Despite a 19-game improvement during the 2025 season under first-year manager Will Venable and positivity radiating through the organization, the Chicago White Sox are making some surprising changes to their Major League coaching staff.
The team announced via press release on Monday that four notable coaches from Venable's staff would not be back with the team in 2026.
Among them were pitching coach Ethan Katz, hitting coach Marcus Thames, first base and outfield coach Jason Bourgeois, and catching coach Drew Butera.
Triple-A manager Sergio Santos will not have his contract renewed, either.
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
White Sox make coaching changes despite 2025 progress
It's a bit surprising to see such wholesale changes after the organization saw the emerging young core seemingly take to their coaching this season.
The 2025 White Sox were much more patient at the plate and had more mature at-bats that we have seen in previous years.
Rookies like Kyle Teel, Chase Meidroth, and Edgar Quero were all very poised at the dish for such young players. I think some of that can be credited to hitting coach Marcus Thames, who really cracked down on pitch selection with his guys this year.
Colson Montgomery made changes to his swing with Ryan Fuller (who is still on staff) in Arizona. He also reviewed data with the hitting staff and switched to a torpedo bat before launching 21 home runs in the final 57 games of the year.
Veteran outfielders Andrew Benintendi and Mike Tauchman both enjoyed resurgent years as well and posted an above-average OPS+.
Moving on from Ethan Katz is also a surpring change. Katz had been with the White Sox since November of 2020 and received a lot of positive reviews from pitchers coming in and out of the oirganization.
Lucas Giolito, Lance Lynn, Dylan Cease, Garrett Crochet, Carlos Rodón, and now Shane Smith have all had great seasons in a White Sox uniform while working with Katz.
In 2025, many White Sox pitchers outperformed expectations. That includes the aforementioned Shane Smith, as well as Mike Vasil, Jordan Leasure, Adrian Houser, and Steven Wilson.
Bourgeois and Butera don't have the same demonstrated track record as Katz or even Thames, but neither one was noticeably detrimental this season.
Will Venable can now hire his own staff
There is an argument to be made in favor of these coaching changes, and it will allow manager Will Venable to hire his own staff.
Thames, Butera, and Bourgeois were all hired by the White Sox to coach under Pedro Grifol in 2024 and retained for the 2025 season. Katz came to the organization at the same time as Tony La Russa.
Venable checked a lot of boxed in his first year as manager, and many of his new hires, like bench coach Walker McKinven, did too. Even if these coaches didn't totally deserve to be fired, Will Venable deserves a chance to hire his own guys.
I can't bring myself to be upset about the White Sox ridding themselves of guys from the 2024 season that produced a 41-121 record. Chicago is understandably trying to turn the page as an organization and take another step in 2026. Hopefully, they bring in more coaches to their staff with experience in winning organizations (like Venable). One hire at a time, that can help change the culture of a franchise.