Cubs promote Rachel Folden to Triple-A hitting coach |
Rachel Folden has been promoted as the new AAA hitting coach for the Iowa Cubs, according to her updated LinkedIn profile.
Folden is one of the more overlooked coaches in the Cubs organization despite being part of the organization for several years. In other words, she has paid her dues along the way and has earned this opportunity, and the Cubs trust her to lead their prospects through another season of AAA baseball. Throughout her journey in the Cubs system, Folden has served as the hitting lab tech, minor league hitting coordinator, and hitting coach for the Double-A Tennessee Smokies. You saw the production that most of the AA hitters had last season with Tennessee, and you have to wonder, with a large group of those players moving to AAA, if that played a role in her getting promoted to Iowa. They always say continuity is crucial to any organization or coaching staff, so having Folden move through the ranks with many players who have had success in the past is a good thing. Before getting her gig with the Cubs, Folden was one of the best softball players in the nation, earning an All-American honor all four years at Marshall University. Following her time with the Herd, Folden played five seasons in the National Fastpitch League before founding the Folden Fastpitch in 2012. Not only did she find Folden fastpitch, but over the past decade, she has worked with countless former prospects turned MLB hitters and, from all accounts, has a proven track record that works. The one thing that stands out the most about her is what the Cubs love, which is how she challenges these hitters to be great. Folden has always had a knack for pushing players to the brink, but it's aimed at getting the most out of every one of the hitters she works with. That is why Cubs hitting director Justin Stone added her to his staff five seasons ago. What looked to be a questionable and interesting hire back then has turned out to be a home run, as Folden is one of the best coaches in the Cubs organization, regardless of her level. Since arriving in the Cubs system before the 2019 season, Folden has worked with several of the Cubs top hitting prospects. That includes some of their more recent prospects in Owen Caissie, Matt Shaw, Moises Ballesteros, and James Triantos, who all began the season in AA before getting promoted to AAA. Looking at their success in AA and watching them continue that success at AAA, whatever Folden was teaching worked, so seeing her get this promotion makes a ton of sense. Even if Shaw lands on the MLB roster to begin the season and a player like Ballesteros or Caissie receives the call at some point, Folden should still have time with most of these players for a portion of the season. Whether it be a week, a month, or even three months, any extended time with Folden must be considered a win because she has gotten the most out of these hitters and turned them into what they have shown thus far. As is the case with every prospect, minor league success doesn't always translate to MLB success, and should these players struggle when they get called up, it shouldn't come as a shock. If that happens, Folden isn't to blame for it, as she coaches them how they need to be coached at the Minor League Level. Cubs fans are often notorious for getting on someone when things go bad, so the Cubs need to block out that noise and do whatever it takes to keep Folden inside their organization. This organization has preached the development card over wins and losses; if that is what this organization is about, then Folden needs to be a part of their long-term future. Should her success at the Minor League level continue, who knows what could happen in the future. Given her track record thus far, there is no question she plays an essential role in this organization, and the team respects her a lot. It wouldn't shock anyone to see her get promoted to the MLB staff at some point, and once that happens, who knows where the future will take her.
