Bruce Announces The Addition Of Strauss To Baseball Coaching Staff
7/7/2025 11:05:00 AM | Baseball
The former Dirtbags' catcher returns to his alma mater
LONG BEACH, Calif. — Long Beach State head baseball coach TJ Bruce announced the addition of Jon Strauss as an assistant coach on the Dirtbags staff on July 7.
"Jon is a proven winner and developer of pitchers and baseball players," Bruce said. "He has a track record of turning good talent into high-end Major League Baseball prospects."
"I would like to thank Dr. Conoley, Bobby Smitheran and Coach Bruce for the opportunity to return to my alma mater," said Strauss. "I look forward to coaching the next generation of Dirtbags and helping return this program to national prominence."
A member of Long Beach State's 1993 College World Series team, Strauss returns to his alma mater after serving as the pitching coach at CSUN during the 2025 season.
Strauss brings more than three decades of coaching experience to the Dirtbags' staff, including seven seasons at Baylor from 2016 to 2022. While in Waco, he helped guide the Bears to three consecutive NCAA Regional appearances from 2017 to 2019. His 2017 staff included All-American closer Troy Montemayor and Big 12 Newcomer of the Year, Montana Parsons. During his tenure, five Baylor pitchers earned All-Big 12 honors, and three—Cody Bradford, Kyle Hill and Luke Boyd—were selected in the MLB Draft. In 2018, Baylor posted the lowest ERA in the Big 12, and Bradford was named the conference's Pitcher of the Year.
Prior to Baylor, Strauss spent six seasons at Pepperdine (2010–15), serving as pitching coach and recruiting coordinator. He helped the Waves win two West Coast Conference regular season titles, two WCC Tournament championships, and reach three NCAA Regionals and one Super Regional. During that span, 12 pitchers were selected in the MLB First-Year Player Draft.
This marks Strauss's fourth stint on the Dirtbags' coaching staff. He previously served as an assistant from 1995 to 2000, in 2006, and again from 2008 to 2009. He helped Long Beach State capture three Big West Conference titles and earn three NCAA Tournament bids, highlighted by a third-place finish at the 1998 College World Series. In 2008 alone, five of his pitchers were drafted within the first five rounds, including Big West Pitcher of the Year Andrew Liebel. Over his coaching career, 65 pitchers under his tutelage have signed professional contracts.
His coaching résumé also includes stops at San José State, Loyola Marymount and a successful head coaching stint at Glendale College, where he posted a 66–25 record and won two league titles, earning Western State Conference Coach of the Year honors.
Strauss, a former catcher, played for the Dirtbags from 1993 to 1994 after beginning his collegiate career at College of the Canyons. He spent one season in the New York Yankees' minor league system and earned his bachelor's degree in psychology from Long Beach State in 1996.
"Jon has done this through a combination of valuing player relations, great knowledge of body movements and player mechanics, as well as the much-needed analytic component necessary for connecting with the modern-day player," said Bruce. "Jon has been a high-end recruiter/developer and proven winner who has been to Omaha multiple times, who has great relationships within the baseball community. As a former Dirtbag player and coach, Jon is a Dirtbag through and through. We are excited to add the Strauss family to one of the nation's premier brands, Dirtbag Baseball."
#LongBeachBuilt
"Jon is a proven winner and developer of pitchers and baseball players," Bruce said. "He has a track record of turning good talent into high-end Major League Baseball prospects."
"I would like to thank Dr. Conoley, Bobby Smitheran and Coach Bruce for the opportunity to return to my alma mater," said Strauss. "I look forward to coaching the next generation of Dirtbags and helping return this program to national prominence."
A member of Long Beach State's 1993 College World Series team, Strauss returns to his alma mater after serving as the pitching coach at CSUN during the 2025 season.
Strauss brings more than three decades of coaching experience to the Dirtbags' staff, including seven seasons at Baylor from 2016 to 2022. While in Waco, he helped guide the Bears to three consecutive NCAA Regional appearances from 2017 to 2019. His 2017 staff included All-American closer Troy Montemayor and Big 12 Newcomer of the Year, Montana Parsons. During his tenure, five Baylor pitchers earned All-Big 12 honors, and three—Cody Bradford, Kyle Hill and Luke Boyd—were selected in the MLB Draft. In 2018, Baylor posted the lowest ERA in the Big 12, and Bradford was named the conference's Pitcher of the Year.
Prior to Baylor, Strauss spent six seasons at Pepperdine (2010–15), serving as pitching coach and recruiting coordinator. He helped the Waves win two West Coast Conference regular season titles, two WCC Tournament championships, and reach three NCAA Regionals and one Super Regional. During that span, 12 pitchers were selected in the MLB First-Year Player Draft.
This marks Strauss's fourth stint on the Dirtbags' coaching staff. He previously served as an assistant from 1995 to 2000, in 2006, and again from 2008 to 2009. He helped Long Beach State capture three Big West Conference titles and earn three NCAA Tournament bids, highlighted by a third-place finish at the 1998 College World Series. In 2008 alone, five of his pitchers were drafted within the first five rounds, including Big West Pitcher of the Year Andrew Liebel. Over his coaching career, 65 pitchers under his tutelage have signed professional contracts.
His coaching résumé also includes stops at San José State, Loyola Marymount and a successful head coaching stint at Glendale College, where he posted a 66–25 record and won two league titles, earning Western State Conference Coach of the Year honors.
Strauss, a former catcher, played for the Dirtbags from 1993 to 1994 after beginning his collegiate career at College of the Canyons. He spent one season in the New York Yankees' minor league system and earned his bachelor's degree in psychology from Long Beach State in 1996.
"Jon has done this through a combination of valuing player relations, great knowledge of body movements and player mechanics, as well as the much-needed analytic component necessary for connecting with the modern-day player," said Bruce. "Jon has been a high-end recruiter/developer and proven winner who has been to Omaha multiple times, who has great relationships within the baseball community. As a former Dirtbag player and coach, Jon is a Dirtbag through and through. We are excited to add the Strauss family to one of the nation's premier brands, Dirtbag Baseball."
#LongBeachBuilt
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