The Detroit Tigers will enter the 2026 season with a changed coaching setup: Anthony Iapoce, who served as the first-base coach for the club, will not return to the staff.
Iapoce, 52, joined Detroit’s major-league coaching ranks after managing the club’s Triple-A affiliate, the Toledo Mud Hens, in 2023. He brought a wealth of experience as a hitting coach and instructor, having worked with multiple teams throughout the years.
The move signals that the Tigers are willing to shake up key aspects of their staff as they transition to the next phase of their rebuild. While Iapoce’s work may not have been a failure by any means, the organization evidently felt it was time for a fresh voice at first base.
Anthony Iapoce, featured below in this great @TylerKepner piece, will not be returning to Tigers staff next year. An LI native, he has also managed in Triple -A and been ML hitting coach for Rangers and Cubs https://t.co/BvmVtNyYjY
— Andy Martino (@martinonyc) October 20, 2025
Iapoce’s Background and What He Brought to Detroit
Iapoce’s journey to Detroit is worth reviewing, because it helps explain both why he was hired and why his departure is significant. Prior to joining the Tigers, Iapoce served as a hitting coach with the Texas Rangers from 2016-’18, and then with the Chicago Cubs from 2019-’21.
He then served as senior hitting coordinator for the Boston Red Sox in 2022 before landing in Detroit’s player-development system and eventually earning the first-base coach role. With Detroit, his role wasn’t simply about sending runners down the line or positioning at first base–he brought credibility from his hitting-coach background, giving the Tigers a strong mix of instructional experience.
Many players reportedly appreciated his approach. In fact, according to MLB.com, some even “had a “Coach Poce” T-shirt they’d wear for pregame work.”
His departure therefore creates a gap both in the day-to-day first-base coach role and in the “teacher” component of the staff. Whoever replaces him will need to fill both the operational responsibilities (base-running, situational awareness) and the developmental component (hitting, situational game-awareness) that Iapoce provided.
“He’s done everything to impact players,” manager A.J. Hinch said back in 2023. “When you think of some of the young talent that can come up in the not-so-distant future, who better to have as a sounding board and someone who can help push them and someone who’s had some work with them?”
What This Means for the Tigers’ Coaching Direction
From a broader perspective, this move says a lot about how Detroit views its next steps. The coaching staff of an organization in rebuild mode often mirrors its on-field strategy: younger players, developmental priorities, player-friendly instructors. The Tigers appear to be shifting toward a new set of voices in the dugout and on the bases.
One potential internal candidate that could be a good fit is Gabe Alvarez, who has managed in the Tigers’ minor-league system. As MLB clubs increasingly value analytic integration, base-running strategy, and player development across multiple fronts, the first-base coach role takes on more than just “stand on the bag.”
Another layer to Detroit’s coaching-shakeup is the broader managerial and leadership churn across the league. A recent roundup of managerial vacancies and candidates shows that several clubs are seeking fresh voices, new philosophies and better alignment between the front office and the dugout.
As other franchises interview external candidates and re-evaluate their managerial model, Detroit might be assessing whether its next hire should be a “forward-thinking” bench coach type, an analytics literate instructor, or a hybrid.
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