Eastern Kentucky University baseball program has announced the addition of Blake Beck as the new pitching coach, as revealed by EKU Head Coach Walt Jones today.
Coaching Experience and Background:
- Muscle Shoals High School: Beck most recently served as the head coach at Muscle Shoals High School in Alabama for the 2023 and 2024 seasons. He managed all aspects of the program, including fundraising, community service, field maintenance, scheduling, and strength and conditioning.
- Tennessee Tech (2021-2022): Prior to Muscle Shoals, Beck was the pitching coach at Tennessee Tech, where he also oversaw all recruiting and managed the operations budget. Under his guidance, left-hander Ty Fisher earned a spot on the Ohio Valley Conference All-Freshman Team in 2021, leading the team in wins, ERA, and strikeouts. Beck contributed to the Golden Eagles achieving a 30-win season in 2022.
- Jones College (2020): Beck served as the pitching coach at Jones College, managing the development of the pitching staff.
- Auburn University (2016-2019): As the director of player development at Auburn, Beck was part of a staff that led the Tigers to three NCAA regionals, two super regionals, and a College World Series appearance. During his tenure, Auburn’s pitching staff was anchored by No. 1 MLB Draft pick Casey Mize.
- Troy University (2016): Beck was the volunteer assistant coach at Troy, where he coached the outfielders, served as first base coach, and was responsible for on-campus recruiting. The Trojans won 32 games that season.
- Mississippi State (2014-2015): Beck began his coaching career as a graduate assistant and video coordinator at Mississippi State, where he was involved in pre-practice setups, bullpen sessions, video analysis, and advanced scouting of opponents.
Playing Career and Education:
- Shelton State Community College: A native of Hamilton, Alabama, Beck was a starting pitcher for two years at Shelton State Community College, posting a career 2.67 ERA.
- Troy University: After his playing career, Beck became the video coordinator at Troy in 2012, assisting with team practice, supervising managers, and leading field maintenance operations. He was part of the 2013 Troy team that won a Sun Belt Conference Championship and participated in the NCAA Regionals.
- Academic Background: Beck earned a bachelor’s degree in sport and fitness management from Troy in 2014 and a master’s degree in kinesiology with a concentration in sport pedagogy from Mississippi State in 2016.
Staffing Updates:
- Full Staff for 2024: With Beck’s addition, Walt Jones has completed his first full coaching staff as EKU’s head coach. Andrew Stepp joins as a new assistant, alongside returning assistant J.D. Davis. Bryant Bowen, previously an assistant coach, transitions to the director of player development, where he will maintain and expand his on-field coaching role, focusing on catchers and working closely with the pitching coach while overseeing hitting development.
Coach Jones on Beck:
“We couldn’t be more excited to have coach Beck join our staff,” said Jones. “Throughout his career, he has been a part of several high-achieving teams and pitching staffs. Blake’s knowledge, work ethic, and fearless desire to be great are just what our program needs. He is the perfect fit as a human and as a coach.”
Blake Beck’s extensive experience and proven track record are expected to play a pivotal role in shaping EKU’s pitching staff as the team looks forward to the 2024 season.