Guardians Skipper Shares Excitement For Team's New Hitting Coach

Stephen Vogt reacts to the Cleveland Guardians promoting Grant Fink to their hitting coach.

Apr 24, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians manager Stephen Vogt walks back to the dugout after relieving starting pitcher Carlos Carrasco (59) during the sixth inning against the Boston Red Sox at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images / Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

The Cleveland Guardians have filled their biggest coaching vacancies following former hitting coach Chris Vailaka's departure to the Cincinnati Reds to join Terry Francona's staff.

Grant Fink, who served as Cleveland's minor league hitting coordinator the last three seasons, has been promoted to major league team's hitting coach.

Guardians manager Stephen Vogt is excited about Fink's addition and believes he can help steer this group in the right direction.

"With Grant coming on board, he's taken the reigns the last few years in the minor leagues, and we just feel that Grant is going to help the rest of the hitting group and our players head in the right direction. We're really excited to bring Grant on board," said Vogt on Wednesday afternoon.

It can always be tough to predict how a new coach will interact with and mesh with the existing staff and players. However, Vogt feels confident that Finch will fit right in, given that he's already worked with some players on big league rosters and his knowledge of their existing game plan.

"I think you have to start with his content knowledge and his ability to get the best out of players. We've seen him do that. I've seen it for a year, but the organization has seen him do it for a number of years."

"What we're really excited about is the way he interacts with the other coaches. The way he interacts with players. The relationships he can build. The content knowledge is there. This is a person who has worked diligently hard to learn and to continue to learn, and we really feel like with his ability to use the relationships he already has while also just driving that hitting staff as a group and the four of them working together."

Jul 8, 2024; Detroit, Michigan, USA; A Cleveland Guardians baseball cap and glove sit on the dugout rail before the game against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: David Reginek-Imagn Images / David Reginek-Imagn Images

As a team, the Guardians made strides on the offensive end, especially in the power department, compared to where they finished following the 2023 season.

The biggest area Cleveland needs to focus on in 2025 is consistency and in-season adjustments throughout the 162-game marathon.

Finch appears to be the right guy for the job as the Guardians look to take their offense to the next level with an up-and-coming roster.