Shaun Cole, who served as the coordinator of player development with the San Diego Padres and the pitching coach at the University of Arizona, was chosen as the assistant head coach/pitching coach at Eastern Kentucky on Sept. 10, 2018.
Cole helped Eastern start the 2020 season 12-2, including a Friday night win at No. 11 LSU, before the season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. When the season ended, the Colonels were receiving votes in the NCBWA Poll.
In that 2-0 victory over the Tigers, five EKU pitchers combined for a 3-hit shutout with nine strike outs. As a team, the Colonels posted a 4.50 ERA with 116 strike outs in 120 innings pitched. Sophomore Jacob Ferris had a 3.04 ERA and 30 strike outs in 26 and two-thirds innings of work. He was chosen as the Ohio Valley Conference Pitcher of the Week after tossing a complete game, 3-hit shutout against Norfolk State. Ferris had the third lowest opposing batting average in the conference (.183), tied for second in innings pitched and was fifth in strike outs.
In his first season, the Colonels posted a 30-win season and qualified for the OVC Tournament. The Colonels’ seven conference series victories in 2019 were the most for the program since 2012.
Individually, pitcher Aaron Ochsenbein was drafted in the sixth round of the Major League Draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers, was chosen as an All-American and broke Eastern’s single season ERA record with a 0.83 mark. As a whole, the pitching staff broke the EKU mark for strikeouts in a season and recorded the best team ERA since 2008.
“I am thrilled to have Shaun as part of our baseball program and our university,” EKU Head Coach Edwin Thompson said. “He stands out as someone who is able to develop pitchers at the major league level, the college level, as well as the international level. Winning a national championship and gold medals set him apart as well. His ability to recruit student-athletes at a national level, and his ability to develop pitchers at a high rate allows our program and our pitchers, current and future, to have the opportunity to be coached by one of the best pitching coaches in the country.”
From September 2015 to November 2017, Cole served as coordinator, player development for the San Diego Padres. He was involved in all aspects of baseball operations, scouting, and player development. He assisted in player development for the Padres minor league system, which was ranked as the No. 1 system in MLB in 2018, including the Padres Dominican Republic Academy to ensure the quality of player development. He cross-checked prospects throughout the country considered for the 2016 MLB Draft, contributed to the 2016 MLB Draft meeting and attended pre-draft workouts.
Cole was the pitching coach in 2016 for the Tri-City Dust Devils, Short-Season Class A Affiliate of the Padres. He coached and developed the organization’s top pitching prospects.
Cole was the coordinator for San Diego’s Arizona spring training facility in 2017. He oversaw daily operations of mini-camp, extended spring training, and two rookie ball teams during the Arizona Fall League season. He managed the AZL Padres in 2017.
From June 2014 to September 2015, Cole was the director of the 18U National Team for USA Baseball. He led and managed the USA Baseball 18U National Team Program, including the Tournament of Stars presented by MLB and the 17U National Team Identification Series – both primary selection vehicles for the 18U National Team. The program would go no to win the 2014 COPABE 18U Pan American Championship Gold Medal and the 2015 WBSC 18U Baseball World Championship Gold Medal.
Cole joined the University of Arizona baseball staff in January 2009 as the director of operations and served in that position for seven months before moving to the pitching coach position. He helped the team win the 2012 College World Series while serving as the Wildcats’ pitching coach until July 2014. He was chosen as the 2012 national pitching coach of the year.
During his time with Arizona, the Wildcats made four regional appearances. Cole developed and guided three of the school’s most successful pitching staffs; winning 121 games, pitching 25 complete games and registering 1,324 strikeouts while simultaneously decreasing walks over three seasons. Cole recruited 16 of the 24 players in the 2012 recruiting class, which was ranked 19th in the nation. He recruited six of the 11 players in the 2013 recruiting class that ranked 37th in the nation. Cole was responsible for recruiting eight of 15 players in 2014 recruiting class, which was ranked 12th in the nation. He concluded his tenure at Arizona by recruiting six of the eight players in 2015 class, that ranked 17th in the nation.
Before coming to EKU, Cole served as a consultant for Home Field 4 Champions. He provided guidance on the creation of a coaching model and player development to aid underserved communities in the city of Los Angeles. Cole began his collegiate coaching career serving as the pitching coach at Edmonds Community College from June 2017 to January 2009.
He earned a bachelor of arts degree in education with a concentration in kinesiology at William Penn University in Oskaloosa, Iowa. Cole earned a master’s of education in intercollegiate athletic leadership from the University of Washington.
