Hitting coach to leave baseball team

Hitting coach Sheldon Watkins has left the IU baseball program, a baseball source confirmed Friday night. Watkins had been in the position for one year.

Watkins' short tenure with the Hoosiers saw IU land at the top of the Big Ten in hitting with an overall team average of .339. That offense also keyed a Big Ten Tournament run during which the Hoosiers won four games in a row before being knocked out in the semifinals by Purdue.

Baseball sports information director Matt Brady confirmed Friday that Watkins left IU to return to San Diego, where he was coaching high school baseball just before coming to IU.

The source said Watkins was originally a volunteer assistant, a position that held a one-year commitment. However, he was eventually hired and Tyler Best took his place as a volunteer assistant, working primarily with IU's hitters and catchers, the source said. Best was considered instrumental in the development of IU's All-American catcher Josh Phegley.

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