The Yankees have officially announced who will be joining new skipper Aaron Boone’s coaching staff for the 2018 season. Here’s who will be greeting pitchers and catchers when they report for Spring Training in eight days:
Bench coach Josh Bard, pitching coach Larry Rothschild, bullpen pitching coach Mike Harkey, hitting coach Marcus Thames, assistant hitting coach P.J. Pilittere, third base coach Phil Nevin, first base coach/outfield instructor Reggie Willits and Major League quality control coach/infield instructor Carlos Mendoza.
Additionally, Jason Brown will serve as catching coach, Radley Haddad will be the coaching assistant/bullpen catcher and Brett Weber will return as coaching assistant/instant replay coordinator.
The New York Yankees announce the 2018 coaching staff. pic.twitter.com/SB0s7MBL4F
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) February 5, 2018
Bard and Nevin are the only new faces in the clubhouse. Everyone else is either returning to the role they held last season, or has been promoted from the team’s Minor League system.
Bard spent the last five seasons with the Dodgers, most recently serving as their bullpen coach. Under Bard in 2017, LA relievers set a National League record with 637 strikeouts while also leading the NL in ERA (3.38), opponents’ BA (.222) and K/9 IP (10.24). The 39-year-old served as a pro scout from 2014-15 and as a special assistant to the general manager in 2013. He was a teammate of Boone’s on the 2005 Indians.
Nevin was the third base coach for the Giants in 2017 after managing at the Triple-A level for the Diamondbacks (2014-16) and Tigers (2011-13). He also managed the Tigers’ Double-A affiliate in 2010.
Rothschild will be entering his eighth season as the Yankees pitching coach, and his 44th in the league.
Harkey returns for his ninth season as the team’s bullpen coach.
Thames will be taking over main hitting coach duties having served as assistant hitting coach the last two season. Pilittere will serve as his assistant after spending the last five years as hitting coach across four different levels of the Minors.
Willits joins the Big League club after three years serving as a Minor League outfield/baserunning coordinator.
Mendoza also joins the Big League club for the first time. He spent the last five seasons as an infield coordinator on the farm. He managed Single-A Charleston in 2012 and the Gulf Coast League Yankees in 2011.
Brown and Haddad were both coaching assistants and bullpen catchers for the team last season. This will be their second season in the Bigs.
Weber is in his 10th year with the club, and fifth in his current position as instant replay coordinator.
