Ash Lawson: New York Mets
Bio: Lawson is a former hitting coach and recruiting coordinator under Todd Raleigh. He was the head coach of Tennessee Wesleyan for five seasons, where he set school records for wins from 2002-2004. Lawson left to be a scout for the San Diego Padres in 2004, and was named the Padres’ Scout of the Year in 2006.
Lawson was at Tennessee from 2010-11 before leaving to be an advanced scout for the New York Mets, where he remains now.
I’m told that Lawson is the name to remember in this search. He’s the early front runner to keep an eye on.
Pros: Lawson went on record saying that the only job he would leave the MLB for would be the University of Tennessee. He scouted the Southeast during his time with the Padres, and would have significant recruiting ties to the region. He is a Tennessee native, and would fit the “Tennessee guy” mold.
Cons: There weren’t many positives around the Todd Raleigh era at Tennessee. Simply having your name on that tenure is not a great look. But on the flip side, Lawson got out quickly. He was by no means a major factor in Tennessee’s downfall under Raleigh, and has the experience necessary to still have allegiance to Tennessee.
