Dustin Garneau named Rockies new bullpen coach

The former Rockie catcher recently served as team’s catching coordinator

The Colorado Rockies announced Thursday that Dustin Garneau has been named the new bullpen coach for 2025, replacing Reid Cornelius who was let go a few weeks ago.

Garneau, 37, is no stranger to the Rockies in a coaching role after serving as the team’s organizational catching coordinator for the 2023-24 seasons. Prior to that role, he was drafted by the Rockies in the 19th round back in 2009 out of California State University where he then went on to play parts of eight seasons in the Major Leagues with Colorado, Oakland Athletics, Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles Angels, Houston Astros and Detroit Tigers.

He played 68 games with the Rockies from 2015-17, batting .199/.259/.335 with four home runs and 20 RBI and over the course of his 168-game career slashed .205/.285/.375 with 15 home runs and 54 RBI. He retired as a player in 2022.

Despite the offensive numbers, Garneau was well regarded as a catcher behind the plate. He holds a career .989 fielding percentage and a 4.25 ERA including two seasons in Colorado where he had an ERA under four while catching.

Garneau will now be instrumental in helping a bullpen that saw an influx of promising young, hardthrowing relievers at the end of the 2024 season rebound from a league-worst 5.41 ERA and other dubious reliever records concerning blown leads.

Additionally, Garneau is the first former catcher to serve as the bullpen coach for the Rockies since Fred Kendall held the position under managers Buddy Bell and Clint Hurdle from 2000-02.

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