Tigers manager AJ Hinch addresses Chris Fetter to Michigan rumors, quick note on candidates
Michigan baseball is all but officially set to lose head coach Erik Bakich, who is heading to Clemson. That means a coaching search will be underway with a logical choice in Detroit Tigers pitching coach Chris Fetter.
Fetter, a Michigan alum and Ann Arbor resident, ran the pitching staff with the Wolverines from 2018-20 and helped the program reach the College World Series finals in 2019.
He joined the Tigers staff under manager AJ Hinch ahead of the 2021 season and has been a key part of the organization. Despite having four starters on the injured list and several more bullpen arms, the staff in Detroit has a 3.81 ERA heading into Wednesday, which ranks 12th in MLB.
Hinch addressed the media on Wednesday and made it clear he wants the Tigers to do whatever it can to keep him.
“I’m not surprised that the rumors have started,” Hinch said Wednesday via the Detroit Free Press. “From what I understand, there’s been no contact or anything like that yet. We love Fett. He’s very talented. He can do anything at this level or certainly the college level. We have to do everything we can to keep him.
“He’s a big part of what we’re doing. He needs to coach in this area, it just needs to be with the Tigers. We want him to stay here. I have no idea what is ahead. He’s very happy here. He and I have known each other a long time. I know him really well. He’s fully focused here.”
Hinch puts foot down and where Michigan might go from here
Hinch would not address if Fetter has been contacted by Michigan and is not speaking for him. That said, a strong message was sent to the organization that employs him.
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“I’m not losing another coach right now,” Hinch said. “It’s going down a path of like, Fett’s in a good spot if he’s sitting right next to me. He’s completely happy. I appreciate everybody’s interest in him, but that’s all I know.”
Multiple sources indicated to The Wolverine on Wednesday that Michigan does have Fetter on the shortlist of candidates (enough to where he might be the white whale internally), but mutual interest is currently unknown. Central Michigan’s Jordan Bischel is on the list, but Ohio State and Kansas are interested as well. Another source indicated that UConn’s Jim Penders could be a name to watch.
It might be a bit early to place betting odds on any of these names. More will be known in the coming days or weeks. For now, both Michigan and the Tigers find themselves keeping an eye on the situation. There could be plenty of ripple effects with both depending on what Fetter decides to do and if anything materializes.
Michigan has some good recent program history and a pedigree to build on from the last few seasons of success. This job is appealing, but we will have to wait and see the resources sunk into it from the athletic department.
