Willits 4th 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 base-running 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).

Nick Wass / Associated Press The New York Yankees’ Miguel Andujar, left, gets a fist bump from first base coach Reggie Willits (50) during a game in 2020.