Coolbaugh Named Rangers Hitting Coach

ARLINGTON, Texas - Round Rock Express hitting coach Scott Coolbaugh has been promoted to the same position with the Texas Rangers, the parent club of the Express announced Wednesday. Coolbaugh replaces Thad Bosley, who was relieved of his duties Wednesday afternoon. Coolbaugh is expected to join the Rangers for tonight's game with the Detroit Tigers.

Rangers Minor League Hitting Coordinator Mike Boulanger will assume hitting coach duties with Round Rock. He is expected to join the Express as they begin a four-game series Thursday at Iowa.

Coolbaugh is in his fifth season as a hitting instructor in the Texas organization, his third at the Triple-A level. He served in the same role at Double-A Frisco in 2007 and 2008 before joining Triple-A Oklahoma City the following year. Coolbaugh previously spent five seasons in the Arizona Diamondbacks organization as a minor league manager and hitting coach.

Selected by Texas in the third round of the 1987 amateur draft after earning All-American honors at the University of Texas, Coolbaugh made his major league debut with the Rangers in September 1989. He posted a .215 batting average with eight homers and 41 RBI in 167 career major league games with the Rangers (1989-90), Padres (1991), and Cardinals (1994). Primarily a first and third basemen, Coolbaugh also played in Japan and Korea during a 12-year professional playing career.

Bosley was in his first season in the Rangers organization. He previously was a coach with the Oakland Athletics from 1999 to 2003.