When the Astros parted ways with 2014 interim big league manager Tom Lawless and other minor league instructors after the 2015 season, the plan was to re-imagine some of their minor-league staffing.
Lawless was a “development specialist” focusing on infielders. That title no longer exists in the Astros’ system, and in its place, the Astros settled on the title “development coach.”
The role is a hybrid one between field staff and analytical background work. Two were hired, a lower number than the number of development specialists the Astros carried.
The idea is to take what the Astros do in the front office and apply it at the affiliate level, per director of minor league operations Allen Rowin, who is the de-facto farm director.