All new Texas Rangers coach Jordan Tiegs has to do is replace one of the best pitching coaches in recent memory in Mike Maddux. That’s all.
The Rangers announced their 2026 coaching staff under new manager Skip Schumaker and Tiegs, who was the team’s bullpen coach a year ago, was promoted to pitching coach. He replaces Maddux, who left the organization after the season and joined the Los Angeles Angels on a one-year deal.
Maddux is one of the most trusted pitching coaches in the game. Tiegs is 38 years old and has worked his way up from coaching in Division II baseball to get his shot in the Majors as a coach. He’s a long way from Woodstock, Ontario.
About New Rangers Pitching Coach Jordan Tiegs
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Tiegs was drafted out of Huron Park Secondary School in Woodstock but didn’t sign with the Cincinnati Reds, who drafted him in the 46th round in 2006. He played two years at a community college, one year at the College of Charleston and his final year of college baseball at the University of Indianapolis.
He pitched five games with Evansville in the Frontier League in 2009 and went 0-2 with a 8.00 ERA, with 11 strikeouts and eight walks in 18 innings. That ended his professional career.
Tiegs got into coaching with his alma mater in 2011 when he returned to UIndy to serve as the pitching coach. In 2012 he guided the pitching staff to a program record for shutouts (11, one of which was a no-hitter), while ranking second all-time in strikeouts (425). He and the Greyhounds went to the Division II College World Series that year.
That led to a promotion to Division I as the pitching coach at Indiana State. He helped five pitchers earn selection in the MLB draft. In 2015, another of his players, right-hander Tyler Ward, become the 12th players in program history to pick up freshman all-America honors.
His work at Indiana State put him on the Rangers’ radar and he was named the pitching coach for the Arizona Complex League Rangers in 2019. After COVID-19 shut down minor league baseball in 2020, he was promoted to serve as the pitching coach for the then-High A Hickory Crawdads. His three seasons with the Crawdads earned him the promotion to Rangers bullpen coach before this season.
The rest of Schumaker’s staff includes bench coach Luis Urueta, lead hitting coach Justin Viele, Major League hitting coach Alex Cintrón, first base coach Travis Jankowski, third base coach Corey Ragsdale, quality control coach Rod Barajas, catching coach Brett Hayes, assistant pitching coach Dave Bush and bullpen coach Colby Suggs. The Rangers are still looking for an additional Major League coach.
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