Chicago White Sox general manager Chris Getz will set the stage for trades and free agent signings at the General Manager meetings starting today in San Antonio, Texas after successfully hiring Will Venable as the new Sox manager.
But before Getz and Venable can officially begin rebuilding the team, they need to hire a new hitting coach.
Bats were nearly silent on the Southside this season.
The Sox ranked last in the league in batting average, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage, collectively slashing .221/.278/.340. Chicago struggled to show any plate discipline or momentum when trailing, as evident by their -306 run differential.
Hitting coach Marcus Thames didn’t help matters. He coached the 2022 Marlins to hit .230 despite having All-Star Jazz Chisholm and World Series winner Jorge Soler on the team and only managed to help the Angels .245 with Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout on the roster. Though he’s worked with several teams, Thames has yet to unlock hitters’ potential.
The writing is on the wall for Thames after the dismissal of assistant Mike Tosar in August and with a new manager in town.
Here are three available hitting coach candidates that would help the Chicago White Sox develop young players...
Donnie Ecker
Ecker knows how to coach young and experienced hitters.
He spent seven years in the major and minor leagues with the St. Louis Cardinals, Los Angeles Angels, Cincinnati Reds, and San Francisco Giants in player development, assistant hitting, and hitting coach roles before becoming the Texas Rangers bench coach and offensive coordinator in 2022.
With his focus on developing player relationships and coaching to a player’s strengths, he’s won a division title and a World Series. Though he wasn’t selected to be the next Sox manager, Ecker’s ties to Venable while working together in Texas could prime him to be the next Sox hitting coach.
Kevin Seitzer
Seitzer could be a game-changing hire by the Sox.
He has won the AL East division six times, the NL pennant twice, and a World Series during his tenure as the Braves hitting coach.
He helped the Braves become a top-10 team in batting average and slugging percentage in six of his 10 years and was named Baseball America’s Coach of the Year in 2023. Seitzer’s resume is impressive and he is beloved by players. It would be foolish for the Sox to pass up an interview opportunity with him.
Ryan Fuller
Fuller has gotten the most attention lately from the media. An unnamed source recently reported to Sox On 35th that Fuller is being considered for a “hitting-related role.” For four years, Fuller shared hitting coach responsibilities with Matt Borgschulte, the new Twins hitting coach.
The Sox could use the experience and talent that oversaw Adley Rutschman and Gunnar Henderson evolve into the disciplined, powerful hitters everyone knows and loves today as the next wave of prospects flirts with MLB debuts next year.
Fuller’s engagement with Chicago is a positive sign that the Sox will continue to make smart hiring decisions.