Rockies Hire Ethan Katz as Pitching Coach
Colorado adds former White Sox and Astros pitching coach Ethan Katz to its Major League staff.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Baseball
The Colorado Rockies have hired Ethan Katz as their Major League pitching coach, the team announced from Denver. Katz spent the 2026 season as an assistant pitching coach with the Houston Astros.
Why it matters
The hire fills the Rockies' pitching coach role with a veteran of several organizations and a coach who has worked across the Astros, White Sox and Giants systems. It signals the club's focus on pitching development as it looks to strengthen its staff.
Katz has coached professionally since 2013, beginning in the Angels organization and later serving as Double-A Arkansas pitching coach in 2017-18. The source does not address contract length or specific pitching-staff changes under him.
The players
Colorado Rockies
The Major League Baseball franchise based in Denver, which hired Katz to lead its major league pitching staff.
Ethan Katz
A veteran pitching coach who previously worked with the Chicago White Sox and Houston Astros and who pitched professionally after being drafted out of Sacramento State.
The details
Katz, a Los Angeles native, pitched professionally for five seasons from 2005 to 2009 after being drafted by the Rockies in the 26th round out of Sacramento State University. He later moved into coaching, joining the Giants organization in 2019 before becoming an assistant pitching coach for San Francisco in 2020.
Timeline
2005: Katz was drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the 26th round.
2013: Katz began his professional coaching career with the Angels organization.
2021-25: Katz served as Chicago White Sox pitching coach.
2026: Katz worked as Houston Astros assistant pitching coach.
Nov. 2, 2026: The Rockies announced the hire.
Season Trajectory
The hire reflects a pattern in Major League Baseball in which clubs reshuffle pitching coaches to address development gaps across their staffs. Katz's move from the Astros' assistant role to the Rockies' top pitching post places him at the center of a team looking to improve its pitching output.
Katz's arrival may change how Rockies pitchers are developed and used, which could affect rotation and bullpen decisions as the staff is reshaped. Fantasy managers tracking Colorado arms may want to watch for early changes in pitcher usage.
The takeaway
Clubs that invest in pitching coaches with cross-organization experience often prioritize development over quick fixes, a trend worth tracking as the Rockies rebuild their staff. Readers following the team should watch early results from the pitching group under Katz's direction.
Further reading
Explore more Denver Baseball coverage for the latest on the Rockies' coaching staff.
