Eric Wedge Named Head Coach At Wichita State University

Former big league manager Eric Wedge has signed a five-year contract as the new head baseball coach at Wichita State University, the school announced today. The 51-year-old has worked as a big league coach, served as an ESPN analyst and worked in the Blue Jays’ player development department since his last managerial stint in the Majors. Now, he’ll return to the dugout at his alma mater, where he starred as a catcher from 1987-89 before being selected by the Red Sox in the third round of the 1989 draft.

Wedge appeared in just 39 big league games as a player, but he had a 10-year run as a big league manager. Wedge skippered the Indians from 2003-09, earning American League Manager of the Year honors in 2007 and finishing second in that voting in 2005. He managed the Mariners from 2011-13 as well, though he didn’t find the same level of success he had in Cleveland. Despite that fact, he was offered a one-year contract extension for the 2014 season but rejected that offer.

Overall, Wedge has managed in 1134 Major League games and carries a 774-846 career record. He’ll bring a wide background of experience to his new role with the Shockers, where he’ll team up with another familiar face for MLB fans: Mike Pelfrey. Like Wedge, Pelfrey played his college ball at WSU, and he was named the team’s pitching coach this past offseason.