Baseball awards season continued to make waves for the Detroit Tigers. After Tarik Skubal's American League Cy Young win and A.J. Hinch's Manager of the Year runner-up status, a new honor emerged. Baseball America announced that Chris Fetter was their 2024 MLB Coach of the Year. This is a significant achievement for a former minor league pitcher who never envisioned coaching at the major league level. He started as a scout for the Dodgers and later moved into college coaching. In 2016, he began at Ball State, and in 2017, the Dodgers hired him as their minor league pitching coordinator. The opportunity to return home to the University of Michigan was too good to pass up, and in 2018, Erik Bakich tapped him as the pitching coach. The next year, the Wolverines reached the College World Series, losing to Vanderbilt in three games. A.J. Hinch and the Tigers noticed, and in 2022, Fetter became the head pitching coach for the Tigers.

Signs of a Different Pitching Coach

From the start, it was clear that Fetter was a unique pitching coach. He found ways to extract more from a mediocre group of pitchers. In the first two seasons, veterans performed beyond expectations under his guidance. Joe Jimeñez reached a new level, only to be traded when Scott Harris took over. Unfortunately, Casey Mize and Tarik Skubal got injured in 2022 as they were starting to shine.Over time, the Tigers' pitching development program improved. Michael Lorenzen came in 2023 determined to revive his career and had a strong first half before being traded. Jack Flaherty overcame years in the wilderness and became one of the top starters in 2024. Tarik Skubal returned from elbow tendon surgery in great shape and began his ascent. Reese Olson, Tyler Holton, Sawyer Gipson-Long, Will Vest, Beau Brieske, and Brenan Hanifee all showed significant improvement in the past two years. Fetter and his assistants Juan Nieves and Dr. Robin Lund helped these pitchers reach new heights.Not everyone thrived. Matt Manning and to a lesser extent Casey Mize struggled to find their footing. Gregory Soto and Alex Lange reached their peak years and then faced setbacks due to injury. Kenta Maeda had a disappointing start but found his rhythm in shorter bullpen outings. Nevertheless, year by year, the Tigers improved in ERA and FIP until 2024, when they ranked fourth in ERA and second best in FIP despite no major additions other than Jack Flaherty's four months of excellence.

The Tigers' Incredible Stretch Run

The real highlight was the Tigers' incredible stretch run. Led by Tarik Skubal, with A.J. Hinch and Fetter by their side, they managed creative pitching plans. Using their bullpen and a mix of young, unheralded prospects and veteran minor league starters, they dominated for months. They won close game after close game in the final two months, shutting down good offenses repeatedly and reaching the postseason for the first time in a decade. In the Wild Card round, they defeated the Houston Astros, and in the ALDS, they took on the Cleveland Guardians.Fetter's ability to adapt to each pitcher's needs was key. His reading of hitters and knowledge of modern pitch design and delivery mechanics were crucial. He could reach different types of personalities, from intense to laid-back players, and pitchers with different coaching preferences. His players praised his ability to customize coaching to each individual.A.J. Hinch was quoted in Baseball America's piece: "He has a soft touch when he needs a soft touch. He has a firm hand when he needs a firm hand. He's relentless in his research on how to make guys better and he speaks the language that the player can understand. He's elite at all aspects of the job, and it's one of the reasons that so many of our players have benefited from his influence."Along the way, a bit of a mystique surrounded Fetter. His mound visits became legendary, and whenever things went south, fans would shout, "go talk to him Chris!" and it often worked. His ability to turn around struggling outings was remarkable.Fetter wasn't unknown to insiders. Reports suggest that both the Arizona Diamondbacks and New York Yankees pursued him before he came to Detroit but were turned down. He chose to stay in Ann Arbor and become A.J. Hinch's head pitching coach.Regardless of the Tigers' payroll, it's clear that Fetter provides outstanding value. He doesn't seem to crave a managerial seat and is content with his coaching role. Scott Harris and the Tigers organization recognize his worth. We're confident that Fetter will be the head pitching coach for years to come, as long as A.J. Hinch is the manager.Behind the scenes, Fetter is highly regarded as a coach and a person. He remains a bit of a mystery until Hinch lifts his gag order, but it's clear that the Tigers have one of the top coaches in the game.Our heartfelt congratulations go out to Chris Fetter, Baseball America's MLB Coach of the Year.