Appleton native Matt Erickson embraces expanded role with Milwaukee Brewers player development

GRAND CHUTE – Former Wisconsin Timber Rattlers manager Matt Erickson is moving to a new role within the Milwaukee Brewers organization this year as a roving infield instructor.

Erickson, an Appleton native and West High School graduate, is the winningest manager in Timber Rattlers history. Erickson was the Timber Rattlers’ hitting coach in 2009 and 2010 before becoming the manager in 2011. The Timber Rattlers won a Midwest League title in 2012 and 652 regular-season games in Erickson’s 10 seasons at the helm.

Erickson joined Craig Counsell’s staff at the major league level last season as an infield instructor and assistant hitting coach. In his 11 seasons as a professional, Erickson was a farmhand in the Marlins, Brewers and Diamondbacks organizations from 1997 through 2007 with four games played in the majors with the Brewers in 2004.

Counsell and Erickson were guests at the Timber Rattlers’ inaugural Hot Stove Banquet at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium last week and discussed Erickson’s role this season.

“Matt is obviously a legend and a staple in the Appleton area,” Counsell said. “Matt works with our infielders and will continue to work with our infielders preparing them for games and then just, in general, he has a long career in professional baseball lending his hand in all departments to helping us win baseball games.”

Counsell explained Erickson’s role as an infield coach for the Brewers will expand to add player development duties in Appleton as well.

“Matt will have a job that’s kind of rotating in player development and with the major league club, so Matt is going to help us with the major league club and he’s also going to help with player development,” Counsell said. “In spring training he’ll be solely with the major league club and it’s really just a function of us trying to develop talent throughout the minor leagues both in coaching and players.

“It’s not really a new position. He’s essentially doing the same job. I’d say what he’s doing is adding his infield expertise to player development as well. So, last year he was strictly focused on the major league team. This year he’ll also have a piece of player development involved in his responsibilities.”

Erickson went more into detail on splitting time between Milwaukee and the Brewers’ High-A affiliate in the Midwest League.

“I had a great time last year being a part of the big league staff and working with the major league infielders and being part of the hitting staff,” Erickson said. “This year will be a little bit different role. I’ll continue to work with the big league infielders but also will be back in the player development world working with infielders here in Appleton. It’s possible that our top two picks will be here, so I’ll spend most of my time between Appleton and Milwaukee, from my understanding, as well as taking trips to the rest of the affiliates.”

Erickson said he enjoyed his first season working as a major league coach last year.

“In the player development world, you pretty much go out, you teach and there’s a lot of young, talented players that are trying to develop a daily routine in the professional life,” he said. “You get to the big leagues and these guys have a better understanding of their strengths and weaknesses and what their routines are. You get to have conversations. Obviously, they’re a big part of their own development as they mature in the game as big leaguers. So that aspect, going from a manager’s role back into working with a specific aspect or a specific player on part of their craft, was a lot of fun for me in that relationship building.”

Erickson didn’t rule out a return to managing in the future but is committed to his current role with the Brewers.

“I’m fully invested in the present day in my role as an infield coach,” Erickson said. “I think you look at all the analytics in the game and it’s heavy into hitting, it’s heavy into pitching. I think some of the details get lost in the art of team defense and I think Craig has shared some of that responsibility or put some of that responsibility on me and some of the infield people in our organization to make sure that that doesn’t get lost in the shuffle and, right now, I’m really embracing that part of it.”

This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: Appleton native Matt Erickson gets expanded role with Milwaukee Brewers