Cockrell becomes Yanks' hitting coach, replaces Pentland

By foxsports
Published

NEW YORK (AP) Alan Cockrell has been promoted to hitting coach of the New York Yankees to replace Jeff Pentland, who was let go after one season.

Cockrell was assistant hitting coach last season, when Pentland replaced Kevin Long. New York said Monday that Marcus Thames will take over from Cockrell as assistant hitting coach.

Cockrell was the ninth overall pick in the 1984 amateur draft and did not make it to the major leagues until 1996, when he played nine games for Colorado and went 2 for 8 at the plate in his only big league appearances.

Thames hit .246 in 10 big league seasons, spending time the Yankees in 2002 and 2010. He has been a hitting coach in New York's minor league season for three years, assigned to Class A Tampa in 2013, Double-A Trenton in 2014 and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre this year.