Ecker departs, takes Texas bench coach job

The Giants will now have at least two vacancies to fill on manager Gabe Kapler’s coaching staff this offseason.

Hitting coach Donnie Ecker, who played an instrumental role in turning around the Giants’ offense over the past two seasons, officially departed the club on Monday to become the Rangers’ new bench coach and offensive coordinator. The Giants are also in the process of replacing third-base coach Ron Wotus, who retired at the end of the 2021 campaign.

Ecker, 35, joined Kapler’s staff in December 2019 and served as one of three hitting coaches alongside Justin Viele and Dustin Lind. Under their watch, the Giants transformed into one of the most dynamic offenses in the Majors, leading the National League with a .769 OPS and crushing a franchise-record 241 home runs en route to winning their first NL West title since '12.

Many of San Francisco’s veterans, including Buster Posey and Brandon Crawford, have credited the Giants’ hitting coaches for helping them make adjustments that led to significant revitalizations at the plate this year.

Ecker’s departure is a significant loss, but he’s viewed as a rising star around the industry and continues to be on a fast track within coaching circles. Ecker, a Bay Area native who was a 22nd-round Draft pick of the Rangers in 2007, began his coaching career in '11 at Los Altos High School, his alma mater. He joined the professional baseball ranks four years later, spending time with the Cardinals and Angels organizations before being named the Reds’ assistant hitting coach in '19.

In Texas, Ecker is expected to serve as the top lieutenant to Rangers manager Chris Woodward and oversee the club’s overall hitting program at both the Major and Minor League levels.

After losing Ecker, the Giants could ask Viele and Lind to take on bigger roles, though it’s possible that Kapler could use the opening to bring in new voices from outside the organization as well.