and was credited in the announcement with helping Detroit reach the postseason in both years.

Iapoce’s previous Major League hitting-development experience includes work with the Texas Rangers (hitting coach, 2016-18) and the Chicago Cubs (hitting coach, 2019-21). He also served in minor-league hitting program leadership as a Special Assistant to the General Manager for Chicago from 2013-15 and previously as the Blue Jays’ hitting coordinator (2010-12).

His earlier professional background includes being selected by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 33rd round of the 1994 MLB Draft, then playing parts of nine minor-league seasons as an outfielder in Brewers and Marlins organizations.