New Haven Register (New Haven, CT)
Willits the latest to leave Boone’s staff
NEW YORK — Yankees manager Aaron Boone lost a fourth member of his staff when New York announced Thursday that first base coach and outfield instructor Reggie Willits will leave at the end of the year to become a volunteer assistant for Oklahoma’s college baseball program.
A native of Chickasha, Oklahoma, Willits played for Oklahoma in 2002-03 and coached Binger-Oney
High School to Oklahoma state championships in 2013-14.
A former major leaguer, Willits had been with the Yankees for seven years, the first three as minor league outfield and baserunning coordinator and the last four as first base coach and outfield instructor.
Following the Yankees’ loss to Boston in the AL wild-card game, the team fired third base coach Phil Nevin, hitting coach Marcus Thames and assistant
hitting coach P.J. Pilittere.
Others on the staff are Matt Blake (pitching), Carlos Mendoza (bench), Mike Harkey (bullpen), Tanner Swanson (quality
control and catching), Radley Haddad (bullpen catcher and coaching assistant) and Brett Weber (coaching assistant and replay coordinator).