White Sox Move On From Four Coaches in Significant Staff Shakeup

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A detail of a Chicago White Sox uniform against the Minnesota Twins at Guaranteed Rate Field on July 10, 2024.

The Chicago White Sox have wasted little time beginning their offseason reset. According to a recent report, the club will not renew the contracts of four key coaches from the 2025 staff: pitching coach Ethan Katz, hitting coach Marcus Thames, first base/outfield coach Jason Bourgeois, and catching coach Drew Butera. General manager Chris Getz said the move was difficult but necessary, aiming to provide “the best possible vision, ideas and resources” to players going forward.

This shakeup underscores just how serious Chicago is about rewriting its narrative. Through the 2025 season, the White Sox were in full rebuild mode–roster tinkering, prospect promotions, and experimentation. But now, the front office is signaling that players’ development must be anchored by a revamped coaching core. With four top coaches gone, the blank slate is substantial.

“While we greatly appreciate all that Ethan, Marcus, Jason and Drew have done for this organization, Will and I have agreed on the very difficult decision to make several changes to our coaching staff in 2026,” Getz said.

“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.”

The Departing Coaches: Experience, Change, and Context

Katz, the longest-tenured among those departing, has served as the White Sox’s pitching coach since 2021. His tenure spanned multiple organizational eras–with mixed results amid roster turnover and youth movement. Thames, Bourgeois, and Butera each joined more recently (around 2024) and were retained into the 2025 season before ultimately being let go.

The Chicago White Sox announced the team will not renew the contracts of coaches Ethan Katz, Marcus Thames, Jason Bourgeois and Drew Butera, while Grady Sizemore will be offered a role within the organization for 2026.

— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) September 29, 2025

These changes go deeper than just cosmetic updating. From the mound to the plate, from base coaches to catching instruction, Chicago is clearing space for new voices. The departures aren’t wholesale rejections of past work–the White Sox public statements expressed respect, gratitude, and the difficulty of deciding. But make no mistake: the move is intentional and directional.

What These Coaches Represented

Katz oversaw the development of young arms in a turbulent pitching staff. His departure suggests the organization wants a different developmental voice—or a reset of philosophy.
Thames handled hitting instruction, and his exit could reflect dissatisfaction with offensive execution or a desire for different organizational alignment.
Bourgeois led first base/outfield coaching, a role tied to baserunning, defense, and outfield alignment.
Butera, the catching coach, oversaw a sensitive, pivotal position where pitch framing, game-calling, and defense are critical.

These weren’t fringe roles–they were core components of how the team plays day to day. Replacing them is not just about who you bring in; it’s about the culture you try to build.

“Decisions about the coaching staff are incredibly difficult because these are friends and teammates who have been through all the moments and trials alongside you,” manager Will Venable said. “I cannot thank each of them enough for the hard work and professionalism they brought to the ballpark daily. Ultimately, we have short-term and long-term goals and objectives for this organization and this team.

What the Sox Have Up Their Sleeve

Though the White Sox declined to renew those contracts, they also revealed one retention of note: Grady Sizemore will be offered a role within the organization for 2026. Sizemore served as the team’s offensive coordinator in 2025 and was interim manager late in the season after Pedro Grifol was fired. That suggests Chicago isn’t erasing internal continuity entirely–they want threads of institutional memory, even as they bring fresh blood.

The rest of the 2025 coaching group–bench coach Walker McKinven, third base/infield coach Justin Jirschele, assistant pitching coach Matt Wise, and assistant hitting coach Joel McKeithan–remain in place for now. That mix of retainment and change may help smooth the transition.

“Our responsibility is to put our players in the best position to grow and succeed, and that means always considering how our staff can best support the growth and success of our players,” Venable said. “These choices are never easy, but they come from a deep commitment to giving our players the very best chance to reach our potential together.”

Now the onus moves to Getz and Venable. They must fill these open slots quickly, find coaches whose philosophies align with the team’s evolving identity, and instill cohesion. The organization indicated these decisions will begin immediately.

Alyssa Polczynski Alyssa Polczynski is a multimedia journalist covering Major League Baseball for Heavy.com. She has experience as an editorial producer for MLB.com and contributed to the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR). More about Alyssa Polczynski