Yankees’ job appeals to Slater, former VMI coach

Coach college baseball in the state, move into the New York Yankees' organization.

Tom Slater, a VMI and St. Christopher's alumnus, is the latest to take that path. Slater, 41, is in his first season as the manager for the Yankees' Gulf Coast League club, based in Tampa. His Yankees are 8-1.

Slater works mostly with players who were selected in last month's draft, and other rookies.

"This a great lifestyle. I get in here at 6 each morning, and I'm home for dinner after noon games just about every night," Slater said.

He helped with the Yankees' extended spring training before the Gulf Coast League competition began.

Slater, a former Keydets third baseman, directed VMI's baseball program in 2001-03, then was Auburn's head coach 2005-08. He resigned following the 2008 season. Slater's Auburn teams went 115-113.

His link to the Yankees? Two former Old Dominion University coaches Slater has known for decades. Mark Newman, who coached the Monarchs in 1981-89, is the Yankees' vice president of baseball operations. His successor at ODU, Pat McMahon, is a Yankees' special assistant in the player development department. McMahon, ODU's coach in 1990-94, and Newman reached out to Slater about a job in the New York organization.

"What I'm really enjoying about this is that it's all baseball. We're on the field quite a bit and you get a chance to work with and help young players develop," Slater said. "In college, so much of what you do is recruiting and off-the-field, speaking to alumni groups and things like that.

"I'd like to be part of this organization for a long time."