On Thursday, Aaron Boone and Brian Cashman confirmed the Yankees’ coaching staff would undergo some significant changes. Among those not returning are Mike Harkey, who has long served as the bullpen coach, and Travis Chapman, who was responsible for infield and first base coaching duties.
Boone mentioned that the team is considering new roles for assistant hitting coach Pat Roessler, with Jake Hirst set to take over his position.
Cashman clarified that these adjustments were not terminations but rather the result of Harkey and Chapman’s contracts reaching their end without renewal offers. He emphasized that he was responsible for the decisions that led to these alterations in Boone’s coaching team.
“Each year presents the challenge of making difficult choices,” Cashman stated. “We work with talented individuals and have formed friendships, but it’s crucial to evaluate our current situation and future direction.”
Cashman praised Roessler as a valuable contributor both to baseball and the organization, which is why the Yankees are keen to retain him after his two-year tenure. Meanwhile, Boone highlighted Chapman’s significant role in player development throughout his 13 years with the team and referred to Harkey as an “institution” within the Yankees, given his 16-season tenure and two stints as bullpen coach.
Boone also expressed a personal note, calling Harkey “one of my best friends.”
“Those are awful days to go through,” Boone said of their departures. “Both guys that I have a ton of respect for. Ultimately, the organization needs to make difficult decisions sometimes.”
Neither Boone nor Cashman offered clear explanations when asked why Harkey and Chapman were not retained after the Yankees were eliminated in the ALDS, but the team’s bullpen and infield defense struggled throughout the season.
As for Hirst, Cashman said he had an offer to join another big league staff, so the Yankees had to act quickly if they wanted to keep him after a year as the organization’s minor league coordinator. Lead hitting coach James Rowson, a candidate for the Twins’ managerial vacancy, gave Cashman an “all-in” endorsement of Hirst prior to the promotion.
Hirst first joined the Yankees in 2018, serving as a hitting coach for the club’s Gulf Coast League affiliate before doing the same at High-A and Double-A. He was also an assistant hitting coordinator before becoming the lead one.
Hirst has worked with most of the Bombers’ young, homegrown players in the minors, including Jasson Domínguez, Anthony Volpe, Austin Wells, Ben Rice and Spencer Jones, as well as several former Yankees who have become major leaguers elsewhere.
“He’s really had a lot of success in our organization and has earned this opportunity,” Boone said. “I’m excited that we’ll be adding Jake to the staff, to our hitting group.”
Aaron Boone has confirmed that former Somerset Hitting Coach Jake Hirst (’22-’23) will join the @Yankees‘ MLB staff as an assistant hitting coach in 2026!
In Hirst’s two years as the Pats’ hitting coach, SOM led AA with 402 HR & posted the highest HR rate (1.47/game) in @MiLB. pic.twitter.com/imeSzkREWT
— Somerset Patriots (@SOMPatriots) October 16, 2025
More decisions, in some form or another, are coming to the Yankees’ staff, as pitching coach Matt Blake and major league field coordinator/director of catching Tanner Swanson have club options. Bench coach Brad Ausmus and outfield/third base coach Luis Rojas, two former managers, were on expiring deals but could come back if they don’t land promotions elsewhere.
Rojas, a former Mets skipper, has already interviewed for the Orioles’ managerial opening. There hasn’t been any known interest in Ausmus, who previously led the Angels and Tigers, yet with more than a few teams searching for managers.
Speaking of managers, Cashman also offered a lengthy endorsement of Boone, who will return for a ninth season despite not having a championship on his “résumé.
Asked why Boone remains right for the job, Cashman cited his process, ability to manage different personalities, the people he surrounds himself with and his work ethic.
“I think he’s a good manager,” Cashman said. “I think he’s one of the better managers. And I think in this environment, if he was out there right now, he’d get a job rather quickly. But I also know, because of our environment, he’s someone that can be second-guessed 10 million times over. And I don’t care who you put in, that would be the same for whoever else would be there.
“I trust him. I think he’s a good man. I think he works his tail off. I think he’s got good people that help support him, and he’s got good players.”
