OKLAHOMA CITY - The Mid-America Christian University baseball team wrapped up their 2019 season less than a week ago, and already head coach Adrian Savedra is making moves to help make his ball club better for 2020. On Thursday, the Evangels announced the hiring of a new assistant coach for next season to help bolster the consistency of MACU's pitching staff going forward with a Major League veteran.
MACU introduced
Nick Blackburn as a new assistant coach on Thursday, and while his exact duties have not yet been formally defined, he will help with the MACU pitching staff.
"I am excited and thankful for the opportunity MACU is giving me to get back into baseball," remarked Blackburn - who pitched at the big league level for the Minnesota Twins. "I look forward to working with these young men and helping them try to fulfill their dreams, and also to continuing my career in the game that has been so great to me. I'm stoked!"
Blackburn prepped in Oklahoma City at Del City High School, and he was drafted initially by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in the 34th round of the 2000 MLB Amateur Draft. He elected to instead go to Seminole State College for a year, and in 2001, he was selected in the 29th round by the Twins and he began his professional career.
He made his professional debut in the Appalachain League with the Elizabethton (Tenn.) Twins in 2002. On his way to the big leagues, he made stops with the Quad Cities (Iowa) River Bandits (Class A Midwest League), Fort Myers (Fla.) Miracle (Class A Advanced Florida State League), New Britain (Conn.) Rock Cats (Class AA Eastern League), and the Rochester (N.Y.) Red Wings (Class AAA International League).
Blackburn made his Major League debut on September 3, 2007 with a scoreless inning against the Cleveland Indians, and he completed his rookie season with the Twins in 2008, when he made 33 starts and posted an 11-11 record with a 4.05 ERA. In 2009, he helped lead Minnesota to an American League Central Division title and again he was 11-11 in 33 starts, this time with a 4.03 ERA.
In his career, Blackburn posted a 43-55 record with a 4.85 ERA in six seasons in the big leagues, and in 12 years in professional baseball, he racked up 92 total wins with a 4.22 ERA.
Blackburn retired as a player following the 2014 season, and he has since been helping Washington High School in Washington, Oklahoma as a coach.
"Any time you can add a coach of Nick's caliber to the staff," Savedra noted, "it really helps your program. Nick is a good friend of mine, and I am excited that he has decided to come help us build our program into one that can contend for championships on a regular basis in the Sooner Athletic Conference. I'm stoked to bring in a guy with Nick's experience to help develop our young men."
