Rockies Hire Ethan Katz As Pitching Coach

The Rockies announced they’ve hired Ethan Katz as their new pitching coach. Thomas Harding of MLB.com reported the news shortly before it was official. Harding also reports that former MLB infielder Andre Lipcius is joining the staff as game-planning coach, where he’ll replace retiring assistant bench coach Ronnie Gideon. The team has not yet confirmed the Lipcius hire.

Katz takes over for Alon Leichman, who was dismissed after one year in the role. He’ll have his work cut out for him in taking on Coors Field with arguably the least talented pitching staff in the majors. Colorado was last in ERA (5.59) and strikeout rate (17.5%) for a fifth straight season. The ballpark certainly plays into that, but it’s far from the biggest problem. No team had a lower strikeout rate on the road this year, while only the Reds had a higher ERA away from home.

The 43-year-old Katz is a former minor league pitcher who was drafted by the Rockies in 2005. He never advanced beyond A-ball as a player but has carved out a strong coaching career. He spent five years as the top pitching coach with the White Sox and worked as an assistant under lead pitching voice Josh Miller with the Astros this year. Houston moved on from Katz — along with numerous other coaches and manager Joe Espada — after a season in which they ranked 24th in ERA and 12th in strikeout percentage.

Lipcius, 28, played in 13 big league contests with the Tigers in 2023. The University of Tennessee product spent the following season in Triple-A with the Dodgers, where current Rockies GM Josh Byrnes was in the front office. Lipcius played in the White Sox system in 2025 and in Mexico this year. He’s apparently now on to the next phase of his career.