| The Detroit News
Detroit – The Tigers are expected to announce Friday the hiring of Chris Fetter as the pitching coach on AJ Hinch’s staff.
Fetter, 34, has been the pitching coach at the University of Michigan the last three years and previously worked in the Los Angeles Dodgers organization as minor league pitching coordinator.
Fetter, who replaces Rick Anderson, continues a growing trend throughout baseball of hiring data-based and technology-savvy pitching coaches from the college ranks. The Reds hired Derek Johnson (Vanderbilt) and Twins tabbed Wes Johnson (Arkansas).
The Tigers had already moved in this direction, hiring former USC head coach and pitching coach Dan Hubbs as the organization’s director of pitching development and strategy
Fetter and Hinch crossed paths briefly when both worked in the Padres organization prior to Hinch being hired in Houston. Fetter in past seasons has drawn interest from several big-league teams, including the Phillies, Diamondbacks, Mets, Giants, Yankees, White Sox.
Eight Michigan pitchers were selected in the MLB Draft during Fetter’s three seasons in Ann Arbor.
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In 2019, the Wolverines advanced to the College World Series finals. Fetter’s staff led the Big Ten in ERA (3.46) and finished seventh in the nation in hits allowed per game (7.44) that season.
Fetter was a four-year letterwinner at Michigan, graduating in 2009, after being a three-time All-Big Ten pitcher for the Wolverines. He is first among UM’s all-time leaders in innings (332.1), third in wins (28) and third in strikeouts (281).
Twitter @cmccosky