While it doesn't get the same attention as the NFL coaching carousel, baseball's merry-go-round has begun. The New York Yankees dismissed longtime first base coach and infield coach Travis Chapman, and the Detroit Tigers were quick to gobble him up.
The Tigers are bringing in Chapman in a different role. Rather than working with the big league club, Chapman has been given the title of minor league field coordinator and will be responsible for tightening up the defense of Detroit's next wave of young stars.
However, Chapman's history with the Yankees might show that this is a misstep, especially with so many of Detroit's best and brightest blue chips playing on the infield dirt. Just how bad could it be?
Tigers hiring former Yankees infield coach Travis Chapman might put their top prospects in a bad spot
Chapman held the role of infield defense guru for the Yankees for the last four seasons. During that time, New York tried to get more athletic in order to improve their performance in the field. However, while there was certainly an infusion of youth, it's debatable whether or not the performance got any better.
During the last few seasons, the Yankees have become known for making defensive gaffes at the worst possible times. Look no further than the 2024 World Series as proof. Furthermore, repeated issues like being out of position for outfield cutoff throws were never cleaned up.
One can look no further than Gleyber Torres as a litmus test. Torres has never been known as a great defender, but in 2024 with the Yankees, he bottomed out. That season, he posted -11 defensive runs saved and -7 outs above average at second base. In 2025, finally free of Chapman, he recorded -4 in both categories, showing marked improvement.
The Yankees' young shortstop, Anthony Volpe, often drew the fans' ire for his blunders in the field. Touted as an athletic, smooth, and instinctual player, his 52 errors since debuting in 2023 are the third-most in baseball.
Detroit's top prospect, Kevin McGonigle, has seemingly very few flaws. He's been lighting up the Arizona Fall League after a season that saw him rise from Single-A Lakeland all the way to Double-A Erie, dominating every step of the way. A shortstop by trade, the one knock on McGonigle is his glove work at the position.
Elsewhere, the Tigers have infielders Hao-Yu Lee and Max Anderson, both of whom are firmly entrenched in their top-10 list and are still trying to find defensive homes. Then there's shortstop Bryce Rainer, who comes in at No. 37 on the MLB top-100 list, and is much more raw than the others, but equally important to Detroit's future.
Putting players like this in Chapman's hands might be a recipe for disaster. For youngsters, defensive struggles tend to carry over to the batter's box, and prolonged slumps tend to stunt development.
There's a chance this could all work out. Perhaps Chapman's voice resonates more with a younger crowd, or maybe he's learned from the mistakes of his Yankees tenure. Be that as it may, you'd like to see someone with a stronger track record shepherding the next generation of stars through the pipeline to Detroit.