Chili Davis, a three-time All-Star and three-time World Series champion, will serve as the A's hitting coach in 2012.
He replaces Gerald Perry, whose contract was not renewed.
Davis spent the 2011 season as the Boston Red Sox's Triple-A hitting coach with Pawtucket.
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After winning back-to-back World Series titles with the Yankees in '98 and '99, Davis retired as one of the greatest switch-hitters in baseball history.
In 1981, Davis made his big league debut, becoming the first Jamaica-born player to ever play in the majors.
He was hired by the Los Angeles Dodgers as a part-time instructor in the fall instructional league in 2010 before being named Pawtuckets hitting coach last season.
Bostons Triple-A affiliate ranked among the International League leaders in on-base percentage (.335, third), runs scored (657, third), home runs (132, fifth) and slugging percentage (.401, sixth) in 2011.