Analyzing the Astros Coaching Changes

It was an extremely disappointing 2025 season for the Houston Astros, as the club failed to reach the postseason for the first time since 2016. With their worst season in nearly a decade, the Astros and owner Jim Crane are not playing around. It’s clear that the Astros want to take significant action and accountability for their struggles this past season. 

Analyzing the Astros Coaching Changes

It seemed like Houston might sit back and let 2026 play out at one point, but they are not waiting at all. The Astros made five big changes to their coaching staff, front office, and training staff on Oct. 9. 

Significant Changes

To start, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reported that Houston would not be renewing the contracts of both hitting coaches, Alex Cintron and Troy Snitker. While there was an initial report that Cintron had been fired, that was not the case. Both sides have parted ways. Additionally, Major League coach Michael Collins, who handled the catchers, will not be retained. 

The Astros shook up their athletic training and performance department, as head athletic trainer Jeremiah Randall will not return in 2026. Assistant general manager Andrew Ball, in his fourth season and responsible for overseeing sports medicine and performance, was also dismissed.

Main Issues Clearly Looked At

The two main issues the Astros had in 2025—hitting and injuries — looked to have been clearly targeted in these moves. The main names on the staff tied to those departments have been released. 

Houston led the American League in batting average in 2024, but that number dropped to 12th this season, along with being 21st in runs scored. Obviously, injuries to Yordan Alvarez, Jeremy Peña, Isaac Paredes, and Jake Meyers strongly affected that number, but the offense went silent in key moments throughout the year. 

The Astros ranked fifth in batting average in 2023, and in their 2022 championship season, finished fourth in home runs and eighth in runs scored. While the Houston front office could have ignored this year’s slump, Crane clearly had enough. The Astros ranked near the top in runs scored over the past two seasons, but their production fell off this year.

Losing another clubhouse leader in Alex Bregman, as well as Kyle Tucker, did not help, but Houston still had enough depth to compete. Cintron and Snitker guided a strong offense during the Astros’ golden era, but a new approach may better suit the club now.

More on the Former Astros Staff

Cintron played nine seasons in the big leagues before joining the Astros as an assistant coach in 2017. He was the first base coach in 2018 and then started his stint as hitting coach in 2019, where Houston set the single-season slugging record. Snitker, the son of former Atlanta Braves manager Brian Snitker, also joined in 2019. Removing both hitting coaches might seem extreme, given the injuries they faced.

The Astros named Randall head athletic trainer in 2015, and he has held the role for nearly 10 years. In 2017, MLB recognized Randall and his staff as the Athletic Training Staff of the Year. The Astros had a terrible year injuries-wise, as 28 players landed on the injured list, including eight players with multiple stints. Four pitchers had Tommy John surgery. Many fans were skeptical about their treatment, training, and the lack of transparency regarding injuries that kept recurring. 

Ball oversaw sports medicine and performance. Houston has basically overhauled that department after the pile-up of setbacks. 

Catching

Collins joined the Astros in 2018 and worked closely with the catchers. Yainer Diaz did not develop as well as Houston would have liked. In his second year as the main catcher behind the plate, runners caught stealing and passed balls (7) were not at an elite level. Diaz had an 80% caught-stealing rate, ranking 16th. With his bat, Diaz was inconsistent and not disciplined enough. 

The 27-year-old had just a .701 OPS in 2025 after hitting .766 last year. Victor Caratini, meanwhile, excelled as the secondary catcher and pinch hitter. Fans hope to see him return in 2026. With the most at-bats of his career, Caratini had a career-high average of .269 along with a .744 OPS. 

Most of the fan base supports making moves and being active on the issues. Fans had mixed reactions about the injury problem, since the Astros staff can’t realistically prevent them. At the same time, they can properly diagnose the problem and manage recovery more effectively.

The Astros aim for a fresh start next season with some new faces among their staff.