Long Beach State University Athletics
Buckley Hires Pitching Coach Steele To Join Dirtbags' Coaching Staff
8/19/2014 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Aug. 19, 2014
LONG BEACH, Calif. - Long Beach State baseball head coach Troy Buckley announced the addition of Mike Steele as the program's newest assistant coach. Steele comes to the Beach with experience as a pitching coach on both the collegiate and professional levels.
"Mike brings collegiate and professional experience, which fits the developmental side along with the expectation of winning to our program," Buckley stated. "He makes players around him better with his knowledge, creativity, relationship skills, passion and work ethic. He is a special coach and person and will be tremendous in leading our pitching staff."
Steele has spent the last seven years in various roles within the Pittsburgh Pirates organization. During the 2014 season he worked as an area scout for the Pirates, but spent the previous six seasons as a pitching coach in the minor leagues. He spent the previous two years as the pitching coach at Michigan State.
He will take over a similar role with Long Beach State as the pitching coach. With Steele joining the staff, Buckley will spend more time on the offensive side of the game and will work more with the hitters alongside assistant coach Jesse Zepeda.
"Long Beach State, from a baseball standpoint, has always done things the right way," Steele commented. "Long Beach has always had a tradition of 'work hard, play hard.' Taking all that in and knowing what Coach Buckley has done there, this is an exciting opportunity for me and I couldn't be more humbled."
In May of 2008, Steele broke into the minor league coaching ranks with the High-A Lynchburg Hillcats as a midseason addition to the minor league club's staff. He stayed within the Pirates organization for the next five years as a pitching coach. He spent the 2009 and 2010 seasons with the Single-A Short Season State College Spikes and then moved on to the High-A Bradenton Marauders in 2011 and 2012. In 2013, he spent the season with the Single-A Short Season Jamestown Jammers.
During his time as a minor league pitching coach, Steele mentored several young pitchers who are now pitching in the MLB. Some of the major league arms he has mentored are Gerrit Cole, Brandon Cumpton, Casey Sadler, Vic Black, Phil Irwin, Duke Welker and Kyle McPherson. He played a vital role in selecting and signing the Pirates first round pick this year and has gained a reputation for spotting young talent.
Prior to his time within the Pirates organization, Steele spent the 2006 and 2007 seasons at Michigan State as the Spartans' pitching coach. His collegiate coaching experience immediately followed his professional career. He spent six years in the minors as a relief pitcher after being drafted in the 29th round by the Detroit Tigers.
He was a three-time All-Star in the minor leagues before undergoing Tommy John surgery and missing the entire 2002 season. He racked up 23 saves with a 1.93 ERA between Single-A and High-A affiliates in 2001. After his surgery, Steele was selected by the Seattle Mariners in the Rule 5 draft and spent three years in their farm system and retired after the 2005 season.
Steele played collegiately for two seasons at Central Michigan University after spending his freshman year at St. Clair County Community College and his sophomore season at Grand Rapids Community College. He was a Junior College All-American as a pitcher and outfielder and an All-MAC second team pitcher at CMU.
Steele's addition to the Dirtbag coaching staff is one of two new faces for the 2015 season. Former Dirtbag Matt Cline will rejoin the proram this spring as the new volunteer assistant. He played on the 2006 and 2007 Dirtbag teams and was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 22nd round of the 2007 MLB Draft.
"Matt embodies what a Dirtbag is and we are very enthusiastic to have him back in the family on a daily basis," Buckley said. "His professional experience, coupled with his roots from our program, is a great formula for an immediate impact and success for our players."
Cline will work mainly with the outfielders and serve as the first base coach during games. Both Cline and Steele will join the Dirtbags this fall.
