The New York Yankees are chasing their third hitting coach in five months and the latest to get an offer from the front office has close ties to Aaron Judge and the organization.
After Dillon Lawson was fired midseason and Sean Casey stepped away from the hitting coach position due to family reasons, the Yankees have reportedly offered Detroit Tigers’ James Rowson the available position, according to R.J. Anderson of CBS Sports.
Rowson’s Playing and Coaching Career in Yankees’ Minor League System a Draw
Rowson knows what it’s like to take the plate at a professional level. He came up through the Yankees’ minor league system with the Oneonta Yankees in the Short Season A division back in 1997.
He also served two stints as a hitting coordinator in the Yankees’ minor league system totaling eight years. He’s a trusted face for the Steinbrenners and Judge as well.
Judge was drafted by the Yankees in 2016 while Rowson was still a fixture in their minor league system. Judge has been vocal about wanting personnel who can handle the top-of-the-line analytics department the right way and bring a winning culture to the team. A familiar face may appease him and lessen his dissatisfaction.
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Rowson Has Helped Several Star Hitters Have Strong Seasons
Outside of the Yankees organization, Rowson got his break in the majors as the Minnesota Twins’ hitting coach from 2017-2019. He then served as bench coach for the Miami Marlins from 2020-2022 before returning to the hitting side of coaching as an assistant for the Detroit Tigers this past season.
Rowson has coached several elite hitters in his career. Twins DH Nelson Cruz went for 41 home runs behind a .311 batting average in their 101-61 season back in 2019. He also coached standouts Brian Dozier and Eddie Rosario during his tenure in Minnesota.
The Yankees are looking to hit home runs with all of their offseason acquisitions from a player and personnel standpoint. After losing bench coach Carlos Mendoza to the New York Mets, Rowson would make for a good addition next to head coach Aaron Boone in 2024.
