Chicago Cubs’ hitting coach James Rowson leaves for New York Yankees

The Chicago Cubs will have their third hitting coach in three seasons.

Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

According to the Chicago Tribune, James Rowson has rejoined the New York Yankees’ organization.

Rowson, 37, held the hitting coach duties for the past 1 1/2 seasons for the Cubs after serving as Yankees’ minor league hitting coordinator from 2008-2011 – the same position he is now in with the Yankees.

Rowson served four seasons in the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim organization as a minor league hitting coach from 2002-2005 before joining the Yankees’ organization in 2006 as their hitting coach at Class-A Tampa.

The contracts of all the Cubs’ coaches expired at the end of October, although President Theo Epstein said Friday that there would be some returnees.First base coach Dave McKay left on Nov. 1 to join the Arizona Diamondbacks, but pitching coach Chris Bosio appears likely to stay after managing to keep a pitching staff productive despite massive turnover.Epstein said members of the coaching staff for new manager Rick Renteria would be announced soon.

Rowson joined the Cubs organization in 2012 as their minor league hitting coordinator but was promoted to the majors as their interim hitting coach following the firing of Rudy Jaramillo in June of 2012. Rowson then had the interim tag removed in October.

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