Tusculum University Men's Baseball

Brandon Steele was named the head baseball coach at Tusculum University on June 5, 2018.  He has a 117-96 career record as head coach of the TU program including 62-51 in South Atlantic Conference play. In his first season (2019) as the 25th baseball coach in program history, Steele guided Tusculum to a 30-21 overall record and a tie for third place in the South Atlantic Conference standings with a 17-7 record. The Pioneers finished the regular season by winning 29 of their final 41 games following a 1-7 start. The Pioneers posted its second straight winning season with Steele at the helm with a 15-10 showing during the COVID abbreviated 2020 campaign. In his third season as TU skipper, the Pioneers accounted for a 30-11 worksheet and claimed runner-up honors with a 25-7 SAC record. The 25 league wins were a Tusculum and SAC single-season record. TU won seven of its eight weekend SAC series (the one series they did not win, they did split the 4-game weekend series). The Pioneers boasted three All-Americans including second baseman Daulton Martin, outfielder Brandon Trammell and relief pitcher Mitch McCain. The 2021 squad also included three student-athletes recognized for excellence in the classroom. Martin and Bryson Ford were named CoSIDA Academic All-Americans, while Trey Hinton was named the SAC Baseball Scholar Athlete of the Year for a second straight season. On Feb. 21, 2023, he recorded his 100th career win in a 13-5 victory over 30th-ranked Young Harris. Steele becomes the third Tusculum baseball skipper to elipse 100 wins. He accomplished the feat in only 174 games becoming the fastest to 100 in the history of the program. Steele became just the second Tusculum head baseball coach of the Division II era following the retirement of Doug Jones after 21 seasons. Steele served as an assistant coach for 15 successful campaigns where the Pioneers posted a remarkable 545-271-1 overall record which included five SAC championships, four SAC Tournament titles and six trips to the NCAA Division II Tournament. After arriving on the Tusculum campus in fall 2003, Steele and the Pioneers recorded 14 straight winning seasons while averaging 36 wins per year including five campaigns with 40 or more victories and five times ending the season with a national ranking. From 2005-2008, the Pioneers accounted for four straight 40-win campaigns resulting in three SAC championships, two SAC Tournament crowns and three trips to the NCAA postseason.  The 2005 club swept both the SAC regular season and tournament titles while recording a 44-17 worksheet.  Tusculum became the first team in league history to lose its opening SAC Tournament game and win the next six to claim the title. The Pioneers would finished the year with a No. 13 national ranking. After going 40-14-1 in 2006 which included the program’s second SAC crown, Steele and the Pioneers recorded the best season in school history by going an amazing 50-14 in 2007.  Tusculum claimed its third straight SAC championship while rattling off a school-record 23-game winning streak.  The 50 wins are still the most in school and league history as the Pioneers advanced to the NCAA Tournament and finished ranked 10th in the country. The 2008 Pioneers rattled off a 41-15 record and went a perfect 4-0 to claim the SAC Tournament title and a berth to the NCAA postseason. Behind the strength of five All-Americans and seven All-League performers, Tusculum won its first 15 contests in 2012 to sweep the SAC regular season and tournament championships.  The Pioneers went 48-10 on the year, including 24-3 in SAC play for the most conference wins in league history.  In the SAC Tournament, Tusculum went 4-0 while outscoring the opposition by a 51-11 margin, including 13-0 in the first inning alone.  The Pioneers advanced to the final day of the NCAA II Southeast Regional and finished third in the event and ended the season ranked ninth in the country. In 2016, Tusculum claimed a share of the SAC Tournament title and sparked by the play of consensus NCAA II National Pitcher of the Year Placido Torres, who led the nation in earned run average (0.70) and total strikeouts (162) while posting an 11-0 record. Steele has coached 20 All-Americans, 42 All-Region honorees and 76 All-Conference selections including two SAC Players of the Year (Maikol Gonzalez – 2007; Jared Richmond – 2010) and six SAC Pitchers of the Year (Brent Gabel – 2005; Kevin Hammons – 2007; C.J. Hillyer – 2009; Craig Goodman – 2012; Placido Torres – 2016; Charles Hall – 2019) . Steele, a native of London, Ontario, Canada, came to Tusculum after serving as an assistant coach at Macomb Community College in Warren, Michigan and Roseville (Mich.) High School in 2003. Steele’s coaching experience also extends to summer baseball. He served as associate head coach for the Wisconsin Woodchucks of the prestigious Northwoods League in 2007 and 2008. Steele’s 2008 squad set numerous league and franchise records including tying the franchise mark for wins with 41. His 2008 Woodchucks also made their first playoff appearance since 2003. For his efforts, Steele was named the Northwoods League “Coach of The Year" in 2008.  He was promoted Field Manager of the Woodchucks in 2009. During the summers of 2005 and 2006 Steele served as manager of the Medicine Hat Mavericks. During his two seasons with the Mavericks, Steele’s teams rewrote the league’s offensive record books while reaching the playoffs both seasons. In 2004 Steele was the Assistant Field manager of the London Majors of the Intercounty Baseball League. While with London, Steele helped lead the Majors to the league championship for the first time in 25 years. Steele also has previous coaching experience with the Novi Expos in Novi, Michigan, and the University of Western Ontario in London. His previous playing experience includes time with the London Majors of the Semi-Pro Intercounty Baseball League from 1997-2003. For his 2001 performance, Steele was named a First Team All-Star. That season he batted .387 with 12 doubles, four home runs and 25 RBI. In college, he played at Macomb Community College where he hit .385 as a freshman as his team advanced to the NJCAA World Series. Steele has coached over 51 players who have signed professional contracts including 31 with the Pioneers. Steele has served on the baseball camp staffs at Duke, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Eastern Michigan. He is also a member of the American Baseball Coaches Association. He earned an Associate of Arts degree in general studies from Macomb College.  Steele also holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in physical education, health and wellness and a Masters of Arts degree in human resource management, both from Tusculum. Steele is married to the former Mary Kay Benson of Monroe, Michigan and they are the parents of daughter, Samantha and son, Gunner. Steele's Year-by-Year Head Coaching Record Year       School         Overall    Pct.   SAC    Pct.  SAC Finish 2019       Tusculum        30-21    .588   17-7   .708      T3rd 2020       Tusculum        15-10    .600    4-5   .444       -- (COVID) 2021       Tusculum        30-11    .732   25-7   .781       2nd 2022       Tusculum        17-30    .362    5-19  .208      10th 2023       Tusculum        25-24    .510   11-13  .458       8th Totals                    117-96    .549   62-51  .549   What They Are Saying About Coach Steele: “I believe the hire of Brandon Steele at Tusculum University is an outstanding one. His passion and energy will make it a great student-athlete experience for those fortunate enough to play for him. I’m excited for both Brandon and the future of Tusculum Baseball.” Dave Serrano Assistant Coach – West Virginia University Former head coach – University of Tennessee, Cal State Fullerton and UC Irvine “I’ve known Brandon for nearly all my coaching career and I can’t think of a more deserving person for this position. Brandon is one of the most respected assistant coaches in the South Atlantic Conference and Division II baseball. He has been right in the middle of the incredible success of Tusculum Baseball throughout the past several years. He is a terrific recruiter, hard worker and will be a great representative of Tusculum University.” Ryan Schmalz Head Coach – Trevecca Nazarene University “From the day Coach Steele stepped onto the campus and joined us at Tusculum, it became evident that he had a great mind for the college game. He is a tireless worker and one who never left any stone un-turned that could improve our program. I cannot envision Tusculum finding a better person than Coach Steele, as I cannot see a coach that is better prepared to lead the change from one of the top leaders and coaches in the college ranks and into a new era of Pioneer Baseball. I expect great things out of the Tusculum Baseball under Coach Steele. Go Pioneers!” Sean Gibbs Southeast Scouting Supervisor – Kansas City Royals Former Assistant Baseball Coach – Tusculum College

Former Tusculum College standout Todd Ireland begins his 25th year on the baseball coaching staff at his alma mater in the fall of 2023.  He served nine years as an assistant and was promoted to associate head coach in December 2008. Coach Ireland works with the Pioneer pitchers and catchers. He also serves as the field maintenance coordinator for Pioneer Park.  The 1998 Tusculum graduate returned to Greeneville before the 2002 season, after serving as an administrative assistant at NCAA Division I Eastern Kentucky University.  Ireland served on the TU staff from 1998-2000 where he helped develop the junior varsity program as well as serving as pitching coach.  During his tenure at Tusculum, the Pioneers have posted a 793-413-1 record which includes five South Atlantic Conference championships, four SAC Tournament titles and seven trips to the NCAA Division II Tournament.  The Pioneers have finished in the top-50 nationally on six occasions in team ERA, including three straight years in the top-10 from 2007-2009. The 2007 squad went 50-14 while tallying a school record 2.73 ERA, which was the third-lowest in the country (NCAA II) that season. The 2008 squad finished 10th in the land with a 3.40 ERA and followed that with a 3.37 ERA in 2009 (7th in NCAA II). In 2016, led by DII consensus national pitcher of the year Placido Torres, the Pioneer staff posted a 3.01 ERA which was sixth in the nation, including a school-record nine shutouts (2nd in NCAA II). Ireland has mentored eight All-American pitchers, 17 All-Region standouts and 25 All-South Atlantic Conference honorees. six of his hurlers were named the SAC Pitcher of the Year, including Brent Gabel (2005), Kevin Hammons (2007), C.J. Hillyer (2009), Craig Goodman (2012), Placido Torres (2016) and Charles Hall (2019). Pitchers Brian Lovett (2003) and Mat Galens (2004) earned SAC Freshman of the Year accolades in back-to-back campaigns. In the conference postseason, 16 pitchers have garnered SAC All-Tournament distinction, while on 33 occasions a Tusculum player was tabbed the SAC Pitcher of the Week.  Coach Ireland also mentored Tusculum right-hander Taylor Rakes from 2009-2013 where he accounted for one of the most successful pitching careers by a Pioneer. Rakes also shined as one of the finest student-athletes in University history, earning the SAC Presidents Award in consecutive years (2011-12; 2012-13). It is the highest honor bestowed by the league to its student-athletes, recognizing athletic accomplishment, academic achievement and community service. The two-time SAC Baseball Scholar Athlete of the Year also earned spot on the CoSIDA NCAA Division II Baseball Academic All-America® first team (2012 & 2013). In 2013, he was also selected as the CoSIDA Baseball Academic All-American® of the Year, a first by any Tusculum student-athlete. He was later the recipient of the Division II Collegiate Conference Commissioners Southeast Region Scholar Athlete of the Year (2012-13).  Eighteen (18) of his Tusculum hurlers went onto play professionally, including Brandon Dickson, who pitched for the St. Louis Cardinals and was a silver medalist for Team USA at the Tokyo Olympics. Dickson also had a long pitching career in the Nippon Professional Baseball League in Japan. Ireland was a standout third baseman and catcher on the Tusculum diamond for two years. From 1996-97, the Burlington, Ontario, Canada native posted a .322 batting average and 35 RBI. His 16 career sacrifice hits are seventh best in school history. He also holds the school single-game record scoring five runs against King in 1996. The 13 bunts he laid down in 1997 were a school record at the time.  In his senior season, he garnered All-Tennessee-Virginia Athletic Conference recognition. Coach Ireland also excelled in the classroom where he was a member of the Dean’s List and the Charles Oliver Gray honors list for four semesters.  Ireland originally came to the Greeneville campus from Grand Rapids Community College where he was a two-time All-State honoree.  An exceptional athlete, his prep experience included being named to the All-Provincial team at M.M. Robinson High School. He was tabbed to the Canadian Championship All-Tournament team as a catcher. He also shined on the frozen field as he was drafted in 1990 by Sudbury Wolves in junior hockey. Coach Ireland is also an instructor in the University’s physical education department and is a member of the American Baseball Coaches Association.

Max Mull was named to the Tusculum baseball staff in January 2026 and serves as a graduate assistant coach. The Alexander, N.C. native was a member of the Tusculum program during the 2025 campaign. He previous played at Caldwell Tech where he starred on the Cobras pitching staff. He went 3-0 during his junior college career where he pitched in 33.2 innings and recorded 20 strikeouts. He played his prep career at North Buncombe High School. He graduated from Tusculum in December 2025 with his Bachelor's degree where he majored in education and history. He was a member of the Athletic Director's Honor Roll.

Caleb Narron was named to the Tusculum University baseball coaching staff in the Summer of 2021. He assists with all aspects of the program while also serving as the Pioneers' recruiting coordinator. Narron, a native of Cherryville, North Carolina, joined the TU staff after serving as assistant baseball coach at York Comprehensive High School. While at the York, South Carolina school, he served on the math faculty and assisted with all facets of the York baseball program. During his tenure there, he also coached with the Diamond Prospects Fall Baseball Team. He served as a graduate assistant with the East Carolina University baseball program from 2018-2020. While at the Greenville, North Carolina school, the Pirates posted an impressive 47-18 record in 2019 while capturing the American Athletic Conference regular season title. That team earned a No. 10 national seed in the NCAA Division I Tournament and won the Greenville Regional rebounding from an opening round loss and bounced back with four straight wins including a 9-2 victory over No. 18 N.C. State. ECU would later advance to the Louisville Super Regional where they were eliminated by the seventh-ranked Cardinals. Narron also has extensive summer coaching experience where he served as an assistant with the American Legion Post 100 in Cherryville from 2017-2019. His team won the Area 4 title and finished third in the state in 2019. He played his collegiate baseball at NCAA Division III North Carolina Wesleyan College from 2015-2018 where he was a four-year letterman. He was an Academic All-Conference selection with the Battling Bishops. He played in 129 games where he accounted for 93 hits including 19 doubles, four triples and three home runs. He finished with 55 RBI and 55 runs scored. He was named to the 2017 USA South All-Tournament Team as he went 4-of-11 with a pair of RBI. as the Bishops finished the season 24-16 including 11-7 in league play. Narron earned his Bachelor of Science degree from N.C. Wesleyan in 2018 and later his Masters of Instructional Technology from East Carolina in 2020. He is married to the former Janelle Fernandez of Bernville, Pennsylvania and she serves as the human resources business partner at Tusculum University.        

Michael Paljich was named to the Tusculum University baseball coaching staff in the Summer of 2025 as a Graduate Assistant. He assists with all aspects of the program, primarily working with pitching, catching, and recruiting. Paljich, a native of New Franklin, Ohio, joined the TU staff after serving as a graduate assistant baseball coach at Mary Baldwin University, located in Staunton, Virginia. At Mary Baldwin (2024-2025), he helped manage the pitching staff along with all facets of the baseball program, including recruiting, budgeting, marketing, social media, and logistics.   From 2023-2024, he ran a player development program for the Akron A's and coached one of the high school summer and fall teams, achieving a record of 43-30 over the tenure. Paljich also has summer collegiate coaching experience, where he served as a Head Coach in the Smoky Mountain Collegiate League for the Eagles in 2025. The team achieved a record of 14-10 and won the league championship, posting a 4.11 ERA, with a .962 FLD% and a .282 AVG. Paljich also helped coach the league's Pitcher of the Year and nine players to the all-conference team. He played collegiate baseball at NCAA Division II Notre Dame College from 2019-2021 and at NCAA Division II Malone University from 2021-2024. During his time at Malone University, Paljich led team spiritual formation events. Paljich earned his Bachelor of Arts degree with a focus in Business Administration and Sport Management from Malone University in 2024. Paljich is currently pursuing a Master's of Business Administration. 

Josh Wooten was named to the Tusculum University baseball coaching staff in August 2025 where he serves as a graduate assistant coach. He assists with all aspects of the Tusculum baseball program. Prior to Tusculum, he worked with the Elizbethton River Riders of the Appalachian League during the 2023 and 2025 seasons. He served as an intern with the organization in 2023 and was a ticket account executive for the team in 2025. He also accumulated secondary school baseball coaching experience from 2022-2024. The Johnson City, Tenn. native signed with Emory & Henry College out of high school, but his first season was halted due to the COVID pandemic. He later transferred to East Tennessee State University where he earned hi Bachelor's Degree in sport management in 2024.     

Justin Carinci was named to the Tusculum University baseball staff in the Summer of 2025 as a graduate assistant coach. He assists with all aspects of the program, primarily hitting, defense, and baserunning. He also helps with recruiting. Carinci, a native of Ajax, Ontario, Canada, joined the Tusculum staff after finishing his playing career at Baldwin Wallace University. He started his collegiate baseball career at NJCAA Division I Highland Community College from 2020-2021, where he played in the outfield. Carinci batted .400 with two home runs and 19 stolen bases. He then played at NJCAA Division I Mineral Area College from 2021-2023. In 2022, he was named to the All-Region 16 Defensive Team. In 2023, he played infield and batted .419 with five home runs and 43 stolen bases. He was amed All-Region 16 first team and All-Region 16 Defensive Team. In 2024, Carinci played at NCAA Division I Eastern Kentucky University where he played in the infield and batted .301  with nine doubles and one home run. He was also named to Atlantic Sun Conference Honor Roll. During the fall of 2024, Carinci served as a graduate assistant at EKU. During the spring of 2025, he went back to play baseball at NCAA Division III Baldwin Wallace University as he saw action in the outfield and batted .374 with five home runs and 27 stolen bases. He was named to the NBCA/Rawlings All-Region 7 third team, ABCA Division III All-Region Defensive Team, the All-Ohio Athletic Conference second team, and the OAC All-Tournament Team. Carinci earned his Associate of Arts from Mineral Area College in 2023 and later his Bachelor of Science degree from Eastern Kentucky in 2025. He finished his undergraduate degree with a 3.7 GPA and is currently working on his MBA at Tusculum.