Career
An alumnus of University of Texas-Austin, Coolbaugh played Major League Baseball from 1989 to 1991 for the Texas Rangers and San Diego Padres and in 1994 for the Saint Louis Cardinals. He also played two seasons in Japan for the Hanshin Tigers in 1995 and 1996, and continued to play in the minor leagues until 1999. He is the brother of the late major league player and minor league coach Mike Coolbaugh.
In 1999, Coolbaugh played for the Triple-A Tucson Sidewinders and also was a player–coach for Double-A El Paso.
In 2000, he was the manager of the High Desert Mavericks, and in 2001, he was the manager of the Lancaster JetHawks. In 2002, he was again the hitting coach for El Paso.
Coolbaugh served as El Paso"s manager from 2003–2004. From 2007–2008, he was the hitting coach for Double-A Frisco in the Rangers" organization.
On December 29, 2008, he was named the hitting coach for the Triple-A Oklahoma City RedHawks.
Then on June 8, 2011, the Texas Rangers brought him in from their Triple-A affiliate, Round Rock, to replace hitting coach Thad Bosley. On October 19, 2012, Coolbaugh was replaced as hitting coach by Dave Magadan. He has been offered another job within the organization.
The Baltimore Orioles hired him on December 19, 2014 to serve as hitting coach for the 2015 season.
