Astros Appoint Conner Watson as New Director of Hitting

The Houston Astros have appointed Conner Watson as their new director of hitting, according to reports from The Athletic. Watson joins the Astros after serving as the assistant director of hitting development for the Guardians over the past two seasons.

This hiring is part of a significant offseason transformation for the Astros, who are also in search of a new general manager and manager. Watson fills a position that has been vacant since August, following the departure of former director of hitting Dan Hennigan to a coaching role at Wake Forest.

Earlier this week, Spencer Medick was brought on as the director of pitching, marking the establishment of leadership for both hitting and pitching within the organization. Watson, who previously worked as a lead instructor at Driveline’s Arizona branch, is expected to modernize the Astros' hitting strategies across all levels. While many coaching staff members, including manager Joe Espada, may not return in 2027, hitting coach Victor Rodriguez is anticipated to stay, although this could change based on Watson's approach.