Since the disappointing end to the 2025 season, the Astros have made several changes to their coaching staff and player development system. With a few departures and new hires, every move they make in the offseason will determine how Houston performs in 2026. Looking at who is gone and who is new, the question is: where will the Astros stand in 2026 from a coaching standpoint?
Starting with the departures, the team said goodbye to Bill Murphy (pitching coach), Eric Niesen (Director of Pitching), Michael Collins (catching coach), and hitting coaches Alex Cintrón and Troy Snitker. Murphy is heading to the Pirates, Niesen is taking a job at Wake Forest University, and Cintrón and Snitker’s contracts were not renewed, leaving Houston with a big reshuffle in the coaching ranks.
Bill Murphy had been with the Astros for almost a decade and played a big role in developing great pitchers like Framber Valdez, Cristian Javier, and Hunter Brown. He was also part of the team during the 2022 World Series championship and contributed during some of Houston’s best seasons. His departure leaves a noticeable gap, but Houston added Ethan Katz as an assistant hitting coach on November 26.
New hires include Victor Rodriguez, who joined the Astros on November 5 as the new major-league hitting coach, taking over for Snitker and Cintrón. Rodriguez began his major-league coaching career as an assistant hitting coach for the Boston Red Sox from 2013‑2017. He then coached for the Cleveland Guardians from 2018‑2023. Most recently, he was the hitting coach for the San Diego Padres for the last two seasons. If he can carry over his successes and strategies to Houston, his approach could help the offense bounce back to what it once was in 2026.
Other changes include Jeremiah Randall, head athletic trainer, and Andrew Ball, assistant general manager, both of whom are leaving the organization. Fresh voices in these roles could bring new ideas to hitting, pitching, and player development.
The Astros have been making moves, and these updates show the team is serious about improving and getting back on track. If the coaches are able to apply their philosophies and develop chemistry with the players, the coaching shake-up could be a good thing for this transitioning team. The next few months will reveal how well these moves pay off on the field, but for now, Houston is setting itself up for a strong 2026 season.