University of Michigan baseball head coach Erik Bakich announced that Steve Merriman has been named pitching coach and Brandon Inge will be a volunteer assistant coach.
Merriman returns to the Wolverines program after previously serving as pitching coach in 2002 and 2012, in addition to starting his coaching career at U-M as a hitting coach in 1995.
"We are thrilled to announce the hiring of Steve Merriman and Brandon Inge to our coaching staff," said Bakich, the 2019 national coach of the year. "They both bring awesome and unique experiences in professional baseball that our players will benefit from in their personal development and goal of reaching their max potential.
"There's no doubt that these two coaches, their growth mindsets, family values, and character traits are aligned with our Michigan Baseball culture and program values. We are excited to welcome Steve and his wife Sue, Brandon, and his wife Shani, plus all their children and families to the Michigan Baseball Family."
Merriman most recently worked in the Colorado Rockies organization, where he was the minor league pitching co-coordinator and pitching coach for the Double-A Hartford Yard Goats.
Merriman worked with the Chicago Cubs in 2018 at their high-tech pitching lab in Mesa, Ariz., and has other professional coaching experience with the Arizona Diamondbacks, New York Mets and Detroit Tigers organizations.
"Steve is a gifted teacher in his ability to communicate with players while being one of leading experts in the baseball biomechanics world," said Bakich. "He currently serves on the advisory board for OnBaseU and has previously served in various professional roles, including area scout, AA pitching coach, and MiLB Pitching Coordinator. He has also coached at all levels of college baseball, including three seasons at Michigan, making him the most dynamic person to lead our pitching staff and build on our previous success."
Inge played 13 seasons in the major leagues, mostly for the Detroit Tigers. He batted a career-best .287 during the 2004 season and connected for 27 home runs in both the 2006 and 2009 seasons.
"Brandon is the perfect blend of incorporating new-age data-driven training techniques with old-fashioned toughness, competitiveness, and grit that so many Tiger fans grew accustomed to in his 13-year major-league career," said Bakich. "It's one thing to reach the pinnacle in getting to the big leagues, and another to stay that long and make a career out of it.
"He has played every position on the field, reinvented his swing numerous times, and always learned new ways to improve and gain an edge over the competition. Brandon's community outreach also earned him the reputation as one of the most philanthropic and generous professional athletes in the sports world."
Merriman replaces Chris Fetter, who departed Ann Arbor following the fall season to become the Tigers' pitching coach. Inge replaces Ako Thomas, who recently accepted a position with the Boston Red Sox organization.
Michigan is coming off an abbreviated 2020 season that saw the Wolverines ascend to a No. 1 national ranking in the second week of the season. U-M finished second in the nation in 2019, and the program has had at least one player taken in the last eight Major League Baseball drafts -- including a national-best 11 selections in 2017.