Boston Red Sox Hires Former Yankees Hitting Coach Dillon Lawson as Hitting Coordinator
Dillon Lawson, the former big-league hitting coach for the New York Yankees, has officially joined the Boston Red Sox as a hitting coordinator. Lawson will primarily work with the club’s upper-level minor leaguers. In an interview with The Athletic, Lawson expressed his excitement about joining a team that has been making positive strides.
Lawson also shared his admiration for Jason Ochart, the Red Sox’s director of hitting development, and Peter Fatse, the team’s major league hitting coach. He mentioned that he is familiar with the club’s assistant hitting coaches, having previously worked with Ben Rosenthal during their time in the Houston Astros organization. Lawson even attempted to hire Luis Ortiz for a role in the Yankees’ organization.
Lawson’s tenure as the Yankees’ primary hitting coach came to an end on July 9, 2023, when he was released due to the team’s major offensive struggles. Despite his dismissal, Lawson received praise from general manager Brian Cashman for his work. Cashman explained that he believed the team needed a fresh “voice” in the clubhouse.
The Yankees replaced Lawson with Sean Casey, a former three-time MLB All-Star with no coaching experience. While Casey was able to establish connections with hitters, the team saw little overall improvement offensively. The Yankees finished the season with an 82-80 record and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2016. Casey decided not to return for the 2024 season to prioritize spending time with his family.
On November 13, the Yankees hired James Rowson as their new primary hitting coach. Rowson brings extensive experience as a major- and minor-league hitting coach, including a stint as bench coach with the Miami Marlins. He had previously served as the Yankees’ minor-league hitting coordinator. While assistant hitting coach Casey Dykes will remain with the team, it has not been determined if Brad Wilkerson will return.
Lawson has been a part of the Yankees organization since 2018 when he took on the role of minor-league hitting coordinator. His move to the Red Sox marks a new chapter in his career.
(Photo: Thomas Shea / USA Today)