Yankees announce 2024 coaching staff

NEW YORK -- The Yankees officially announced their 2024 coaching staff under manager Aaron Boone on Wednesday afternoon, which includes Pat Roessler, the Yanks' longtime director of player development and one of Juan Soto's former hitting coaches, returning to the organization.

The staff includes holdovers Matt Blake (pitching coach), Mike Harkey (bullpen coach), Desi Druschel (assistant pitching coach), Luis Rojas (third-base coach), Travis Chapman (first-base coach), Casey Dykes (assistant hitting coach) and Tanner Swanson (Major League field coordinator and director of catching).

However, the team made some changes to the staff. James Rowson is now the hitting coach, replacing Sean Casey, who was hired midseason in 2023 and left the role in October to spend more time with his family. Roessler will be one of Rowson’s assistant hitting coaches, replacing Brad Wilkerson, while Brad Ausmus becomes Boone’s bench coach, replacing Carlos Mendoza, who was named manager of the Mets last November.

The 2024 season will mark Roessler’s 13th year with the Yankees (also 2004-14, ’19) and 37th season in professional baseball. In 2019, he was a player development advisor for the Yankees after serving as the organization’s director of player development from September 2004 through the end of the 2014 season. Additionally, he was the organization’s field coordinator from September 2004 through the 2013 season and served as the club’s hitting coordinator in 2005, ’12 and ’13.

Roessler’s most recent stop came with the Nationals as an assistant hitting coach from 2020-23, where he overlapped with Soto from 2020-22. During that span, Soto won three Silver Slugger Awards, twice finished in the top five in MVP voting and twice led the National League in on-base percentage.

A New York native, Rowson rejoins the Yankees’ organization with 22 years of professional coaching experience. The 2024 season will mark his 10th on a Major League coaching staff and his first as the Yankees’ hitting coach. Rowson spent last season as the Tigers’ assistant hitting coach after serving as the bench coach for the Marlins from 2020-22. Prior to his stint in Miami, he was the hitting coach for the Twins from 2017-19. Before that, he spent seven years as the Yankees’ Minor League hitting coordinator, forging a strong bond with Aaron Judge in the process.

Ausmus is in his first season with the Yankees. He most recently served as the Athletics’ bench coach during the 2022 season. Prior to that, Ausmus managed the Angels in 2019 (72-90) and was a special assistant to Angels general manager Billy Eppler during the 2018 season. From 2014-17, he managed the Tigers and guided the club to a 314-332 (.486) record, which was highlighted by a 90-72 finish and a postseason berth in 2014, his first season at the helm.

As for the holdovers, Blake returns for his fifth season as the Yankees’ pitching coach. In 2023, Yankees pitchers ranked second in the American League and third in the Majors in opponents’ batting average (.234). To pair with Blake’s role, Harkey returns for his 15th season as the Yankees’ bullpen coach, having held the position from 2008-13 before returning to the club’s coaching staff for the 2016 season. In 2023, Yankees relievers posted a Major League-best 3.34 ERA.

Rounding out the pitching coaches, Druschel enters his third season as the Yankees’ assistant pitching coach and his sixth season in the Yankees’ organization. He also served as the Yankees’ manager of pitch development for three seasons from 2019-21.

Dykes enters his third season on the Yankees’ Major League coaching staff and will be focusing on the offense alongside Rowson and Roessler. Prior to joining the club’s Major League coaching staff, he served as the hitting coach for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in 2021.

On the infield side, Rojas enters his third season as the Yankees’ third-base coach. Prior to joining the Yankees, Rojas spent 16 years with the Mets (2006-21), including two seasons as the club’s manager (2020-21). During that span, the Mets went 103-119 (.464) in 222 games. Chapman, 45, enters his third season as the club’s first-base coach and 12th in the Yankees’ organization. He also enters his third season as the organization’s director of infield.

Swanson is in his fifth season as the Yankees’ director of catching and his first as the club’s Major League field coordinator. He previously served as the club’s quality control/catching coach and director of catching from 2020-23.