It’s a thing nowadays in the major leagues for clubs to have three hitting coaches, a No. 1 guy and two assistants. The Yankees like for at least one of them to have big-league experience, and that aspect wasn’t on manager Aaron Boone’s staff when assistant Hensley Meulens left in November to become the top hitting coach with the Colorado Rockies.
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After addressing more pressing on-field issues, namely re-signing American League MVP Aaron Judge and landing another ace by signing Carlos Rodon, the Yankees finally got around to finding a third hitting coach to join top guy Dillon Lawson and assistant Casey Dykes
The Yankees settled Monday on Brad Wilkerson, former left-handed-hitting slugger who has a 32-homer season with the 2004 Montreal Expos on his resume.
Wilkerson, 45, joins the Yankees after a three-season run as assistant hitting coach and recruiting coordinator for Jacksonville University. He has no pro coaching experience. Before that, Wilkerson coached in high school and USA Baseball.
Wilkerson spent parts of eight seasons in the majors, batting .247 with 122 homers in 972 games with the Expos (2001-04), Washington Nationals (2005), Texas Rangers (2006-07), Seattle Mariners (2008) and Toronto Blue Jays (2008).
Wilkerson is the only new addition to Boone’s 10-man coaching staff.
Here is the Yankees’ 2023 coaching staff:
-- Carlos Mendoza, bench coach (6th season).
-- Matt Blake, pitching coach (4th season).
-- Desi Druschel, assistant pitching coach (2nd season).
-- Mike Harkey, bullpen coach (8th season).
-- Dillon Lawson, hitting coach (2nd season).
-- Casey Dykes, assistant hitting coach (2nd season ).
-- Brad Wilkerson, assistant hitting coach (1st season).
-- Travis Chapman, first base coach (2nd season).
-- Luis Rojas, third base coach (2nd season).
-- Tanner Swanson, quality control and catching coach (4th season).
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Here is more on Wilkerson from the Yankees’ press release on the hiring:
Wilkerson joins the Yankees’ Major League staff after spending the last three years as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for Jacksonville University. During the 2020-21 season, he helped lead Jacksonville to an ASUN Conference Championship. Prior to joining Jacksonville University, Wilkerson was the head coach at The King’s Academy in West Palm Beach, Fla. He has also served as a coach for USA Baseball where he was named the “Volunteer Coach of the Year” by the organization in 2014.
During his Major League career, Wilkerson hit .247 (788-for-3,187) with 500 R, 193 doubles, 28 triples, 122 HR, 399 RBI and 492 BB in 972 games over eight Major League seasons . He hit double-digit home runs in six straight seasons from 2002-07, reaching the 20-home run plateau three times (20 in 2002, 32 in 2004 and 20 in 2007). Wilkerson was tabbed the Sporting News National League Rookie Player of the Year and finished second in National League Rookie of the Year voting in 2002 after leading all NL rookies in hits (135), runs (92), home runs (20), RBI (59), walks (81) and games played (153). During the 2004 season, he posted career bests in hits (146), runs (112), home runs (32), walks (106), slugging percentage (.498), OPS (.872) and games played (160). In his career, he appeared defensively at all three outfield positions and first base.
The Owensboro, Ky., native was selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 13th round of the 1995 draft but did not sign, electing to attend the University of Florida. In three seasons with Florida, Wilkerson was a two-way player, recording a career .381 batting average with 55HR while posting a 26-11 record on the mound. After being named the 1998 National Player of the Year by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association, the three-time First-Team All-American was selected by the Expos in the first round (33rd overall) in the 1998 draft. In 2012, Wilkerson became the first Florida Gator to be elected to the College Baseball Hall of Fame.
Wilkerson also played for Team USA, winning a gold medal at the 1995 World Junior Baseball Championship and the 2000 Olympics in Sydney.
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Randy Miller may be reached at rmiller@njadvancemedia.com.
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