Royals Hire Mike McFerran as Assistant Pitching Coach to Replace Zach Bove

His pitching-lab pedigree aligns with Kansas City’s push to sustain recent rotation gains.

Overview

The Royals announced the hiring of Mike McFerran as their major-league assistant pitching coach on Monday.
McFerran fills the role vacated by Zach Bove, who was hired earlier this month as the Chicago White Sox pitching coach.
McFerran, 32, worked for the Athletics as pitching performance coach in 2024 and as minor-league pitching coordinator in 2025.
His previous experience includes serving as Wake Forest’s pitching lab coordinator and director of player development from 2021 to 2023, following a stint at Skidmore College from 2017 to 2020.
He joins Brian Sweeney’s staff after the Royals ranked sixth in MLB in team ERA last season, with 2026 expectations centered on starters Seth Lugo, Cole Ragans and Kris Bubic.