NEW ORLEANS – New Orleans head baseball coach
Blake Dean announced the hiring of Indiana University standout
Ryan Fineman as volunteer assistant coach. Fineman will work with catchers, hitters and camps.
Fineman was a four-year starting catcher for IU, appearing in 206 total games. He hit .256 with 19 home runs. Following his Hoosier career, Fineman signed a free-agent deal with the Tampa Bay Rays organization.
"I am excited to join the staff at New Orleans and I want to thank coach Dean for giving me this opportunity," said Fineman. "I cannot wait to be a part of the winning culture coach has built here."
"We are excited to have Ryan join our staff," said Dean. "He has played and coached with a few of the best coaches in baseball and had great success on the field as a player and has already shown his drive as a coach."
His former head coach at Indiana, reigning national champion Chris Lemonis, echoed Dean's statements on Fineman.
"Ryan has all of the tools to be a great college coach," said Chris Lemonis, head coach of Mississippi State. "His background as a catcher gives a different vision of the game and will make him a great coach. He has a great personality and a tremendous work ethic. We are looking forward to seeing him have great success."
"Ryan is a bright young coach with a great future in the game," said Jeff Johnson, head coach at Chipola Junior College and winner of three national championships. "He's an outstanding recruiter and extremely hard working."
He played a full season within the Rays organization and a spring training before COVID-19 shortened the season.
He was at Chipola Junior College for one season under coach Johnson and helped coach the team to a 34-17 mark.
A native of Agoura Hills, California, he earned his undergraduate degree from Indiana in 2019.
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