Rockies Name Ethan Katz as New Pitching Coach

The Colorado Rockies hired Ethan Katz as their new pitching coach on Monday, a move aimed at stabilizing a staff that has struggled to find rhythm at Coors Field. Katz replaces Alon Leichman, who served in the role for one season. The hiring places a former minor leaguer for the organization in the dugout to manage a pitching rotation that finished 2026 with a 5.59 ERA, the worst in Major League Baseball.

Katz arrives in Denver with extensive experience at the major league level. He served as the pitching coach for the Chicago White Sox for five seasons and spent the 2026 season as an assistant pitching coach for the Houston Astros. Before his coaching career, Katz played in the Rockies' system, pitching four minor league seasons for the club. He recorded a 2.79 ERA over 102 games during that period, primarily working out of the bullpen. The Rockies originally selected him in the 26th round of the 2005 draft out of Sacramento State.

The team's pitching struggles have been persistent. Colorado has finished with the highest ERA in baseball for five consecutive years. This includes four straight seasons in which the team lost at least 100 games. The 2026 campaign proved particularly difficult, as the Rockies finished with 104 defeats, marking the worst record in the majors. The starting staff posted a 6.28 ERA, compounding the issues seen across the entire pitching corps.

Statistical analysis of the 2026 season shows the staff lacked both control and command. Rockies pitchers recorded the fewest strikeouts in the league, totaling just 555. The strikeout rate ranked last at 27.4%. Batters also connected with high frequency against the staff. The team ranked last in WHIP with a mark of 1.58 and in batting average allowed at .298. Additionally, 41.7% of balls put in play against Rockies pitchers featured an exit velocity of 95 mph or greater, indicating consistent hard contact from opposing hitters.

Katz's previous roles show mixed results in terms of ERA rankings. With the Astros this year, the team ranked 24th in baseball with a 4.47 ERA. During his tenure with the White Sox, his pitchers ranked 20th in ERA in 2025 with a 4.28 mark. In 2024, the White Sox ranked 28th with a 4.67 ERA, a season that saw Chicago set a modern record with 121 losses.

The new coach will manage a rotation that lacks proven depth for the upcoming season. No current starter under contract for 2027 is considered a reliable anchor. None of the returning starters averaged a fastball velocity above 95 mph. The group includes inconsistent performers like Ryan Feltner and Tanner Gordon, Chase Dollander who is returning from injury, and young arms Mason Adams and Gabriel Hughes. Katz will work under manager Warren Schaeffer, who is entering the second year of a two-year contract.

The staff will face specific challenges related to the altitude and the expansive outfield at Coors Field. These conditions often lead to extra base hits through the gaps and bloopers. The Rockies plan to add veteran starters to support the existing group, but the immediate task for Katz is to maximize the current talent pool while addressing the underlying issues of contact and control.