The British Baseball Federation (BBF) has announced several new staff for the 2026 season, including British Baseball Hall-of-Famer Craig Savage as Director of Operations, Matt Moran as Under-18 Head Coach, amd Lee Manning as Under-12 Head Coach. Pietro Sollecito returns as Women’s National Team skipper, while Ian Griebenow retains his position as Under-15 manager.
All four positions were advertised on Oct. 1 [link] as part of regular cycles of recruitment. As part of the recruitment process, a panel conducted interviews with all shortlisted candidates and presented the board with an overview of their observations and recommendations. The final decisions on all appointments were taken solely by the BBF board.
Savage arrives with a distinguished track record and a reputation as one of the most accomplished figures in the domestic game. A 2023 inductee into the British Baseball Hall of Fame (BBHOF), Savage has left a long-lasting mark on the sport. During his time with Brighton Baseball Club, he guided the Buccaneers to multiple National League finals and titles, along with notable European achievements. In 2003, he worked at San Diego State University with legendary coaches Jim Dietz and Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn, during Gwynn’s transition into collegiate coaching. The following year, he joined the Aztecs for Spring Training in Yuma (Ariz.), and was invited onto Gwynn’s staff for the historic Aztec Invitational, the event that staged the first baseball game ever played at PETCO Park, setting the all-time college baseball attendance record of over 40,000, a feat that still stands today.
For more on Savage, see the BBF’s original release [link].
Sollecito returns as the GB Women’s Baseball manager after winning the 2025 European Women’s Baseball Championship and qualifying for the WBSC Women’s World Cup. He has held roles on other GB Baseball squads as well. Similarly, Griebenow returns after posting a winning record at the 2025 U15 European Baseball Championship, a tremendous accomplishment, as it was the first time that Great Britain had competed at the top level of the age group.
Matt Moran takes over from Erick Henson, for whom he served as Assistant Coach, after starting with the U18 squad as First Base Coach. Meanwhile, Lee Manning will take the helm of the U12s, succeeding Chris Ward. The British baseball veteran has held a variety of roles, including BBF Development Official, Manager of the Herts Falcons and Director of Youth Baseball for Herts, and a player in the GB system.