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Potential new entrant emerges in SF Giants search for head hitting coach

A new name and potential replacement
ByJeff Young
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Mar 27, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; New York Yankees hitting coach James Rowson before the game against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
Mar 27, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; New York Yankees hitting coach James Rowson before the game against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The SF Giants are in the market for a head hitting coach after Hunter Mense agreed to join the Kansas City Royals as an assistant hitting coach. On Tuesday, one potential new name emerged, as Greg Joyce of The New York Post reports that New York Yankees hitting coach James Rowson is now a free agent and is talking to other clubs.

Robert Murray of FanSided adds that there is plenty of interest in the Yankees' hitting coach. Well, folks. There are very few hitting coach vacancies available at the moment.

In fact, only three teams have an opening for the head hitting coach position. This includes the Giants, Yankees, and Los Angeles Angels.

The Angels are just one of two teams without a manager at the moment. Teams can and do fill key coaching roles before hiring a manager, but that is rare. The Houston Astros are an exception to this, as they brought in Victor Rodriguez as their hitting coach before bringing in a manager.

Veteran hitting coach James Rowson departs Yankees just as SF Giants opening emerges

There are several teams with assistant hitting coach positions available, including the Angels and Astros. That would seemingly be a step down for Rowson, given that he has worked extensively as a hitting coach over the years.

The veteran hitting coach has worked on the hitting side of the coaching staff for the Minnesota Twins (2017-2019) and Detroit Tigers (2023) before taking over on New York's staff after the 2023 season. In between stints with the Twins and Tigers, he served as a bench coach for the Miami Marlins for two seasons beginning in 2020.

The Giants have a clear need, and they could be filling that spot soon. Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area relays that they are on the verge of hiring a new one. He also reported several more coaching changes.

While it took a long time for Tony Vitello to finalize his staff last offseason, that does not appear to be the case this time around. The hitting coach is one of the few open spots. James Rowson is a veteran voice, and his departure from the Yankees aligns with the Giants' need for a top hitting voice.

As soon as the position opened up, we looked at three hitting coaches who could fill that vacancy. However, Rowson to the Giants feels far more likely.

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