Cardinals Plan to Hire Joel McKeithan
The St. Louis Cardinals are closing in on hiring Joel McKeithan as their new hitting coach after parting ways with Brant Brown.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Baseball
The Cardinals are reportedly set to hire Joel McKeithan as hitting coach, according to a source who confirmed the club was closing in on the hire to the Post-Dispatch. The move follows the club's decision to part ways with hitting coach Brant Brown after two seasons.
Why it matters
The Cardinals are looking to reshape their hitting staff after Brown's departure, and McKeithan arrives from a White Sox team that finished 2026 with 84 wins and reached the playoffs as a wild card. The hire is the latest change in a hitting coach turnover that has seen McKeithan become the fourth hitting coach in six seasons for the club.
The White Sox hit 211 home runs in 2026, third in the majors, with a .406 slugging percentage, after McKeithan spent the previous two seasons as their assistant hitting coach. The Cardinals have not confirmed the hire, and the club has not made a formal announcement on coaching moves.
The players
Joel McKeithan
McKeithan is a hitting coach whose career spans minor-league work with the Phillies' system, a stint as Reds hitting coach, and two seasons as a White Sox assistant hitting coach.
St. Louis Cardinals
The Cardinals are a Major League Baseball franchise based in St. Louis that is seeking a new hitting coach after parting ways with Brant Brown.
Chaim Bloom
Bloom is the Cardinals executive who confirmed the decision on Brant Brown to KMOX/104.1 FM.
The details
McKeithan, 35, spent the previous two seasons as an assistant hitting coach for the White Sox and previously served as hitting coach for the Cincinnati Reds, a role the club gave him ahead of the 2023 season. He began his pro coaching career in 2019 with the Phillies' Williamsport Crosscutters affiliate, and before that he worked with Driveline while playing for the Gateway Grizzlies.
Timeline
2019: McKeithan begins his pro coaching career with the Phillies' Williamsport Crosscutters affiliate.
2023 season: The Reds promote McKeithan to hitting coach.
October 2026: The Cardinals part ways with hitting coach Brant Brown after two seasons.
November 4, 2026: FanSided reports early Wednesday that the Cardinals plan to hire McKeithan.
Season Trajectory
The Cardinals' hitting coach turnover, now at four changes in six seasons, reflects an ongoing effort to rebuild offensive production. McKeithan's arrival from a White Sox staff that powered a third-place 211-homer season offers the club a power-focused approach to its hitting program.
The hire would give St. Louis a new hitting coach ahead of the next season, which could shape the lineup and player development plans for Cardinals fans tracking the roster. McKeithan's power-focused background with the White Sox may matter to fantasy managers watching which hitters benefit from the new approach.
The takeaway
Coaching changes are a common lever for teams looking to improve offense, and the Cardinals' pursuit of McKeithan signals a focus on developing power hitting. Readers following the franchise should watch for an official announcement to confirm the hire.
Further reading
For more on the franchise's latest moves, explore Baseball coverage.
