Five Pitching Coach Candidates With Ties to the White Sox Organization

The Chicago White Sox made a surprising move at season’s end, parting ways with pitching coach Ethan Katz.

Then again, when a team loses 100 games three years in a row, nobodies job should be considered safe. Still, Katz’s dismissal raised eyebrows across baseball — he’s widely respected, and few would’ve blinked had Chicago decided to retain him.

But this move signals something bigger. For the first time in a long time — maybe ever — Jerry Reinsdorf is giving his manager true autonomy to build his own staff. No more hand-me-down assistants or loyalty hires.

This is a clean slate.

General manager Chris Getz, manager Will Venable, senior advisor to pitching Brian Bannister, and director of hitting Ryan Fuller will now lead the search for replacements for Katz, hitting coach Marcus Thames, and others who were let go.

The Sox have already begun shuffling their developmental staff, but fans are waiting for the main event: the next big-league pitching coach.

For me, the search starts with connections. The smart hires usually do, because familiarity matters for organizations building a culture that they hope radiates to all levels. Whether it’s a relationshup with Bannister, Venable, Getz, or bench coach Walker McKinven, these are five names that make some sense for Chicago. 

Jim Henderson’s name will sound familiar. He pitched four seasons in the majors, most notably saving 28 games with a 2.70 ERA for the Brewers in 2013.

Since retiring, he’s been climbing Milwaukee’s coaching ladder. After joining the organization in 2018, Henderson worked through the minors before being promoted to MLB bullpen coach in 2022 and, more recently, assistant pitching and strategy coach. The Brewers finished 2025 with the best record in baseball, and their pitching staff remains one of the deepest in the sport.

Henderson has built a strong reputation for helping Milwaukee develop bullpen arms like Devin Williams, Abner Uribe, and Hoby Milner — pitchers who exemplify the “stuff-to-command” conversion the White Sox desperately need.

He’s energetic, communicative, and aligned with the modern, data-driven approach that Bannister and the Sox are trying to implement. There’s also a clear link: bench coach Walker McKinven worked with Henderson in Milwaukee as the Brewers’ run-prevention coordinator, and the two know each other well.

Given Henderson’s fit with Bannister’s philosophy — and the Sox reportedly requesting permission to interview him — he has to be considered the frontrunner.

Dave Bush spent nearly a decade in the big leagues, including several seasons in Milwaukee’s rotation. After retiring, he joined the Boston Red Sox as a pitching development analyst in 2016 — the same year Brian Bannister was promoted to assistant pitching coach.

Bush and Bannister worked closely together as Boston built one of the league’s most sophisticated pitching infrastructures. Bannister eventually became the club’s vice president of pitching development, while Bush served as the minor league pitching coordinator before being promoted to major league pitching coach in 2020.

Under Bush’s watch, the 2021 Red Sox reached the ALCS and finished top five in team ERA.

After being let go by Boston following the 2023 season, Bush joined the Texas Rangers as director of pitching strategy and then assistant pitching coach under Bruce Bochy.

He also overlapped with Venable in both Boston (2021) and Texas (2024), which only strengthens his case.

Bush is fluent in modern player development tools — Rapsodo, TrackMan, motion capture — and is adept at translating analytics into mechanical adjustments. He’s a Bannister disciple through and through, making him one of the clearest philosophical fits for the Sox.

If Chicago wants to double down on the Bannister model, J.P. Martinez might be the most seamless option.

Martinez, 42, currently serves as the San Francisco Giants’ pitching coach — a promotion he earned in 2025 after four seasons as assistant pitching coach. During that time, he worked directly with Bannister, who oversaw San Francisco’s pitching development.

Together, they built a lab-style environment centered on pitch design, biomechanical analysis, and individualized development plans.

Under Martinez’s leadership this past season, the Giants ranked inside MLB’s top 10 in ERA, expected ERA, and both strikeout and walk rates — a testament to his ability to blend traditional coaching instincts with data-driven precision.

His emphasis on sequencing, efficiency, and weak contact would suit a White Sox staff that features big velocity but inconsistent command.

The biggest obstacle? Timing. The Giants just hired Tony Vitello as their new manager, and multiple reports indicate Martinez is expected to be retained as a key part of the new staff. Still, if Bannister and Venable can offer a higher title or more autonomy, it’s a move that makes perfect sense.

This one’s more of a long shot, but the history runs deep.

Dana LeVangie spent decades in the Red Sox organization as a minor-league catcher, bullpen coach, and pitching coach — including during Boston’s 2018 World Series championship run. He worked alongside Brian Bannister from 2016–2019, when Bannister led the team’s pitching development and analytics efforts.

LeVangie also overlapped with Will Venable in 2021 when Venable joined Boston’s staff, though by then LeVangie had transitioned into a pro scouting role.

He’s known as a sharp game-planner who combines scouting instincts with a solid understanding of analytics — and his background as a former catcher gives him an edge in managing pitchers through in-game adjustments.

The question is whether he’d want to return to the dugout after several years in a hybrid front-office role. His communication style is more old-school, and while that experience would be valuable, it may not align perfectly with Bannister’s modern, data-first tone.

Kevin Walker’s connection to the organization dates back two decades. He pitched nine games for the 2005 World Series champion White Sox — albeit in a brief stint — before wrapping up his playing career in 2007.

Since 2009, Walker has been a fixture in the Red Sox organization, working his way up from minor-league coach to the major-league bullpen coach, a position he held through 2023. He was part of multiple iterations of Boston’s pitching department and overlapped briefly with both Bannister and Venable.

While Walker’s experience is extensive, most of it has come in the bullpen or as a developmental instructor rather than as a lead pitching coach. That likely makes him a secondary option unless the Sox decide to go with a more familiar face.

Still, given his history in both Chicago and Boston — and his long tenure in a progressive pitching program — he’s a name worth monitoring.

This decision ultimately belongs to Bannister and Venable, and it will define how quickly the White Sox can modernize their pitching infrastructure.

The expectation isn’t that Chicago’s next pitching coach must have worked with Bannister before — but it certainly wouldn’t hurt.

Right now, the top tier looks clear: Jim Henderson, Dave Bush, and J.P. Martinez headline the field. Each brings modern development experience, strong organizational ties, and credibility within today’s data-driven pitching landscape.

For once, the White Sox have the chance to set a new standard rather than play catch-up. Now it’s on them to make the right hire — and continue bringing the South Side staff into the modern era of pitching behind Bannister's lead.