The Houston Astros have locked in their full coaching staff for the 2026 season, and there are some notable names stepping into new roles under first-year manager Joe Espada. The most recent additions? Ethan Katz joins as an assistant pitching coach, and Tim Cossins comes aboard as the catching coach.
Let’s start with Katz. At 42, he brings a wealth of experience to Houston’s staff after spending the last five seasons as the White Sox’s lead pitching coach.
During his early years in Chicago, Katz helped guide standout seasons from arms like Dylan Cease and Lucas Giolito-two pitchers who thrived under his tutelage before the team hit the reset button in 2022. Since that rebuild began, the White Sox staff has struggled, posting a collective ERA of 4.61 over the past three seasons-fifth-worst in the league behind only the Angels, A’s, Nationals, and Rockies.
Still, Katz’s ability to develop talent is well-documented. Before his time with the White Sox, he worked in the minor league systems of the Angels and Mariners, and had a stint with the Giants as an assistant pitching coach. Now, he’ll join a Houston team that has consistently churned out quality arms, adding another layer of depth to a pitching infrastructure that’s been one of the most stable in baseball.
Katz will work under Josh Miller, who now holds the title of sole lead pitching coach. Miller had shared that role with Bill Murphy over the last three seasons, but Murphy departed last month to take the same position with the Pirates. With Katz stepping in as his right-hand man, the Astros are hoping to maintain the consistency that’s defined their pitching development pipeline.
On the catching side, Tim Cossins is stepping in to work with Yainer Diaz-and potentially another catcher if Houston looks to add depth this offseason. Cossins brings seven years of experience from his time with the Orioles, where he served as catching instructor and field coordinator. His tenure in Baltimore came to an end this past May when the team parted ways with manager Brandon Hyde and made sweeping changes to the coaching staff.
Cossins is well-regarded for his work behind the scenes, particularly in helping young catchers improve their defensive mechanics and game-calling-two areas that will be crucial for Diaz as he continues to grow into an everyday role.
As for the rest of Espada’s staff, many of the key pieces are already in place. Victor Rodriguez, formerly with the Padres, takes over as hitting coach.
He’ll be joined by Anthony Iapoce, who was recently named assistant hitting coach. Dan Hennigan is also on board as director of hitting and offensive coordinator, a role that general manager Dana Brown announced alongside Iapoce’s hiring.
On the basepaths, Dave Clark returns as first base coach, and Tony Perezchica is back at third. Omar Lopez remains the bench coach, while Jason Bell continues as quality assurance coach and Tommy Kawamura returns as game planning coach.
Altogether, this is a staff that blends continuity with fresh perspective. Espada, stepping into the manager’s seat for the first time, will be surrounded by experienced voices-many of whom bring both player development chops and big-league experience. It’s a balanced mix that should help the Astros stay competitive as they look to extend their run of postseason contention into another season.
