DALLAS — Walker McKinven most recently held the position of “run prevention coordinator” with the Milwaukee Brewers.
Before that, he was the club’s associate pitching, catching and strategy coach from 2021-23 and major-league coach in 2020.
“I’ve had unique job titles,” McKinven said Tuesday at the MLB winter meetings. “I’ve always said job titles don’t necessarily matter. They don’t matter to players, I know that to be a fact.
“Players care if you help them, and that’s what I plan on doing.”
McKinven aims to do so as the bench coach for the Chicago White Sox.
“The draw here to me was (manager) Will Venable,” McKinven said. “I had some great conversations with him, getting to know him through this process. We just clicked and got to know each other through the phone. And that was the big draw to me.
“Additionally speaking with (general manager) Chris (Getz) and his crew, their vision and you know just where they are — it’s kind of a ground-up thing. I see this as a challenge, of course. I think we all do. But I’ve kind of taken it on myself, I kind of like doing hard things. And that was another draw to me.”
McKinven added, “Speaking with Will, speaking with Chris, and this opportunity in front of us to build something together as a group from this point and time, really kind of cool.”
McKinven looks to drive home Venable’s messages.
“The things he’s talked about, leading with kindness, doing things through an empathetic lens and then just ultimately dialing in our processes as a group, as an organization — those are things that I plan on hammering as an extension of Will,” McKinven said.
McKinven believes he and Venable “complement each other fairly well.”
“He’s coming from a different side,” McKinven said. “He’s got a wealth of playing experience and now coaching experience. And he was a position player and knows the offensive side of the baseball really well. Outfield coach. And I’m coming from the other angle. I’ve handled the pitching, catching, game-planning. And building processes with a different organization.”
The 35-year-old is an Evanston native and New Trier product.
“I love Milwaukee,” he said. “I moved there nine years ago for that job. I never spent much time there (before) as a Chicago guy, and I love Milwaukee. To come home to Chicago is really really cool.
“I have friends there and family there. Everyone is excited I took this job, obviously. So, I’m excited to do that.”
McKinven and assistant hitting coach Joel McKeithan are newcomers to the Sox staff, which was announced Monday.
“Just going through the process this offseason, talked to a few teams, and this really felt like the best fit with the people who are here,” McKeithan said in a video conference call Tuesday. “The vision and the direction of the organization really aligned with where I was at. Just the group of people who are here, and (hitting) Marcus (Thames), specifically, was a big draw for me, his experience and the hitters he’s coached and how he goes about things, really being able to learn from him and work with him.”
McKeithan, 33, spent the last two seasons as the hitting coach for the Cincinnati Reds.
“I think there’s a lot of good people in place, and the vision is there,” McKeithan said. “I think it’s an exciting time as we go forward, and hopefully we can build something special here.”
In addition to working with Thames, McKeithan joins a staff that includes Grady Sizemore as the offensive coordinator. The organization also has a director of hitting in Ryan Fuller.
“I think we all have a similar goal in mind: How can we help these guys prepare every day?” McKeithan said. “How can we help them get better throughout the season? And how can we all work together to make that happen? That’s kind of the approach that we’ll take.”
Like McKinven, McKeithan is embracing the challenge.
“It’s something as competitors that we enjoy,” McKeithan said. “And being part of building something new is really intriguing. In terms of what it looks like here, it’s taking it day by day. On an individual level, each guy working to be the best version of themselves. How can we get better as coaches every day. How can we get better working together and that will show up on the field over time.
“My approach to it is on an individual level, day by day do everything you can to get better and keep growing and learning.”
