Jul 07, 2022 | Baseball
MANHATTAN, Kan. – With 10 years of Division I coaching experience in addition to a decorated collegiate and professional playing career, Rudy Darrow has been named K-State pitching coach, head baseball coach Pete Hughes announced Thursday.
"We are beyond excited to welcome Rudy, Jessica and their family to K-State," said Hughes. "Rudy embodies everything we stand for here at Kansas State. He's fiercely loyal, a family man, extremely passionate and has an unrivaled work ethic. I am quite confident that with Coach Darrow, our pitching staff will be as mentally tough and prepared as any staff in the country. He has a track record of maximizing all of his abilities both as a player and as a coach. Programs and pitching staffs get better with Coach Darrow. We've hired one of our own. It's the perfect fit for our community, department and program."
"I have the utmost respect for Coach Hughes, and I believe in him not only as a head coach but as a mentor in life," Darrow said. "My family and I couldn't be more excited to join Coach Hughes and the Wildcat baseball program."
Known for his relentless work ethic and charismatic leadership, Darrow has improved each pitching staff he has been a part of and saw records fall at each stop at Nicholls State, Oklahoma, New Orleans and Central Oklahoma while sending multiple arms to the next level.
Holding Kansas roots, his collegiate career that began at Labette Community College in Parsons in 2003, where spent two seasons as both a catcher and a pitcher He transferred to Nicholls State and led the Colonels with six saves and 20 relief appearances in 2006. He boasted a 4.43 ERA (10 ER, 20.1 IP) and 20 strikeouts in his senior season before being drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the 32nd round of the 2006 MLB First-Year Player Draft.
Darrow went on to a four-year professional career, reaching Double-A Eerie within the Tigers' organization in 2008 and Double-A Mississippi in 2009 with the Atlanta Braves' system. The 2008 season saw his best pro campaign, as he went 5-3 with 10 saves and a 2.02 ERA (14 ER, 62.1 IP) along with 57 strikeouts. That season, he was promoted from Single-A West Michigan to Double-A Eerie before being selected to the Arizona Fall League.
He then rose from rookie ball to the Double-A level (Mississippi) while in the Braves' minor league system in 2009. Over 113 career professional appearances, he was 14-7 with 12 saves and a 3.70 ERA. He struck out 139 hitters with a career strikeout rate of 8.6 per nine innings.
Following his professional career, Darrow returned to his alma mater in 2010 as Nicholls State's volunteer assistant and was promoted to assistant and pitching coach in 2011. The Colonels lowered their team ERA in each of Darrow's four seasons, as their 4.18 earned run average in 2013 was the program's lowest in 15 seasons.
In 2012, Nicholls State led the Southland Conference with a 2.08 strikeout-to-walk ratio (323 strikeouts, 156 walks). Additionally, he tutored the Colonels' second highest draft pick in program history, as Brad Delatte was selected in the fifth round of the 2012 MLB Draft by the Toronto Blue Jays.
After a two-year stint as an assistant coach at Norman North High School (Oklahoma) that included a school-record 2.49 ERA in 2015, he joined Hughes' staff at Oklahoma in 2016 as the volunteer assistant and recruiting coordinator. He helped the Sooners to a 30-27-1 record in which they boasted a 4.41 team ERA. Additionally, he played an integral role in bringing the 2017 recruiting class to Norman, who aided the Sooners' run to the NCAA Louisville Regional that year.
Darrow and Hughes saw three Sooner arms taken in the 2016 MLB Draft: Alec Hansen (2nd round, Chicago White Sox), Jake Elliott (15th round, Chicago White Sox) and Alex Daniele (19th round, Texas Rangers).
Darrow then went on to serve as pitching coach at New Orleans for four seasons. In 2018, he led the Privateers to 580 strikeouts – a school and Southland Conference record – and ranked 21st nationally with 9.4 strikeouts per nine innings. His staff turned in a 4.31 ERA in the 2018 season and a 4.43 earned run average in 2017.
While at UNO, he sent four pitchers to the professional ranks. Shawn Semple was taken in the 11th round of the 2017 MLB Draft by the New York Yankees, Bryan Warzek was a sixth-round selection of the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2018 and Reeves Martin was a 21st-round pick of the Seattle Mariners in 2019. Additionally, Kyle Arjona inked an undrafted free-agent contract with the Philadelphia Phillies after the 2018 Draft and reached the Triple-A level.
Martin highlighted three first-team all-Southland Conference selections in Darrow's tenure at New Orleans. Martin, the 2019 Southland Conference Relief Pitcher of the Year, earned first-team honors that season as well as Semple in 2017 and Warzek in 2018.
Darrow returned to his home state of Oklahoma, as he joined Central Oklahoma (Division II) as assistant and pitching coach in the fall of 2019. He led the Bronchos to a 17-3 record before the 2020 season was cut short due to the coronavirus pandemic.
UCO's pitching staff was fourth in the nation with 11.9 strikeouts per nine innings when the season ended, compiling 235 strikeouts while three Broncho pitchers had a 0.00 ERA and 10 hurlers held a sub-4.00 earned run average.
A native of Perkins, Oklahoma, Darrow graduated from Nicholls State University in 2006 with a bachelor's degree in general studies. He received his associate's degree in liberal arts from Labette Community College in 2004.
Darrow and his wife Jessica have three daughters, Rooney, Danni and Merrick.
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THE RUDY DARROW FILE
Born: February 11, 1984
Hometown: Perkins, Okla.
High School: Perkins Tryon
College: Nicholls State University, Bachelor's in General Studies, '06
Labette Community College, Associate's in Liberal Arts, '04
Family: Wife: Jessica; Children: Rooney, Danni, Merrick
Professional Playing Career
Drafted in the 32nd round by the Detroit Tigers of the 2006 MLB Draft
Detroit Tigers and Atlanta Braves organizations (2006-09)
College Playing Career
Nicholls State (2005-06)
Labette Community College (2003-04)
Coaching Career
Norman North High School, assistant coach (2021-22)
Central Oklahoma, assistant/pitching coach (2019-20)
New Orleans, assistant/pitching coach (2016-19)
Oklahoma, volunteer assistant/recruiting coordinator (2015-16)
Norman North High School, assistant coach (2014-15)
Nicholls State, assistant/pitching coach (2010-13)
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"We are beyond excited to welcome Rudy, Jessica and their family to K-State," said Hughes. "Rudy embodies everything we stand for here at Kansas State. He's fiercely loyal, a family man, extremely passionate and has an unrivaled work ethic. I am quite confident that with Coach Darrow, our pitching staff will be as mentally tough and prepared as any staff in the country. He has a track record of maximizing all of his abilities both as a player and as a coach. Programs and pitching staffs get better with Coach Darrow. We've hired one of our own. It's the perfect fit for our community, department and program."
"I have the utmost respect for Coach Hughes, and I believe in him not only as a head coach but as a mentor in life," Darrow said. "My family and I couldn't be more excited to join Coach Hughes and the Wildcat baseball program."
Known for his relentless work ethic and charismatic leadership, Darrow has improved each pitching staff he has been a part of and saw records fall at each stop at Nicholls State, Oklahoma, New Orleans and Central Oklahoma while sending multiple arms to the next level.
Holding Kansas roots, his collegiate career that began at Labette Community College in Parsons in 2003, where spent two seasons as both a catcher and a pitcher He transferred to Nicholls State and led the Colonels with six saves and 20 relief appearances in 2006. He boasted a 4.43 ERA (10 ER, 20.1 IP) and 20 strikeouts in his senior season before being drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the 32nd round of the 2006 MLB First-Year Player Draft.
Darrow went on to a four-year professional career, reaching Double-A Eerie within the Tigers' organization in 2008 and Double-A Mississippi in 2009 with the Atlanta Braves' system. The 2008 season saw his best pro campaign, as he went 5-3 with 10 saves and a 2.02 ERA (14 ER, 62.1 IP) along with 57 strikeouts. That season, he was promoted from Single-A West Michigan to Double-A Eerie before being selected to the Arizona Fall League.
He then rose from rookie ball to the Double-A level (Mississippi) while in the Braves' minor league system in 2009. Over 113 career professional appearances, he was 14-7 with 12 saves and a 3.70 ERA. He struck out 139 hitters with a career strikeout rate of 8.6 per nine innings.
Following his professional career, Darrow returned to his alma mater in 2010 as Nicholls State's volunteer assistant and was promoted to assistant and pitching coach in 2011. The Colonels lowered their team ERA in each of Darrow's four seasons, as their 4.18 earned run average in 2013 was the program's lowest in 15 seasons.
In 2012, Nicholls State led the Southland Conference with a 2.08 strikeout-to-walk ratio (323 strikeouts, 156 walks). Additionally, he tutored the Colonels' second highest draft pick in program history, as Brad Delatte was selected in the fifth round of the 2012 MLB Draft by the Toronto Blue Jays.
After a two-year stint as an assistant coach at Norman North High School (Oklahoma) that included a school-record 2.49 ERA in 2015, he joined Hughes' staff at Oklahoma in 2016 as the volunteer assistant and recruiting coordinator. He helped the Sooners to a 30-27-1 record in which they boasted a 4.41 team ERA. Additionally, he played an integral role in bringing the 2017 recruiting class to Norman, who aided the Sooners' run to the NCAA Louisville Regional that year.
Darrow and Hughes saw three Sooner arms taken in the 2016 MLB Draft: Alec Hansen (2nd round, Chicago White Sox), Jake Elliott (15th round, Chicago White Sox) and Alex Daniele (19th round, Texas Rangers).
Darrow then went on to serve as pitching coach at New Orleans for four seasons. In 2018, he led the Privateers to 580 strikeouts – a school and Southland Conference record – and ranked 21st nationally with 9.4 strikeouts per nine innings. His staff turned in a 4.31 ERA in the 2018 season and a 4.43 earned run average in 2017.
While at UNO, he sent four pitchers to the professional ranks. Shawn Semple was taken in the 11th round of the 2017 MLB Draft by the New York Yankees, Bryan Warzek was a sixth-round selection of the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2018 and Reeves Martin was a 21st-round pick of the Seattle Mariners in 2019. Additionally, Kyle Arjona inked an undrafted free-agent contract with the Philadelphia Phillies after the 2018 Draft and reached the Triple-A level.
Martin highlighted three first-team all-Southland Conference selections in Darrow's tenure at New Orleans. Martin, the 2019 Southland Conference Relief Pitcher of the Year, earned first-team honors that season as well as Semple in 2017 and Warzek in 2018.
Darrow returned to his home state of Oklahoma, as he joined Central Oklahoma (Division II) as assistant and pitching coach in the fall of 2019. He led the Bronchos to a 17-3 record before the 2020 season was cut short due to the coronavirus pandemic.
UCO's pitching staff was fourth in the nation with 11.9 strikeouts per nine innings when the season ended, compiling 235 strikeouts while three Broncho pitchers had a 0.00 ERA and 10 hurlers held a sub-4.00 earned run average.
A native of Perkins, Oklahoma, Darrow graduated from Nicholls State University in 2006 with a bachelor's degree in general studies. He received his associate's degree in liberal arts from Labette Community College in 2004.
Darrow and his wife Jessica have three daughters, Rooney, Danni and Merrick.
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THE RUDY DARROW FILE
Born: February 11, 1984
Hometown: Perkins, Okla.
High School: Perkins Tryon
College: Nicholls State University, Bachelor's in General Studies, '06
Labette Community College, Associate's in Liberal Arts, '04
Family: Wife: Jessica; Children: Rooney, Danni, Merrick
Professional Playing Career
Drafted in the 32nd round by the Detroit Tigers of the 2006 MLB Draft
Detroit Tigers and Atlanta Braves organizations (2006-09)
College Playing Career
Nicholls State (2005-06)
Labette Community College (2003-04)
Coaching Career
Norman North High School, assistant coach (2021-22)
Central Oklahoma, assistant/pitching coach (2019-20)
New Orleans, assistant/pitching coach (2016-19)
Oklahoma, volunteer assistant/recruiting coordinator (2015-16)
Norman North High School, assistant coach (2014-15)
Nicholls State, assistant/pitching coach (2010-13)
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