Five MLB Coaches Who Will Be Keys to the 2026 Season

While MLB managers often have the brightest spotlights shined upon them, it may well be the coaches under them that can make the biggest impact when it comes to individual success on the major-league diamond.

As we count down the days until spring training, here is a look at five coaches (listed in alphabetical order) across Major League Baseball that will have an impact on the race for the World Series in 2026. Some are veterans of the game who find themselves in new locations this season, adding even more intrigue into what their presence might mean for their 2026 teams.

Jeremy Hefner (Atlanta Braves pitching coach)

Hefner joins the Braves after six seasons as the New York Mets’ pitching coach, where he survived three general manager changes and two managerial transitions while working with stars like Jacob deGrom and Max Scherzer.

The 39-year-old former MLB pitcher brings a math-and-science background that shaped his analytical approach to pitching development, including helping establish a high-tech pitching lab at the Mets’ spring training facility.

New Braves manager Walt Weiss hired Hefner to replace Rick Kranitz, who had been with Atlanta since 2019 and helped the team win the 2021 World Series. Hefner has already identified mechanical issues with Spencer Strider, noting the ace dropped his arm slot and was cross-firing in 2025 following his UCL surgery, then expressed confidence in fixing them.

Hefner’s problem-solving mindset and focus on individual pitcher needs rather than wholesale system overhauls could help Atlanta’s rotation regain its elite status in 2026.

Mike Maddux (Los Angeles Angels pitching coach)

Maddux left the Texas Rangers after three successful seasons in his second stint with the team to join the Angels’ coaching staff under rookie manager Kurt Suzuki, bringing 23 years of MLB coaching experience to a franchise desperate for pitching help.

The 64-year-old brother of Hall of Famer Greg Maddux helped Texas win the 2023 World Series and oversaw a Rangers pitching staff that led the majors with a 3.47 ERA in 2025. Now he faces perhaps his toughest challenge yet: fixing an Angels staff that posted a 4.89 ERA in 2025, worst in the American League and third worst across all of baseball.

Maddux will work with a thin rotation featuring Yusei Kikuchi, Jose Soriano and Reid Detmers while tasked with developing young prospects like Caden Dana and George Klassen. His track record of immediate staff improvement — everywhere he’s coached has seen dramatic ERA reductions — makes him the Angels’ best hope for turning around one of baseball’s worst pitching operations.

Ruben Niebla (San Diego Padres pitching coach)

Niebla has been promoted to associate manager while retaining his pitching coach duties after finishing as a finalist for the Padres’ managerial position that ultimately went to Craig Stammen.

The 41-year-old has two years remaining on his contract and has essentially rebuilt San Diego’s pitching program since joining in October 2021, helping the Padres rank among baseball’s pitching leaders throughout his tenure.

His background in kinesiology and sports science from Azusa Pacific University positioned him perfectly to develop the team’s state-of-the-art biomechanics lab in partnership with Point Loma Nazarene University, where pitchers undergo detailed evaluations at least three times per season.

His expertise in run prevention and pitcher development was instrumental in converting Michael King from reliever to starter and will be crucial as the Padres navigate 2026 with a starting rotation that will be anchored by the recently resigned King and Nick Pivetta.

As a new manager, Stammen has made it clear he will lean heavily on Niebla’s voice and perspectives beyond just the pitching staff.

Mark Prior (Los Angeles Dodgers pitching coach)

Prior enters his sixth season as the Dodgers’ pitching coach after helping the franchise win World Series titles in 2020, 2024 and 2025, cementing his transformation from cautionary tale to championship architect.

The 45-year-old former Chicago Cubs phenom whose promising career was derailed by arm injuries has applied those painful lessons to building pitching staffs that emphasize collective effort over individual workhorses.

Under Prior’s guidance, the Dodgers have mastered the art of using multiple arms to navigate games, evidenced by their 2024 postseason run when they tied a record with 33.0 consecutive scoreless innings despite missing key starters like Clayton Kershaw, Tyler Glasnow and Gavin Stone.

Prior’s willingness to embrace technology, analytics and unconventional bullpen usage has made Los Angeles’ pitching program one of baseball’s most innovative and successful. His ability to develop young arms while managing veterans through injury-shortened seasons will be essential as the Dodgers attempt to defend their title in 2026.

Carl Willis (Cleveland Guardians pitching coach)

Willis will return for another season as Cleveland’s pitching coach after briefly considering his future following the team’s playoff exit. The 64-year-old has established himself as one of baseball’s elite pitching developers, having coached five Cy Young Award winners throughout his career, including Shane Bieber in 2020.

In 2025, Cleveland’s pitching staff tied for fourth among MLB’s 30 teams with a 3.70 ERA despite facing significant challenges early in the season. Willis helped transform Tanner Bibee and Gavin Williams into legitimate rotation anchors and orchestrated a crucial late-season shift to a six-man rotation that helped the Guardians overcome a 15.5-game deficit to win the AL Central.

His ability to develop young arms into frontline starters will be critical in 2026 as Cleveland looks to build on its pitching factory reputation and make another playoff run.