A change in leadership is naturally based on the desire to turn a new leaf and Arizona State’s Vice President for University Athletics Ray Anderson announcing Monday that ASU mutually agreed to part ways with head baseball coach Tracy Smith certainly conveyed that approach.

Yet, sweeping changes often run the risk of throw out the proverbial baby out with the bathwater. Thus, it would behoove the ASU administration to maintain the services of hitting coach Michael Earley, one of the most influential assistant coaches this program has seen in recent memory, and pair him up with the new head coach.

Earley is the type of coach who can adapt his teachings to the new school methods without ditching the proven old school practices. He's a hitting coach whose players haven’t been shy in expressing their gratitude for his mentorship.

The most noticeable example is last year's no. 1 MLB draft pick infielder Spencer Torkelson, a player who was undrafted out of high school and under the guidance of Earley has etched his name in the school’s history books as a recent Sun Devil great. Torkelson posted the second-most home runs (54), an ASU career batting average of .337, and was a unanimous All-America selection as both a freshman and sophomore (If it wasn't for a COVID-19 shorten 2020 season, Torkelson would surely go three for three).

Granted, a cynical fan may think that coaching had very little to do with Torkelson’s exploits and that his God-given talent was infinitely more substantial in his development than the endless hours he spent at the batting cage with his hitting coach.

But try to tell that to the player himself who showed his gratitude to Earley by gifting him a Ford Raptor truck after he was signed by the Detroit Tigers.

Current players not only know of the demonstrated success Earley also had with former players Hunter Bishop and Trevor Hauver, among others, but have been fortunate to experience their own personal prosperity under his tutelage.

Two players who agreed to speak to Devils Digest only on condition of anonymity were effusive with their praise regarding the effect that Earley has had on them. They were unsolicited quick to praise him as an individual as well.

“We built a relationship together immediately when I was a recruit,” one player recalled. Then when I got here, I never met someone who cared so much about getting us better on and off the field. The relationship I built with Mike is one I'm gonna have forever. He's like family to me, and it's just heartbreaking if we can't get him back. He's such a players’ coach that the things he says when he's teaching just click in our heads so much easier than any other coach and makes everything in the swing just click and makes the game feel easy.

“The way he structures the amount of swings we take each day and teaches us certain drills to feel different things while we are at the plate is big league-esque. He lives, eats, and breathes baseball but does it in the least selfish way possible. He only cares about his players and about winning baseball games.”

Another player remarked: “I came to Arizona State knowing I had the physical makeup to play in the big leagues, but I knew just something hadn't clicked yet on the offensive end. By building my relationship and learning from Coach Earley over the course of my first year at ASU, I can confidently say I am a professional hitter. I admire a coach like Mike and am grateful to be around a guy like that. He is a guy I want to be around any day of the week at the yard and I guarantee every single hitter and even pitcher in our locker room would attest to that. He played in the majors, so he understands the ups and downs and how his players feel mentally and emotionally. I think this is a thing you just can't teach in a coach. Experience is huge, and he has it.

“He is the epitome of a Sun Devil, and every single guy wants him back next year in the maroon and gold, because he will lead the charge to Omaha on the offensive end.”

Let’s not forget that an NCAA transfer portal fueled not only by an eligibility freeze but also with a one-time exemption that allows transfers to play immediately will see a plethora of activity in the weeks to come. And yes, a head coaching change may have a school like ASU have a higher volume of entrants wanting to switch teams.

However, the two players we talked to heavily hinted that if ASU’s hitting coach were to continue on staff, that the admiration they and several of their teammates have for Earley can undoubtedly minimize the quantity and quality of players ultimately departing Tempe and seeking greener pastures.

“I think the results speak for themselves,” one player said. “The job Mike Earley has done as far as development goes with young hitters and turning them into professional level threats at the plate is remarkable.”

Earley’s success during his five years in Tempe has garnered him a good deal of job offers both in the collegiate and the professional ranks. Yet, his love for the Sun Devil program and his players compelled him to stay through some challenging seasons at ASU, and his diligence was rewarded seeing this year’s Pac-12 Defensive Player of The Year, infielder Drew Swift improve his freshman batting average of .201 to .365 and .314 his last final two seasons at ASU.

And ASU’s hitting coach impact was hardly unnoticed in the meteoric rise of All-American freshman sensation infielder Ethan Long who had just one home run in the first 21 games yet still ended up with 16 home runs on the year and was the first ASU player since Bishop in 2019 to garner Pac-12 Player of the Week honors three times in the same season, let alone earn vast national recognition.

Whoever will be named ASU’s new head coach will be inheriting a very talented team offensively (and defensively, for that matter) and one that has Earley’s fingerprints all over it. Needless to say that Earley who has naturally been involved in pursuing future additions to the team can ensure that recruiting relationships are preserved and him remaining on staff can and will prevent ASU from starting out at square one when it comes to talent acquisition.

A sense of continuity keeping onboard an established Sun Devil assistant coach, one who has resonated with several key returning players can further enhance the talented bats in the Arizona State lineup and could go a long way in achieving a seamless transition that will take place having a new face at the helm of the program.

Mike Earley will obviously need to feel wanted by the new ASU head coach but make no mistake about it, Mike Earley should definitely be viewed as a needed vital piece for the Sun Devil program.