Reggie Gene Willits (born May 30, 1981) is an American former professional
baseball outfielder and associate head baseball coach for the
Oklahoma Sooners. He played in
Major League Baseball (MLB) for the
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim from 2006 through 2011, and was the first base coach for the
New York Yankees from 2018 through 2021.
Early life
Reggie is the son of Gene and Judy Willits of
Fort Cobb, Oklahoma
Fort Cobb is a town in Caddo County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 634 at the 2010 census.
History
Fort Cobb was established as a U.S. Army frontier post in Indian Territory on October 1, 1859, east of the present location of th ...
. He attended junior high and high school at Fort Cobb-Broxton. He attended
Seminole State College in
Seminole, Oklahoma, and transferred to the
University of Oklahoma, where he played for the
Oklahoma Sooners.
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]
Playing career
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim selected Willits in the seventh round, with the 210th overall selection, of the 2003 Major League Baseball draft. Willits made his Major League Baseball debut with the Angels on April 26, 2006. He made the Angels' Opening Day
Opening Day is the day on which professional baseball leagues begin their regular season. For Major League Baseball (MLB) and most of the American minor leagues, this day typically falls during the first week of April, although in recent years ...
roster in 2007.
Coaching career
In 2013, Willits became the head baseball coach
Coach may refer to:
Guidance/instruction
* Coach (sport), a director of athletes' training and activities
* Coaching, the practice of guiding an individual through a process
** Acting coach, a teacher who trains performers
Transportation
* Co ...
for Binger-Oney High School. Willits joined the New York Yankees' organization in 2015 as their outfield and baserunning coordinator. He was promoted to first base coach for the 2018 season.
After the 2021 season, Willits accepted a volunteer coaching assistant position with the Oklahoma Sooners.
Personal life
Willits married Amber Klugh of Fort Cobb; they met while in the sixth grade and married while attending the University of Oklahoma. they have three children, Jaxon, Hunter and Eli. Reggie has an older sister Wendi Willits Wells, who played basketball at Arkansas and for the Los Angeles Sparks of the WNBA. She's been head girls' basketball coach at Shawnee Oklahoma High School since 2008-09. Her teams have reached the state tournament the last four years and won the 5A championship in 2011-12.
Willits and his wife began building a home in 2003 in Fort Cobb, with the first completed structure a standalone 60-by-35 foot batting cage. Willits decided to save money and work on his game by moving the family into the batting cage, outfitted with an open plan. In 2007, the home was completed. Reggie was named after Reggie Jackson
Reginald Martinez Jackson (born May 18, 1946) is an American former professional baseball right fielder who played 21 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Kansas City / Oakland Athletics, Baltimore Orioles, New York Yankees, and Cali ...
.
References
External links
:
{{DEFAULTSORT:Willits, Reggie
1981 births
Living people
People from Chickasha, Oklahoma
Baseball coaches from Oklahoma
Baseball players from Oklahoma
Major League Baseball outfielders
Major League Baseball first base coaches
Los Angeles Angels players
New York Yankees coaches
Seminole State Trojans baseball players
Oklahoma Sooners baseball players
Provo Angels players
Arkansas Travelers players
Rancho Cucamonga Quakes players
Salt Lake Bees players
Inland Empire 66ers players
Minor league baseball coaches
Oklahoma Sooners baseball coaches