The Philadelphia Phillies have hired on former All-Star first baseman Wally Joyner as an assistant hitting coach, reports Todd Zolecki of MLB.com:

The Phillies know they need to improve offensively next season. They believe Wally Joyner can help.

"Wally is a man with some experience," Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said. "He's not far removed from being an actual Major League player. We just felt like he was a very, very good fit. He's going to be an asset to us."

Joyner, a 16-year MLB veteran, will primarily work alongside new hitting coach Steve Henderson before games and in the clubhouse batting cages during games. Because of an MLB rule limiting the number of coaches on the bench during a game, Joyner will not sit in the dugout in-game.

Joyner previously served as the hitting coach of the San Diego Padres from 2007-08 and has been working as MLB's head hitting instructor for development programs in Italy and Brazil. Joyner has also been tabbed as the hitting coach for the Chinese team at the World Baseball Classic.