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The White Sox have announced the following four coaches will not return in 2026:
- Pitching Coach Ethan Katz
- Hitting Coach Marcus Thames
- First Base Coach/Outfield Coach Jason Bourgeois
- Catching Coach Drew Butera
As it pertains to the staff, Major League Offensive Coordinator Grady Sizemore will be offered an unspecified role in the organization if he opts to stay, while Triple-A Manager Sergio Santos will not have his contract renewed.
“While we greatly appreciate all that Ethan, Marcus, Jason and Drew have done for the organization, Will [Venable] and I have agreed on the very difficult decision to make several changes to our coaching staff in 2026,” said GM Chris Getz in a press release. “Our respect for these coaches as people and as professionals made these decisions difficult, and we thank them for their many contributions. Our commitment remains to provide the best possible vision, ideas and resources to our players to support their continuing growth and development.”
Venable, who completed his first season as the team’s manager, inherited much of the 2025 staff when he took the job. Of the departing names, perhaps the most significant is Katz, who has served as the team’s pitching coach since Don Cooper was fired in 2020.
Brought in as part of Tony La Russa’s initial staff, Katz previously served in the Giants organization and was highly regarded by those who worked with him in Chicago. As for the three other coaches, all were holdovers from Pedro Grifol’s staff.
| Position | 2025 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Manager | Will Venable | Pedro Grifol |
| Bench Coach | Walker McKinven | Charlie Montoyo |
| Pitching Coach | Ethan Katz | Ethan Katz |
| Assistant Pitching Coach | Matt Wise | Matt Wise |
| Hitting Coach | Marcus Thames | Marcus Thames |
| Assistant Hitting Coach | Joel McKeithan | Mike Tosar |
| First Base/Outfield Coach | Jason Bourgeois | Jason Bourgeois |
| Third Base/Infield Coach | Justin Jirschele | Eddie Rodriguez |
| Catching Coach | Drew Butera | Drew Butera |
| Offensive Coordinator | Grady Sizemore | — |
Searches to fill the open slots on the coaching staff will begin immediately, the team announced via a press release.
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Featured Photo: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
The post White Sox announce major changes to coaching staff appeared first on Sox On 35th.
