The Tigers will hire Chris Fetter as their new pitching coach, a source told MLB.com’s Jon Paul Morosi and Jason Beck on Friday. The team hasn’t confirmed the hire.
Fetter was the pitching coach at the University of Michigan. He helped lead Michigan to the 2019 College World Series, where
The Tigers will hire Chris Fetter as their new pitching coach, a source told MLB.com’s Jon Paul Morosi and Jason Beck on Friday. The team hasn’t confirmed the hire.
Fetter was the pitching coach at the University of Michigan. He helped lead Michigan to the 2019 College World Series, where the Wolverines finished as the runner-up to Vanderbilt.
The Tigers see Fetter as someone who will be able to teach the team’s young pitchers — a group that includes top prospects Casey Mize and Tarik Skubal, who both made their MLB debuts in 2020. Fetter and new Tigers manager A.J. Hinch previously worked together in the Padres organization.
Detroit wasn’t the only team that wanted Fetter as its pitching coach. He was also the top choice of several White Sox executives, per Morosi.
Before joining the Michigan coaching staff, Fetter was the Dodgers’ Minor League pitching coordinator. He was also the pitching coach at Ball State University, a Minor League scout for the Angels and a pitcher in the Minors with the Padres for four seasons.
This continues a recent trend of teams hiring pitching coaches from the college ranks. In 2016, the Brewers hired former Vanderbilt coach Derek Johnson, who is now with Reds. Wes Johnson went from Arkansas to the Twins two years ago.
David Adler is a reporter for MLB.com based in New York. Follow him on Twitter at @_dadler.