After being drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the ninth round of the 1994 MLB Draft, James played minor league baseball in the Mariners and New York Yankees minor league systems from 1995-1997, and for the Independent Heartland League’s Cook County Cheetahs in 1998. James served as the Yankees’ minor league hitting coordinator for six seasons before joining the Chicago Cubs as their minor league hitting coordinator for the 2012 season. Rowson became the hitting coach of the Chicago Cubs from 2012-2013. He is currently the minor league hitting coordinator for the New York Yankees.