Woodstock’s Jordan Tiegs loving role as Texas Rangers MLB pitching coach

Woodstock native Jordan Tiegs. (Emilee Chinn/Getty Images photo)

Jeff Tribe, Echo Correspondent

Jordan Tiegs has been too focused on his job to take it all in.

But Friday, April 3, lining up with his Texas Rangers and the opposing Cincinnati Reds at Globe Life Field in Arlington for the 2026 season-opener, a kid who grew up playing Wranglers baseball in Woodstock’s Brompton, Kintree and Tip O’Neill parks might be forgiven for pausing to reflect on his first start as a Major League Baseball pitching coach.

“It will definitely sink in. Until then, I’ve got a job to do.”

Tiegs grew up in The Friendly City with parents Cliff and Irene and sisters Stephanie and Elysia. Work took him to the Lone Star state, but Jordan still considers Woodstock home, looking forward to walking into the same house he grew up in at Christmas.

“And now, when we go to Toronto to play the Jays.”

He attended Huron Park Secondary School and played basketball, volleyball and tennis. Tiegs also suited up as a hockey centre in the Woodstock minor system but found his truest passion on the baseball diamond. Enjoying the game in general, the right-handed batter/thrower struggled to hit off a pitching machine as a youngster. He was cut from the travel team his buddies made as a result.

“That one hurt,” laughed Tiegs, who quickly found his spot on the mound and, with rep teams, as live pitching replaced machines in advancing age divisions. He transitioned from former green and yellow uniforms to Wranglers blue and black, a great minor baseball experience highlighted by a 1999 Ontario Baseball Association provincial title. Tiegs started the championship game, a mercy-rule victory over Mississauga, playing alongside lifelong teammates, including Jamie Nutt, coached by his dad Cliff and Jamie’s dad Byrle.

“It was more than just a team winning,” said Jordan. “It was your childhood friends and parents together.”

He joined the London Badgers for his Grade 10, 11 and 12 seasons. Tiegs also participated in Don Martin’s winter baseball school, accessing the additional reps and exposure it offered. He was spotted there by Sauk Valley Community College coach Al Ready, a London native, in what would prove a crucial nexus point in Tiegs’ career.

“He recruited me from that point on.”

Tiegs joined Sauk in Dixon, Illinois, for the 2006 and 2007 seasons. Drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the 46th round of the 2006 MLB draft, he elected to stay in school. He pitched with College Charleston, a top 25 Division I program in 2008, before rejoining Ready for his senior year following the latter’s promotion to coach at the University of Indianapolis.

Tiegs pitched with the Frontier League’s Evansville (Indiana) Otters in 2009. The following season would prove both challenging and life-changing, spent in rehab and recovery following an injury in spring training. Tiegs was forced to take a sales job to pay the bills but also spent a transformative week with Ron Wolforth’s Texas Baseball Ranch in Houston.

That seven-day period would completely change his way of pitching and thinking, said Tiegs, who had always been told he had great mechanics and delivery.

“And yet, here I was getting hurt.”

From that point on, Tiegs became a highly motivated and intensely focused student of pitching, building on his own experience and what he had learned at Wolforth’s ranch. With some persistence and Ready’s support, Tiegs was hired by Gary Vaught as a graduate assistant at U of Indy for the 2012 season, advancing into the position of pitching coach/recruiting coordinator when that person took another job.

“I immediately fell in love with it,” he said, his passion for being a little part of seeing his players’ success solidified with a trip to the College World Series.

He accepted a position at Indiana State for the 2015-2019 seasons, joining the Rangers organization in July 2019 as pitching coach for the Arizona League Rangers.

From rookie ball, Tiegs advanced to A ball with the Hickory (North Carolina) Crawdads in 2021. He was promoted to Rangers’ minor league pitching coordinator, working in that role from 2022 to 2024, before becoming the team’s MLB bullpen coach in 2024. He was hired for his current position by Skip Schumaker, who joined the organization as an advisor in 2025, taking over as manager in 2026.

Often, managers bring in their own coaches, friends and teammates from earlier stages in their careers. Tiegs says Schumaker may not have known him as well as he would have liked to, but beyond a series of conversations in 2025, he sought feedback from both players and management.

“Very fortunately, they didn’t stomp me down,” Tiegs laughed.

More seriously, an article from a Texas-based sportswriter indicated interest in his services from other teams, combined with positive reviews throughout the Rangers’ organization, were factors in Tiegs’ hiring.

“Having those two worlds (Rangers players and management) meet was definitely a blessing.”

Philosophically, Tiegs’ approach begins with an individualized commitment to giving each player what they need to be the best versions of themselves.

“First and foremost, you are there to serve the player.”

Serving each player translates into a well-researched, highly prepared and personalized strategy based on unique experience, strengths and challenges, incorporating technological advances while respecting the role personal connection and relationship play in success.

“A lot of it is just work ethic and preparation.”

Secondly, Tiegs strives for a calm consistency, down to a self-described ’Mr. Monotone’ persona (‘Mr. Boring’ in his wife Chelsea’s words, he laughed), avoiding getting too high with the highs or low with the lows. In essence, the same guy each time out.

“I give them a very consistent delivery and approach they can expect every day.”

Finally, Tiegs does not see his role as a destination where “all is good,” but as one of constant growth and a continued commitment to improvement.

“I try to learn as much as I can, never stop learning.”

Progressing up baseball’s ranks from college through minor pro to the MLB level represents changes beyond rising levels of talent, ability and competition. With the Rangers last year, Tiegs coached players pitching at a far higher level than he ever reached, two of them older than his 38 years, all of them making MLB money.

“There are definitely elements you won’t experience anywhere else.”

A range of players come with a range of needs, some more independent, some more open to advice. However, Tiegs’ experience is if players know a coach is committed, cares about their success and can earn their respect as a person who can help them, they are open to support regardless of being at the college or MLB level.

“At the end of the day, the majority of them still want to be coached. They’re just more talented and obviously, the repercussions are much more noticeable at this level.”

His own ascension to the MLB was met with a flurry of congratulatory texts, calls, emails and messages from family, friends, players and coaches. It was extremely gratifying said a grateful Tiegs, pleased with both the promotion and response.

He feels he has worked hard, had a lot of enjoyable experiences and collected a pile of funny stories along the way, been lucky at times and importantly, turned down opportunities which might have led to a different path.

“And fortunately, have made the right decisions to this point.”

Tiegs is deeply grateful to his family’s support, the time, money and effort spent in putting him in a position where he could be successful.

“I definitely don’t take that for granted. It wouldn’t have been possible without them.”

He also credits Chelsea, who he met as a senior at Indiana, for being the number one person in his corner through the circus of raising their two children, as his progression kept them on the move, putting her own career as an extremely talented photographer on hold to allow him to see it through.

“You’d better have one heck of a special partner, or it’s not going to happen.”

Tiegs also thanked Woodstock Minor Baseball for providing him a platform to build off of, noting former compatriots, including President Nathan Webster, Mitch Latimer, Director Wranglers Committee and coach of the U13 national entry at this year’s Canadians in Woodstock, and Jerry Kleiner, Director, Player Experience, are still active in the organization.

“Woodstock Minor Baseball is in good hands with these guys,” said Tiegs, hoping it will continue to both provide opportunities for everyone to enjoy the game and ‘players better than me’ to advance.

In conclusion, there are still times he feels he has to pinch himself when realizing where his Woodstock minor baseball roots have taken him. Offsetting those moments is the understanding that, along with higher profile and rewards, comes higher pressure, in his words, a much more fireable reality, emphasizing the necessity to buckle down and bear down.

“It’s a very cool opportunity, but at the same time, I don’t take it for granted.”