By JONATHAN BURROWS

Tribune Sports Reporter

jburrows@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMIAN Major League Baseball coach and former player Antoan Richardson has officially returned to the Atlanta Braves as a first-base coach for this upcoming MLB season.

Richardson, 42,  who made his MLB debut as a player with the Atlanta Braves in 2011, was drafted to the minor leagues by the San Francisco Giants in the 35th round in 2005 out of Vanderbilt University.

Before being called up to the Braves' major league team, the season prior was spent with the Braves’ affiliate Mississippi Braves team that played in the Double-A division.

He was named to the MiLB All-Star team that season, with a batting split of .280/.430/.327, along with 17 stolen bases.  

After his playing career, Richardson turned to coaching and development. He served as the outfield coordinator and minor-league field coordinator for the Giants before moving into Major League coaching.

He joined the Giants Major League staff as the first base, outfield and baserunning coach.

In 2024 and this past season, he served as first base coach, outfield coordinator and baserunning coach for the New York Mets. Under his coaching, the team achieved a stolen base success rate of 89.1%.

Richardson is credited as the first Bahamian Major League Baseball coach.