Nate Yeskie was introduced as the Wildcats associate head coach on July 23, 2019. He serves as the Wildcats pitching coach. He recently finished his first season with Arizona in March 2020.
During his 15-year coaching career, Yeskie has established himself as one of the premier pitching coaches in the nation. Twice he has been tabbed as the national Pitching Coach of the Year by
Collegiate Baseball and in 2017 he was honored as the
D1Baseball Assistant Coach of the Year. Pitchers under his tutelage have earned 14 All-Conference honors, 15 All-America selections, 10 Freshman All-America nods, and much more.
"I couldn't be more excited to add
Nate Yeskie to our program as our associate head coach and our pitching coach," head coach Jay Johnson said at the time of his hiring. "Nate is regarded as one of the best and most respected pitching coaches in the country at any level. He will make an instant and major impact improving our current pitching staff. His addition will greatly enhance our ability to recruit some of the top pitchers in the country to Arizona. Nate is an exceptional communicator and teacher; he connects with his players on the highest possible level, which has led to the development of some of the best pitchers and pitching staffs in college baseball. This is a huge day for our program, pushing it to the highest possible level."
With the Wildcats
In his first season with Arizona in 2020, the early returns on the pitching improvement were promising before the season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Compared to the prior season, the Wildcats pitching staff lowered their ERA from 6.21 to 3.87, raised their K/9 rate from 7.52 to 10.80, improved their opponent batting average from .287 to .212, and dropped their WHIP from 1.75 to 1.30.
Many pitchers thrived under Yeskie's leadership in 2020, perhaps none more than right-handed reliever Vince Vannelle, who went 1-0 with a miniscule 1.35 ERA, two saves, and 20 strikeouts in just 13.1 innings of work. Vannelle and fellow right-hander Preston Price (2.45 ERA) served to anchor the Wildcats bullpen in 2020.
The starting rotation also posted promising early results, going a combined 7-2 with a K/9 rate of 10.33. Southpaw Garrett Irvin, the Wildcats Friday night starter, led the pack with a 4-0 record and added a 3.18 ERA to the mix while holding opposing hitters to a .238 batting average.
Before Arizona
Yeskie spent the previous 11 seasons with Oregon State, where he won an NCAA National Championship in 2018 and was named the D1Baseball Assistant Coach of the Year in 2017.
During his time at Oregon State from 2009 to 2019, Yeskie helped lead the Beavers to the postseason in 10-of-11 seasons, highlighted by an NCAA National Championship in 2018. Among his many accomplishments in Corvallis, he built and maintained one of the most dominant pitching staffs in the nation. Yeskie's pitchers have led the country once and paced the Pac-12 three times in ERA under his leadership – the 2017 squad's 1.93 ERA topped all NCAA Division I programs and set a new school record. During that same span, Oregon State's ERA was among the top four in the conference every year and ranked among the top 20 in the country six times.
Over a decade-plus in Corvallis he developed 20 pitchers who combined to earn 14 Pac-10/12 All-Conference honors, 20 All-Conference Honorable Mention nods, three Pac-12 Pitcher of the Year Awards, and one Pac-12 Freshman of the Year selection. Beaver pitchers under Yeskie earned a slew of national recognitions as well, with 13 different players combining to rake in 15 All-American selections and 10 Freshmen All-America honors.
Yeskie's work with the pitching staff continued to pay off following the conclusion of his player's collegiate careers. While at OSU, he produced 32 Major League Baseball Draft picks, including 17 who were taken within the first nine rounds and five who have already reached the Major Leagues.
Prior to his time in the northwest, Yeskie spent three seasons serving as an assistant coach at his alma mater, UNLV. From 2005-2007 he tutored eight Rebel pitchers who earned either All-Conference or All-Tournament recognition. In 2005, his first season back at the school, UNLV put together a 35-29 overall record (23-7 Mountain West) and made their third consecutive NCAA Regional appearance.
Yeskie played three seasons at UNLV from 1994-1996, culminating in an NCAA Tournament appearance as a junior. During his sophomore campaign in 1995 he set the Rebels single-season record and ranked fifth nationally with 147 strikeouts – he earned First-Team All-Big West and First-Team All-Region honors.
At the end of his career in Las Vegas, Yeskie was selected by the Minnesota Twins in the ninth round of the 1996 MLB Draft. He logged five years in the minor leagues, reaching as high as Double-A New Britain in 1998.
Yeskie is married to his wife, Brittney. The two have one daughter, A.J.
Nate Yeskie Coaching History
- Arizona Associate Head Coach (2019-current)
- Oregon State Assistant Coach (2009-2019)
- UNLV Assistant Coach (2005-2007)
Coaching Highlights
- Helped guide Oregon State to a National Championship in 2018.
- Named the 2017 Assistant Coach of the Year by D1Baseball.
- Two-time national Pitching Coach of the Year by Collegiate Baseball in 2013 and 2017.
- Has made postseason appearances in 11-of-14 seasons as a coach, including 11 NCAA Regional appearances, four NCAA Super Regional berths, three trips to the College World Series, and one NCAA National Championship.
- Developed 20 pitchers at OSU who combined to earn 14 Pac-10/12 All-Conference honors, 20 All-Conference Honorable Mention nods, three Pac-12 Pitcher of the Year awards, and one Pac-12 Freshman of the Year selection.
- Worked with 13 Beaver pitchers who earned a total of 15 All-American selections and 10 Freshmen All-American honors.
- Produced 32 Major League Baseball draft picks, including 17 taken in the first nine rounds and five who have reached the Major Leagues.
- Oversaw 2017 pitching staff at Oregon State that led the nation and set a school record with a 1.93 ERA. Also led the country that year with a 0.98 WHIP.
- While at OSU, led the conference in ERA three times and never finished lower than fourth. Led the nation in ERA once (2017) and finished in the top 20 six times.
- With UNLV, worked with eight pitchers who earned All-Conference or All-Tournament recognition.
- Helped guide the 2005 Rebels to a 35-29 overall record (23-7 Mountain West, 1st place) and UNLV's third straight NCAA Regional appearance.
Playing Career
- Played three seasons at UNLV, where he went 21-12 with 246 strikeouts in 42 career games.
- Logged five years of professional baseball in the Minnesota Twins organization, reaching as high as Double-A New Britain. Won 27 games and picked up 315 strikeouts in 95 pro appearances.
