Since Kevin Long was fired in 2014, the New York Yankees have gone through five hitting coaches in nine seasons. The one who lasted the longest was Marcus Thames, who ran the Yankees’ offense for four years. In fact, last season’s offense was so bad that New York fired a hitting coach during the year for the very first time. However, this season, the Yankees’ offense has completely turned around from 2023, which can all be attributed to the work and influence of first-year hitting coach James Rowson.
No Stability
Since Long’s termination, the Yankees have had no stability with their hitting coaches. Jeff Pentland, Alan Cockrell, Marcus Thames, Sean Casey, and Dillon Lawson have all spent time trying to coach the Yankee hitters. Though, Thames was the only one to last longer than two seasons.
New York’s inability to hire the right hitting coach finally came to a head last year.
A Hard-to-watch Disaster
Embed from Getty ImagesWhile many key players, including Aaron Judge, spent a lot of time on the injured list, the Yankees’ offense was a complete disaster in 2023. Dillon Lawson was fired in the middle of 2023, marking the first time in a 25-year reign that Brian Cashman has fired a hitting coach midseason. Sean Casey was then hired as the Yankees’ interim hitting coach for the rest of the season.
The Yankees finished the season averaging only 4.15 runs per game, sixth-worse in the league. The only teams that averaged fewer runs per game were the Cleveland Guardians, Detroit Tigers, Miami Marlins, Chicago White Sox, and Oakland Athletics.
6 Coaches In 10 Seasons
Embed from Getty ImagesThis past offseason, with input from Judge, the Yankees officially decided to hire James Rowson as their new hitting coach, the sixth in 10 years.
Before joining the Yankees, Rowson spent the 2023 season as the Tigers’ assistant hitting coach. He isn’t completely new to the Yankees organization, either; he’s already had two prior stints with the team, working in various roles, and had previous experience as a big-league hitting coach for the Chicago Cubs and Minnesota Twins. It should be noted that during his time with the Twins, Minnesota broke the league record for total home runs in a season, along with several other team records.
The James Rowson Impact
So far, in 2024, Rowson has resurrected the Yankees’ offense. New York currently leads the American League in home runs, RBI, OBP, slugging, and OPS. They are also ranked fourth in the American League in runs per game with 4.89, behind only the Baltimore Orioles, Kansas City Royals, and Guardians.
Rowson’s influence has tremendously helped both Anthony Volpe and Oswaldo Cabrera.
Cabrera has helped carry the Yankees’ offense when the stars were off to sluggish starts in April, and Volpe appears to have taken the next step in his development. The latter has been thriving since becoming the lead-off hitter and is currently on an 18-game hitting streak.
We’ve also seen Giancarlo Stanton have much better swings when he’s batting. So far, he’s produced a barrel rate of 12.3%. The Yankees’ designated hitter only trails teammates Juan Soto and Judge in American League barrel percentage.
A Significant Change
In a noticeable change, the Yankees are opting to see more pitches. They are currently seeing an average of 3.97 pitches per plate appearance, increasing their walks by 10%.
The Yankees have also experienced a significant drop-off in strikeouts, as well, something that plagued them for most of 2023. They’ve led the American League with 149 barrels in 2024 and have barrelled the ball in 10% of their at-bats.
Additionally, New York ranks inside the top three in hard-hit percent at 41.1%, trailing only the Seattle Mariners and Orioles. So, it’s safe to say that Rowson has done fantastic work so far this year.
The Fun Is Just Beginning
Embed from Getty ImagesJames Rowson has done an amazing job of turning around the Yankees’ offense in just two months.
While it helps to have stars like Aaron Judge and Juan Soto, his early impact on Anthony Volpe, Oswaldo Cabrera, and Giancarlo Stanton can’t go unnoticed. Overall, The Yankees’ offensive attack is notably better than in 2023. And just as the weather heats up, the fun is just beginning for the Yankees too.
For more on baseball, check out Belly Up Sports and follow Eric on Twitter. Featured Images: Getty Images
