Do minor league managers/coaches teach defense?

mortmachine · 02-11-2026, 09:13 AM

I got the notice that I've got personnel with expiring contracts, so I go to take a look at my AAA pitching coach, and he's got the ratings posted below. Usually, for pitching coaches, I look for (1) Teach Pitching, (2) Handles Development, (3) Influence Mechanics, and then whether he's a personality fit with my manager & hitting coach. Based on that, I think to myself, "I could find a better pitching coach". But then I notice the Legendary and Outstanding ratings, and think this guy would make a good 1st or 3rd base coach. Or a bench coach. So that got me thinking...

Do minor league managers/hitting/pitching coaches teach defense? If so, he's providing more value at AAA than just his "good" pitching coaching.

Should I promote him to MLB bench/1B/3B coach at the end of the season?
My MLB bench/1B/3B coaches all have time remaining on their contracts, and generally, I'd like to avoid eating that money...

Should I extend him as AAA pitching coach and wait for the MLB bench/1B/3B coaches' contracts to expire? At the expense of perhaps finding a better pitching coach for AAA?

And then my final thought... how much does all this matter? In the past, I've spent more time trying to craft the perfect set of managers and coaches. I assume it makes a difference, but sometimes I wonder if I'm just rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic. Of the million different things you can focus on in OOTP, this feels like it should be lower down the list.

All thoughts/opinions/input are welcome! Thanks in advance!

snepp · 02-11-2026, 03:16 PM

I don't have an answer for most of that, but I'd definitely want that guy on my major league team. He's an amazing base coach, and that handles aging is largely wasted in AAA. Could be a great bench coach too if his style aligns with what you want. Would still be an amazing manager for AAA too I guess, anything is better than being wasted as a pitching coach.

I've always assumed that the teach in/out/catch/run ratings are ignored for the pitching and hitting coaches, but who knows?

tem316 · 02-12-2026, 05:31 AM

I have wondered this for a couple years. do they function, or is it window dressing. Has anyone done any analysis? I also wonder, do Coaches improve over time?

snepp · 02-12-2026, 06:11 AM

Coaches do improve over time, but not all of them will.

They've got a bit of hidden coaching potential secret sauce somewhere in the code.

Jasper70 · 02-19-2026, 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by snepp

Coaches do improve over time, but not all of them will.

They've got a bit of hidden coaching potential secret sauce somewhere in the code.

Is that a hint or a cryptic "I know what the secret sauce in the code is"?

I’ve always suspected something similar. My experience has been that coaches only seem to improve when they’re working with adaptable players. Almost like there’s a feedback loop between player personality and coaching growth.

Curious if anyone else has noticed this or if I’m just seeing patterns in the noise for which I have been accused of in the past

snepp · 02-19-2026, 11:07 AM

I know absolutely nothing about the inner-workings of the coaching abilities. I just know that some of them improve and that they don't have any editable potential that can be modified by us (thus the secret sauce we don't know about).

02-11-2026, 09:13 AM	#1
mortmachine Minors (Rookie Ball) Join Date: Mar 2024 Location: Farmington, MN Posts: 47	Do minor league managers/coaches teach defense? I got the notice that I've got personnel with expiring contracts, so I go to take a look at my AAA pitching coach, and he's got the ratings posted below. Usually, for pitching coaches, I look for (1) Teach Pitching, (2) Handles Development, (3) Influence Mechanics, and then whether he's a personality fit with my manager & hitting coach. Based on that, I think to myself, "I could find a better pitching coach". But then I notice the Legendary and Outstanding ratings, and think this guy would make a good 1st or 3rd base coach. Or a bench coach. So that got me thinking... Do minor league managers/hitting/pitching coaches teach defense? If so, he's providing more value at AAA than just his "good" pitching coaching. Should I promote him to MLB bench/1B/3B coach at the end of the season? My MLB bench/1B/3B coaches all have time remaining on their contracts, and generally, I'd like to avoid eating that money... Should I extend him as AAA pitching coach and wait for the MLB bench/1B/3B coaches' contracts to expire? At the expense of perhaps finding a better pitching coach for AAA? And then my final thought... how much does all this matter? In the past, I've spent more time trying to craft the perfect set of managers and coaches. I assume it makes a difference, but sometimes I wonder if I'm just rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic. Of the million different things you can focus on in OOTP, this feels like it should be lower down the list. All thoughts/opinions/input are welcome! Thanks in advance! Attached Images

02-11-2026, 03:16 PM	#2
snepp All Star Starter Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 1,861	I don't have an answer for most of that, but I'd definitely want that guy on my major league team. He's an amazing base coach, and that handles aging is largely wasted in AAA. Could be a great bench coach too if his style aligns with what you want. Would still be an amazing manager for AAA too I guess, anything is better than being wasted as a pitching coach. I've always assumed that the teach in/out/catch/run ratings are ignored for the pitching and hitting coaches, but who knows? Last edited by snepp; 02-11-2026 at 03:17 PM.

02-12-2026, 05:31 AM	#3
tem316 Major Leagues Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: Virginia Posts: 335	I have wondered this for a couple years. do they function, or is it window dressing. Has anyone done any analysis? I also wonder, do Coaches improve over time?

02-12-2026, 06:11 AM	#4
snepp All Star Starter Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 1,861	Coaches do improve over time, but not all of them will. They've got a bit of hidden coaching potential secret sauce somewhere in the code.

02-19-2026, 11:07 AM	#6
snepp All Star Starter Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 1,861	I know absolutely nothing about the inner-workings of the coaching abilities. I just know that some of them improve and that they don't have any editable potential that can be modified by us (thus the secret sauce we don't know about).