Reds hire Brad Mills as bench coach, reuniting him with manager Terry Francona

Cincinnati Reds manager Terry Francona on Tuesday filled out his coaching staff with four hires, including bench coach Brad Mills.

Eight members of last season’s coaching staff return, the team announced. Freddie Benavides, the bench coach under David Bell, will return as the bench coach/field coordinator. Also returning are third base coach J.R. House, first base coach Collin Cowgill, bullpen coach Matt Tracy, assistant pitching coach Alon Leichman, coach/coordinator of advance scouting Kyle Arnsberg and bullpen catcher José Duarte.

The new hires are bullpen catcher James Keller and assistant hitting coaches Alex Peláez and Will Remillard.

When the season ended, the Reds announced Derek Johnson would continue as the team’s pitching coach and director of pitching. The team hired director of hitting/hitting coach Chris Valaika earlier this month.

A former teammate of Francona’s with the Montreal Expos, Mills managed the Houston Astros from 2010 to 2012. He was also on Francona’s staff with the Philadelphia Phillies, Boston Red Sox and Cleveland. Mills also served as Frank Robinson’s bench coach in Montreal in 2003.