Jason Verdugo - Head Coach
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Phone #: 651-523-2035
Jason Verdugo enters his sixth year as the head coach of the Hamline baseball team. He also just completed his third year as pitching coach with the St. Paul Saints of the American Association. In his first season with the Saints, Verdugo coached two All-Star Game pitchers.
With Hamline, the Pipers have set two school records for wins in a season. In 2003, the Pipers won 21 games. In 2006, Hamline smashed the record by winning 26 games and earning their first trip to the MIAC playoffs, where they came one game from representing the conference in the NCAA Tournament. During his tenure, Verdugo's teams have tied or broken 20 single season school records. His players have received 20 Academic All-Conference awards, 10 All-MIAC accolades, four Midwest All-Region honors and two Academic All-American awards. The Pipers have also had two MIAC Athletes of the Week. In the last two seasons, the Pipers have six wins over ranked opponents (St. Thomas - twice, Jamestown, University of Dallas, Concordia-St. Paul, and Wartburg).
Verdugo is also active teaching the game to youths and youth coaches. He and his coaching staff worked with more than 400 kids through the Midwest Baseball Academy, Dan Gladden's All-Star Camps, and St. Paul Saints youth camps. He is also an instructor at the MYAS Youth Coaches Clinic - the largest youth coaches clinic in the state, teaching more than 150 coaches.
Verdugo began his coaching career at McClintock High School in Arizona. In his first and only season with the school in 2000, Verdugo was voted 5A Coach of the Year and selected to coach the regions All-Star team. He was the youngest coach voted to the honor at the age of 25.
As a player, Verdugo was a football and baseball standout at Arizona St. University where he represented the Pac-10 in the College World Series in 1994. He was also the backup to now NFL quarterback Jake Plummer. During his junior year, Verdugo was drafted as a pitcher in the sixth round by the Anaheim Angels. Verdugo declined to finish his academics, receiving his bachelor's degree in history in 1997. Verdugo was drafted again by San Francisco during his senior year and played professionally from 1997-2000. In his short career, he was selected to the California League All-Star team and impressively moved to the Giants' AAA affiliate, the Fresno Grizzlies in the Pacific Coast League, during his second full season. After retiring from baseball, Verdugo began his coaching career. He came out retirement in 2004 to help the St. Paul Saints win the Northern League title.
Verdugo lives in St. Paul with his wife, Tanya, and son, Justis.
Jim Egan - Assistant Coach/Pitching, Director of Baseball Development
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Jim Egan joins the Pipers for his first season as an assistant coach and the director of baseball development.
Egan has known success as both a player and a coach at several levels and has coached 17 players who moved on to play collegiate baseball. Most recently, Egan spent 2005-2007 serving as an assistant varsity coach for Eastview High School in Apple Valley. At Apple Valley, he was responsible for the development of the team's pitching staff and corner infielders.
While with Eastview High School, Egan also spent a year as the head baseball coach of the Eastview Sr. Babe Ruth team.
Egan also has head coaching experience at the high school level, having led Hopkins High School to a 20-9 record in 2005. In that year, his team qualified for the Minnesota State High School League State Tournament after winning the Section 6AAA championship.
With Egan at the helm, the Hopkins Mickey Mantle team qualified for the Jr. American Legion Regional Tournament in Louisiana in 2005. That same year, his team earned a second place finish in the Jr. American Legion State Tournament. Prior to that, in 2003 and 2004, he compiled a 54-30 overall record as a head coach in the Hopkins American Legion.
He has had a long tenure with the Minnesota Baseball Instructional School (1995-present) and with the Line Drive Instruction School (1995-2003).
Egan played on the University of Minnesota baseball team from 1995-99 and was a 1994 Atlanta Braves draftee.
He graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1999 with a degree in kinesiology and a minor in coaching. He later earned a master's in applied kinesiology and a K-12 physical education licensure from the University of Minnesota in 2002.
Egan and his wife, Becky, live in Apple Valley with their sons, Tyler and Ryan, and daughters, Emma and Kaleigh.
Rob Gossard - Associate Head Coach
Rob Gossard enters his sixth year as a Piper assistant coach. Gossard was a two-year standout for the Pipers from 1998-99, handling the catching duties. He earned MIAC All-Conference honorable mention selections in both years. Gossard also played for North Hennepin Community College in 1996 and 1997 where he helped the team to a state championship in 1997. He led the team in home runs and RBIs and was selected all-state and all-conference.
The former Robbinsdale Cooper athlete graduated from Hamline in 1999 with a bachelor's degree in history.
Doug Amsden - Assistant Coach/Outfield
Doug Amsden begins his fifth year as an assistant for the baseball team. Amsden was a standout on the team from 1999-2002 where he started in center field for four seasons. Amsden will spend most of his time coaching the outfielders. He was a two-time All-MIAC selection as well as the team Most Valuable Player after the 2002 season. Amsden hit .441 during the 2000 season and holds five Piper records. Amsden also was a two-time All-MIAC wide receiver on the football team.
The North St. Paul native graduated from Hamline in 2002 with a bachelor's degree in business management.
Jim Weyandt - Assistant Coach/Infield
Jim Weyandt enters his fourth year as an assistant coach for the Hamline baseball program. Weyandt earned four varsity letters during his playing career at Hamline. Weyandt played four different positions during the four seasons (first base, third base, catcher, and pitcher).
As a coach, Weyandt worked with former professional players at Dan Gladden Baseball Camp for two seasons. He also coached ninth grade football at Sibley High School.
Weyandt graduated from Hamline in 2003 with a degree in social studies. He currently resides in St. Paul.
