Texas A&M’s Nate Yeskie tabbed as next LSU pitching coach

LSU’s Jay Johnson has reportedly hired his former pitching coach at Arizona to fill the same role for the Tigers.

Nate Yeskie is headed to Baton Rouge after spending the past two seasons at Texas A&M, D1 Baseball’s Kendall Rogers first reported Friday evening. LSU confirmed the hire hours later (see release below).

Johnson fills a void on his coaching staff with the departure of Wes Johnson, who has been named head coach at Georgia.

Yeskie, who helped the Aggies reach Omaha in 2022, was named D1Baseball’s Assistant Coach of the Year in 2017 with Oregon State where he was part of the National Championship win by the Beavers. He has been named National Pitching Coach of the Year by Collegiate Baseball twice (2013 and 2017).

Between those assignments, he served as Johnson’s pitching coach with the added title of associate head coach with Arizona. The pair guided the Wildcats to the 2021 College World Series in Yeskie’s only full season on staff in Tuscon.

As a pitcher in three seasons at UNLV from 1994-1996, Yeskie earned First-Team All-Big West and First-Team All-Region honors. He was taken by the Minnesota Twins in the ninth round of the 1996 MLB Draft and spent five years in the minor leagues, reaching as high as Double-A New Britain in 1998.

NATE YESKIE HIRED AS LSU BASEBALL PITCHING COACH

BATON ROUGE, La. – Nate Yeskie, a two-time National Pitching Coach of the Year and a 2018 College World Series champion, has been hired as pitching coach at LSU, coach Jay Johnson announced Friday.

Yeskie, who has served as the associate head coach at Texas A&M for the past two seasons, reunites with Johnson, with whom he worked as pitching coach at Arizona in 2020 and 2021. The pair helped lead Arizona to the 2021 Pac-12 title and a berth in the College World Series.

Yeskie’s hiring is effective upon the completion of LSU’s background check process and approval by the university’s Board of Supervisors.

Yeskie has helped lead three different schools to College World Series berths – Oregon State, Arizona and Texas A&M. He has developed a reputation as one of the elite pitching coaches in the country during his 17-year career. His career corps of pitchers have amassed 14+ all-conference selections, 15+ All-America honors and 10+ Freshman All-America picks.

“I couldn’t be more excited to add Nate Yeskie as our new pitching coach,” Johnson said. “Nate has an unmatched track record in college baseball for pitching coaches relative to developing pitching talent for professional baseball, College World Series trips, and winning in general. His coaching acumen is very complete and current, and future pitchers at LSU will develop to their highest potential because of the opportunity to work with Coach Yeskie.

“Nate is the perfect coach to lead a great group of returning pitchers in the 2024 season. This is another great step for LSU Baseball coming on the heels of a seventh National Championship. Adding Coach Yeskie is a great first step toward working for No. 8!”

In Yeskie’s first year at Arizona, the Wildcats showed vast improvement before COVID-19 shut down the 2020 season. The staff’s ERA dropped from 6.21 in 2019 to 3.87 while the WHIP (1.75 – 1.30) and opponent batting average (.287 – .212) were also significantly reduced.

Prior to joining Johnson at Arizona, Yeskie coached 11 seasons at Oregon State, with his tenure culminating in a College World Series title in 2018. He received D1Baseball Assistant Coach of the Year recognition in 2017.

From 2009-19, Oregon State earned a spot in the NCAA Tournament in 10 of 11 seasons, highlighted by the national championship run in 2018. Yeskie’s hurlers led the nation once and paced the Pac-12 in ERA three times.

The 2017 pitching staff set a school record with a 1.93 ERA, the best in the country. Oregon State’s ERA ranked in the Top 20 in the nation on six occasions and was in the top four in the Pac-12 every year. Collegiate Baseball tabbed him as National Pitching Coach of the Year in 2013 and 2017.

Yeskie mentored 20 pitchers who picked up 14 all-conference honors, three Pac-12 Pitcher of the Year Awards and one Pac-12 Freshman of the Year nod. Beaver pitchers picked up 15 All-American accolades and 10 Freshman All-America selections under his tutelage.

His work helped Oregon State pitchers at the next level. While in Corvallis, the Beavers produced 32 pitchers selected in the MLB Draft, including 17 taken in the first nine rounds and six who have reached the Major Leagues.

Yeskie began his collegiate coaching career at UNLV, his alma mater, from 2005-07. He coached eight Rebel hurlers who garnered All-Mountain West Conference or MWC All-Tournament recognition during his three seasons.

A ninth-round pick of the Minnesota Twins in 1996, Yeskie played five years in their organization, including 47 games for the Double-A New Britain Rock Cats over three seasons. He notched 27 professional wins.

A three-year letterwinner at UNLV, Yeskie amassed a 21-12 record with 246 strikeouts in 42 games. He worked 144.1 innings as a sophomore, posting an 11-5 record with 147 strikeouts and nine complete games. His strikeout mark set a Rebels’ single-season record and ranked fifth nationally as he earned All-Big West First Team and All-West Region First Team recognition.

Yeskie is married to his wife, Brittney. They have one daughter, A.J.

Nate Yeskie’s Coaching History
Texas A&M Associate Head Coach (2021-2023)
Arizona Associate Head Coach (2019-2021)
Oregon State Assistant Coach (2009-2019)
UNLV Assistant Coach (2005-2007)