Photo: Mike De Sisti/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel via USA TODAY NETWORK

White Sox to Welcome Walker McKinven as New Bench Coach

Originally posted on On Tap Sports Net | By Tony Marchese | Last updated Nov 19, 2024 7:29 PM ET

The Chicago White Sox will name Walker McKinven as their new bench coach, new manager Will Venable announced Tuesday on the "Foul Territory" podcast. With his background in game planning and player development, particularly with catchers, McKinven's hiring signals a forward-looking move by the Sox.

Having contributed significantly to the Milwaukee Brewers organization since 2016, McKinven has a rich history of elevating major-league teams. He most recently served as the Brewers' Run Prevention Coordinator.

White Sox manager Will Venable announced on @FoulTerritoryTV that Walker McKinven will be the team's new bench coach. He was the Brewers' run prevention coordinator, basically doing game planning and considered the catcher guru, from what I was told.
— Scott Merkin (@scottmerkin) November 19, 2024

Adam McCalvy of MLB.com highlighted McKinven’s vital role in the Brewers’ recent successes, especially in catcher development — a key area of interest for the White Sox as they eye the big-league debut of highly regarded prospect Edgar Quero.

Adding McKinven’s expertise comes at a critical juncture for the White Sox. Having recently named former Baltimore Orioles co-hitting coach Ryan Fuller as the Director of Hitting, along with the continuation of Brian Bannister’s pitching consultation, it’s clear the organization is investing in a comprehensive revamp of its coaching staff.

This article first appeared on On Tap Sports Net and was syndicated with permission.

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