Texas A&M International University Men's Baseball

Ruben Rodriguez enters his second season as head coach of the Dustdevils. He previously served as assistant baseball coach joining the program in January 2022. He brings with him nearly a decade of coaching experience. Rodriguez previously served as assistant coach at Tarleton State from 2018-2021. In the summer of 2019, Rodriguez was an assistant coach for the Swift Current 57's, a summer collegiate league team. While with the 57's he coached third base and was selected to coach in the 2019 WCBL All-Star Game. From 2014-18, Rodriguez was with D-Bat Baseball Facilities as an assistant coach for multiple select teams within the organization, as well as a private instructor for hitting and infield position play. As a player, Rodriguez began his collegiate career at Paris Junior College (2014-16) where he was Second Team Region 14 in the 2016 season. He moved on to Southwestern Oklahoma State (2016-17), before finishing his career at Tarleton State where he ws Second Team All-LSC second baseman in 2018. Rodriguez ended the season with a 95.7% fielding percentage in 164 opportunities and hit .325 on the season. Rodriguez also played for both the Melville Millionaires (2015) and Swift Current 57's (2017-18) in the WCBL Canadian Summer League, as well as with the Victoria Generals of the Texas Collegiate League in 2017. A native of El Paso, Texas, Rodriguez earned his Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology with a minor in Spanish and History and a Masters of Science in Kinesiology from Tarleton State. Rodriguez and his wife Zoey, have one son Ruben IV.

Samuel Zambanini Jr., also known as "Coach Z," brings decades of experience as both a player and coach to his role as PT Coaching Assistant. He previously served as Head Baseball and Head Football Coach at Conemaugh Township High School in Davidsville, PA, where he led his teams to 10 District Championships and three state final four appearances. Sam retired as the winningest baseball coach in Somerset County, PA, with numerous players advancing to college baseball, including three MLB draftees: Rick Matsko (Cleveland Indians), Matt Bimeal (Toronto Blue Jays), and Ben Watkins (New York Yankees). Sam also coached in the Johnstown AAABA Collegiate Baseball League, mentoring future MLB players like Joe Vitko (NY Mets), Mike Holtz (Angels), and Keith Williams (SF Giants). He coached Tom Walter (Wake Forest) and Randy Mazey (West Virginia), both current/former Division I head coaches. As a player, Sam starred in college baseball at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) and Allegany Community College. He led Conemaugh Township High School to its first District Championship and state runner-up in 1979 and was named MVP of the Johnstown AAABA League in 1980. In 1983, he signed with the New York Mets. Inducted into the Somerset County Baseball Hall of Fame in 2015, Sam continues to shape the game through his coaching. He resides in Laredo with his wife, Valerie, and is surrounded by family, including his daughter Kayla, son Arek, daughter-in-law Mayra and his grandkids Arian and Alahna. Arek serves as the current Head Baseball Coach at LBJ High School in Laredo, and Kayla is the Head Athletic Trainer at TAMIU.

McKinley Scott brings a wealth of experience and a passion for the game to his role as an coaching assistant. Previously, he served as Pitching Coach at West Virginia Wesleyan College and Performance Coach at 704 Sports Academy, where he honed his skills in player development. A former collegiate athlete himself, McKinley played baseball at Concord University, Guilford Technical Community College, and Davis & Elkins College, where he was recognized as the strikeout and wins leader for the 2020-21 season. His impressive high school career includes being a 3x All-Conference selection and 1st Team All-State, alongside ranking in the All-Time Top 25 for North Carolina High School Single Season ERA. McKinley has also enjoyed success in summer leagues, winning championships with the Mooresville Spinners and the Palmetto Generals, and even took his talents to the professional level with the Roswell Invaders in Independent baseball. With a strong background both on the field and in coaching, McKinley is dedicated to fostering the next generation of baseball talent.