Caleb Cotham
Caleb Cotham (born November 6, 1987) is an American professional baseball coach and former pitcher, best known as the pitching coach for the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball (MLB) since 2021.[1][2] Cotham, a right-handed pitcher from Mount Juliet, Tennessee, attended Vanderbilt University, where he compiled a 14-10 record with a 4.25 ERA over three seasons from 2007 to 2009.[3] Drafted by the New York Yankees in the fifth round of the 2009 MLB Draft, he spent six years in their minor league system before making his MLB debut on July 29, 2015, with the Yankees, where he appeared in 12 games that year, posting a 6.52 ERA.[1] Traded to the Cincinnati Reds after the 2015 season on December 28, 2015, Cotham made 23 appearances for them in 2016 with a 7.40 ERA before retiring in 2017 after a brief minor league stint with the Seattle Mariners organization.[1] Over his brief MLB career, he recorded a 1-3 record, 7.15 ERA, and 32 strikeouts in 35 appearances.[4] Following his playing days, Cotham transitioned into coaching, beginning in 2017 as co-director of development and director of pitching at the Bledsoe Agency, a private training facility.[5] He joined the Reds as an assistant pitching coach in 2018, contributing to staff improvements that included Trevor Bauer winning the National League Cy Young Award in 2020 with a 1.73 ERA.[5] Hired by the Phillies in November 2020 at age 33—the second-youngest pitching coach in MLB at the time—Cotham has emphasized data-driven, individualized approaches to pitcher development, avoiding one-size-fits-all methods.[5] Under his leadership, the Phillies' pitching staff ERA improved from 5.14 in 2020 to 3.85 in 2024, the best in 12 years, and 3.79 in 2025, despite a first-round playoff exit.[6][7] with five All-Star pitchers in 2024. Key successes include guiding Zack Wheeler to a runner-up finish in the 2021 NL Cy Young voting (2.78 ERA), leading the team to the 2022 World Series with a postseason ERA of 3.24, and developing breakouts for Cristopher Sánchez (2.50 ERA, 212 strikeouts in 2025) and Ranger Suárez in recent seasons.[5][6] Cotham's work has been pivotal in transforming the Phillies into consistent contenders, particularly with left-handed starters.[6]Early life
High school career
Caleb Cotham attended Mount Juliet High School in Mount Juliet, Tennessee, where he played baseball as a right-handed pitcher.[1] He was a four-year letterwinner on the varsity team and served as a two-year captain.[8] During his high school career, Cotham earned three-time all-district honors and received all-region accolades in 2004.[8] As a junior in 2005, he was named district MVP, all-region, and all-state.[8] In his senior year, he was selected as the 9-AAA tournament MVP.[8] He posted a 1.90 ERA during his senior season.[8] Cotham contributed to his team's postseason success, helping lead Mount Juliet to the sectional playoffs in 2006, district championships in both 2005 and 2006, and regionals in 2004.[8] Beyond baseball, he lettered for one season in basketball and was involved in school leadership as junior class president and a member of the National Honor Society.[8] Cotham graduated in 2006.[9]College career
Caleb Cotham attended Vanderbilt University, where he played college baseball for the Vanderbilt Commodores as a pitcher from 2007 to 2009.[10] As a freshman in 2007, Cotham made three relief appearances, posting a 0-0 record with a 0.00 ERA over 2.2 innings pitched, allowing no hits and one strikeout.[11] That season, he was part of a pitching staff that included future MLB stars David Price and Mike Minor, and the Commodores won the Southeastern Conference (SEC) Tournament Championship—their first since 1980—while finishing with a 54-13 overall record and advancing to the NCAA Regionals with a 3-2 tournament mark.[12][13][14] In his sophomore year of 2008, Cotham transitioned to a starting role, going 7-6 with a 4.50 ERA in 14 starts (16 appearances) over 86 innings, striking out 90 batters while issuing 35 walks.[11] The Commodores again qualified for the NCAA Regionals that season, ending with a 41-22 record. Following the college campaign, Cotham pitched for the Bourne Braves in the Cape Cod Baseball League, where he excelled with a 5-1 record and 2.54 ERA in eight starts.[8] Cotham's junior season in 2009 marked his most productive year, as he recorded a 7-5 mark with a 4.10 ERA across 13 starts (17 games), logging 79 innings with 84 strikeouts, two complete games, and one shutout.[11] Vanderbilt reached the NCAA Regionals once more, and Cotham's performance earned him a fifth-round selection (165th overall) by the New York Yankees in the MLB Draft.[10] Over his three-year college career, he compiled a 14-11 record with a 4.24 ERA in 27 starts (36 appearances), totaling 167.2 innings and 175 strikeouts.[11] The following summer, he returned to the Cape Cod League with the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox, going 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA in limited action.[8]| Year | Team | G | GS | W-L | ERA | IP | H | SO | BB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Vanderbilt | 3 | 0 | 0-0 | 0.00 | 2.2 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 2008 | Vanderbilt | 16 | 14 | 7-6 | 4.50 | 86.0 | 86 | 90 | 35 |
| 2009 | Vanderbilt | 17 | 13 | 7-5 | 4.10 | 79.0 | 67 | 84 | 27 |
| Total | 36 | 27 | 14-11 | 4.24 | 167.2 | 153 | 175 | 64 |