SAN DIEGO – San Diego State baseball head coach Mark Martinez has announced the hiring of Shaun Cole as the Aztecs' pitching coach. Cole, who brings a wealth of collegiate, professional, and international experience to SDSU, replaces Sam Peraza, who became pitching coach/recruiting coordinator at Arizona State in July.
Cole arrives on The Mesa after a two-year stint at Eastern Kentucky University, where he served as the Colonels' associate head coach/pitching coach in 2019-20.
"Shaun is one of the premier pitching coaches in the country," Martinez said. "His ability to connect with student-athletes through development and mentorship is a perfect fit within our culture at San Diego State. Shaun is a tireless recruiter and his connections throughout the West Coast and across the country will augment a solid foundation of current and future classes."
During his tenure, Cole developed and guided one of EKU's most successful pitching staffs while enrolling three of the highest ranked recruiting classes in program history. In his first season in 2019, EKU set team records for strikeouts (510) and lowest opposing batting average (.258) while logging the most victories (32) since 2004 and lowest team ERA (4.79) since 2008.
Under Cole's tutelage, three Colonel pitchers garnered all-Ohio Valley Conference accolades in 2019, including first-team selection Aaron Ochsenbein and second-team honoree Kevin Brown, while Jacob Ferris was named to the league's all-freshman team. Ochsenbein, who set a school record for lowest single-season ERA (0.83), was drafted in the sixth round of the MLB Draft that year by the Los Angeles Dodgers after receiving second-team All-America recognition as a reliever by Collegiate Baseball newspaper.
During the abbreviated 2020 campaign, Cole helped EKU engineer one of the best starts in school history, as the Colonels rolled to a 12-2 record, highlighted by an upset at No. 11 LSU, before the season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Prior to his stint in the Bluegrass State, Cole served as coordinator for player development with the San Diego Padres, where he was involved in all aspects of baseball operations, scouting and player development.
Among his countless duties with the Padres, Cole assisted in player development for the team's minor league system, which was ranked No. 1 in MLB in 2018, including the Padres Dominican Republic Academy. In addition, he cross-checked prospects throughout the country for the 2016 MLB Draft, contributed to the 2016 MLB Draft meeting and attended pre-draft workouts.
In 2016, Cole was also the pitching coach for the Tri-City Dust Devils, the Padres' short-season Class A affiliate based in Pasco, Washington, where he developed the organization's top pitching prospects.
In 2017, Cole served as the coordinator for San Diego's spring training facility in Arizona. In that role, he oversaw the daily operations of mini-camp, extended spring training, as well as two rookie ball teams during the Arizona Fall League. He also managed the AZL Padres that season.
From June 2014 to Sept. 2015, Cole served as the director of the 18U National Team for USA Baseball. Among his responsibilities was managing the Tournament of Stars presented by MLB and the 17U National Team Identification Series – both primary selection vehicles for the 18U National Team. Under Cole's guidance, the 18U National Team captured gold medals at the 2014 COPABE Pan American Championships in Mexico as well as the 2015 WBSC 18U Baseball World Championships in Japan.
Prior to his hire at USA Baseball, Cole spent six seasons at the University of Arizona from 2009-14, serving one year as the Wildcats' director of baseball operations before he was elevated to pitching coach. During Cole's tenure, Arizona made four NCAA regional appearances, highlighted by a College World Series title in 2012, the same season he was named National Pitching Coach of the Year by Collegiate Baseball newspaper.
While in Tucson, Cole developed and guided three of the school's most successful pitching staffs, as Wildcat hurlers combined for 121 wins, 25 complete games and 1,324 strikeouts between 2010 and 2012. Overall, Cole mentored nine pitchers who were selected in the MLB Draft, including Kurt Heyer, who received All-America recognition in 2011 by the NCBWA and Collegiate Baseball newspaper.
Not to be outdone, Cole made his mark on the recruiting trail as well at Arizona, contributing to four consecutive nationally ranked signing classes in 2012 (19th), 2013 (37th), 2014 (12th) and 2015 (17th).
Cole began his coaching career in his home state as the pitching coach at Edmonds Community College in Lynnwood, Washington, from June 2007 to January 2009. While at Edmonds, Cole helped the Tritons capture the Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges (now NWAC) championship in 2008, offering pitching instruction to develop proper mechanics, arm health and conditioning.
In addition to his coaching stops, Cole served as a consultant for Home Field 4 Champions, providing guidance on the creation of a coaching model and player development to help underserved communities in Los Angeles.
In 2004, Cole earned a bachelor of arts degree in education with a concentration in kinesiology at William Penn University in Oskaloosa, Iowa. He also completed a master's of education degree in 2009 at the University of Washington in intercollegiate athletic leadership.