PITTSBURGH -- John Russell is the new manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates, senior vice president and general manager Neal Huntington confirmed in a Monday morning news release.

The move had been speculated throughout the weekend. Russell replaces Jim Tracy, who was fired after the season.

The team has scheduled an 11 a.m. ET news conference to formally announce the move.

Russell, a former Pirates third-base coach and catching instructor, is the 38th manager in Pirates history. He was manager of the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and Ottawa Triple-A teams the past two seasons

"John is absolutely the best choice to lead our ballclub," Huntington said in the news release. "His positive energy, intense passion for the game and strong managerial experience set him apart from every other potential candidate we considered," said Huntington. "John has been extremely successful getting the most out of his young players in his 10-plus years of managing. He is a great teacher of the game, an exhaustive communicator and tireless worker. He will ensure that our players continue to improve at the Major League level and play the game with the pride and passion of Pirate baseball."

Russell played for Philadelphia (1984-88), Atlanta (1988) and Texas (1990-93). He caught Nolan Ryan's sixth career no-hitter on June 11, 1990.

He has spent eight years as a minor league manager in the Minnesota system before moving the Triple A with Philadelphia.

"Having coached here before is an advantage in the sense that I understand the challenges we face. I also understand the passion and energy of Pirates fans," Russell in the news release. "The Club has changed a lot since I was here in 2005. I am excited by the many talented, young players who have joined the club since 2005. With proper preparation and dedication I believe we can restore a winning culture within our clubhouse."