By George A. King III
Mike Harkey could come back as the Yankees’ bullpen coach.
Carlos Mendoza and Reggie Willits are under consideration to join new manager Aaron Boone’s coaching staff.
Mendoza, 38, recently completed his fifth year as the Yankees’ minor league infield field coordinator and could be Joe Espada’s replacement as the third-base coach.
The former Yankees minor leaguer has worked with infielders Gleyber Torres, Miguel Andujar and Thairo Estrada and is highly thought of within the organization.
Espada left the Yankees following the postseason to join the Astros as the World Series winners’ bench coach.
Willits, 36, played six seasons for the Angels and has been the Yankees’ minor league outfield/base-running coordinator for the past three seasons.
When Boone, who received a three-year deal with an option, is announced Wednesday at Yankee Stadium as Joe Girardi’s replacement, the Yankees won’t officially have a bench coach, hitting coach, first-base coach, third-base coach or bullpen coach. Nevertheless, there are indications Mike Harkey will return as the bullpen coach.
The Yankees announced Monday that pitching coach Larry Rothschild will return for his eighth season.
Former Yankees bench coach Rob Thomson moved to the Phillies for the same job. Alan Cockrell and Marcus Thames, the Yankees’ hitting coaches the past two seasons, could return. Like all Yankees coaches, they were granted permission to look elsewhere for work following the ALCS loss to the Astros. Tony Pena just completed his 12th season on the big-league staff, the past six as the first-base coach.
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