Cleveland Guardians Add Alumnus to Coaching Staff Ahead of 2026 Season

Wittgren tossed a 4.04 ERA across eight years of professional baseball. He played for four different organizations from 2016 through 2023.

Jun 28, 2023; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Royals relief pitcher Nick Wittgren (64) on the mound during the seventh inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images | William Purnell-Imagn Images

The pitching staff only continues to grow in Cleveland.

On Wednesday, Feb. 4, the Cleveland Guardians announced that they are adding a new member to the coaching staff for the 2026 season. The front office reunited with former major-league pitcher Nick Wittgren, who pitched for the club for three years from 2019 through 2021, and will serve as a pitching coach for the Triple-A Columbus Clippers.

Wittgren was a solid pitcher during his time on the mound for Cleveland, tossing a 3.88 ERA across 143.2 innings of ball. He was consistent, rarely walking opponents or giving up easy opportunities for opposing batters.

His addition to Cleveland's coaching staff adds yet another individual familiar with the system, a good sign for prospects looking to adapt quickly.

He'll work with Andrew Moore, who's returning to the club after serving as a coach with the Single-A Lake County Captains last year. The Clippers will be managed by Andy Tracy, who's now tallied over five seasons with the team.

Former MLB pitcher Nick Wittgren is joining the Guardians as a pitching coach. He will be with Triple-A Columbus for the 2026 season, per @CleGuardPro #GuardsBall pic.twitter.com/Aq7rNVbGWB

— SleeperGuardians (@SleeperGuards) February 4, 2026

The Columbus Clippers and the Pitching Group for Wittgren

Of the pitchers Wittgren will get to work with, reliever Khal Stephen stands out as the most intriguing that the coaching staff will have to develop.

Stephen is impressive and by far one of the most major-league-ready pitchers in the system, tossing a 2.80 ERA across 103 innings of play on the mound last season. He recorded a 9-2 record in action with Single-A, High-A and Double-A play across systems with the Guardians and Toronto Blue Jays. He joined the organization in return for starter Shane Bieber being sent to the Blue Jays.

He's expected to start the year in Double-A, but eventually end up in Triple-A, where Wittgren is going to be tasked with keeping his timeline intact.

The Guardians need a bit of a spark out of the bullpen because right now, lots of their arms are questionable or unproven, while also being aged. At least with Stephen, you get a young, impressionable reliever who can be molded into a good arm. He needs a bit of time, but he should be ready for major league action in due time.

Other arms Wittgren will get to work with immediately include recently added Kolby Allard, who re-signed with the team a few days ago, and Jack Carey, who was snagged in the MLB Winter Meetings. He'll also coach right-handers Pedro Avila, Tanner Burns, Carlos Hernández, Codi Heuer, Jack Leftwich, Tommy Mace, Jake Miller and Trever Stephan. The lefties are Ryan Webb and Will Dion.

None of the pitchers currently in Columbus is on the 40-man roster.

Columbus' first game of the year is set for March 27, as they look to continue producing top-level minor league prospects.