Mitch Thompson, one of the most highly-respected coaches and recruiters in college baseball, has been selected as Baylor University’s 20th head baseball coach, as announced by Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Mack Rhoades. Thompson will be formally introduced at a press conference next week, with details to be announced.

“We are thrilled to introduce Mitch Thompson as the next head coach of our baseball program,” Rhoades said. “His proven track record of success along with his personal connection to Baylor make him a special fit for this position. Mitch is a passionate leader who truly understands and embraces our purpose, Preparing Champions for Life, pouring into student-athletes on and off the field challenging them to be the best they can be in all areas of their lives. I am confident in his ability to bring tremendous energy and excitement and look forward to supporting his leadership of our young men and our baseball program. We are so excited to welcome home Mitch, his wife Amber, and their daughters Mary Conley and Caroline.”

A former Baylor assistant for nearly two decades, Thompson helped lead the Bears to three Big 12 Conference titles, 12 NCAA Regional appearances, three Super Regional appearances and the 2005 College World Series during the most prolific stretch in program history from 1995 to 2012. Since the 2014 season, Thompson has built Waco’s own McLennan Community College into one of the nation’s premier junior college programs, coming off back-to-back JUCO World Series appearances including the 2021 national title.

“I’m so grateful for this opportunity to return home to a place where I spent 18 wonderful years working hard to help build a championship program,” Thompson said. “This is truly a dream job for me and my family, and I’m so thankful to Mack Rhoades and his team for believing in my vision to bring new energy to the Baylor Baseball program. I look forward to working together with our administration, alumni, the Heart of the Order, and all of the Baylor Family, to bring championship caliber baseball and a great home field advantage back to Baylor Ballpark.”

In nine seasons at MCC, Thompson compiled a 372-138-1 (.728) record with postseason appearances each year. Since Thompson took the reins of the program, the Highlanders claimed four NJCAA Region 5 and Southwestern District Championships, four NTJCAC Championships, a second-place finish at the 2015 JUCO World Series, and the 2021 NJCAA Division I Baseball National Championship. Additionally, the Highlanders produced 16 MLB Draft picks, including the top NJCAA selection in three of the last four years. Under Thompson’s tutelage, 108 players have gone on to play at four-year universities, including 87 at the Division I level.

Before being named McLennan’s head coach, Thompson spent one season as the South Texas area scouting supervisor for the Kansas City Royals organization. During that year, Thompson drafted the 1st-, 3rd-, 9th-, 13th- and 20th-round picks for Kansas City, two of which have advanced to play in the Big Leagues.

In his prior 18 years at Baylor, Thompson helped coached 10 teams to 40-win seasons and set team records in virtually every offensive category, including batting average, hits, runs, doubles, home runs, RBIs, total bases, stolen bases and slugging percentage. During his tenure, Thompson guided 97 all-conference honorees, 16 All-Americans and 13 freshman All-Americans. Additionally, Baylor’s top-five winningest seasons came during Thompson’s tenure.

From ’95 to ’12, Thompson recruited 72 Baylor players who were drafted or signed with Major League organizations. The list includes several high-round draft picks, most notably first-rounders Kip Wells (Chicago White Sox, 1998), Jason Jennings (Colorado Rockies, 1999), Chad Hawkins (Texas Rangers, 2000), David Murphy (Boston Red Sox, 2003), Mark McCormick (St. Louis Cardinals, 2005) and Aaron Miller (Los Angeles Dodgers, 2009), as well as 2001 Johnny Bench Award winner and Red Sox second-round pick Kelly Shoppach.

Twelve players who Thompson recruited to BU eventually reached the Major Leagues. His recruiting classes were ranked among the nation’s top-25 six times, including a No. 1 ranking in 2005 that led to Thompson being named Baseball America’s American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) National Assistant Coach of the Year.

Thompson began his coaching career as a graduate assistant for legendary coach Ron Polk at Mississippi State for the 1990 season, where the Bulldogs went 50-21 and reached the College World Series. Thompson spent the 1991 season at Radford (Virginia), before returning to MSU for the 1992 and 1993 seasons as assistant coach and director of baseball operations.

In 1994, Thompson was an assistant coach at Auburn under ABCA Hall of Famer Hal Baird, helping the Tigers garner 44 wins and a College World Series appearance. He worked with catchers and outfielders and was the team’s defensive coordinator.

Thompson is a 1988 honors graduate of Fort Hays State in Kansas where he twice earned academic all-conference honors in baseball and served as a team captain as a senior. He began his collegiate career at Cloud County Community College before spending a year at Bacone College before transferring to Fort Hays State. Thompson toured Europe in the summer of 1987 with Athletes in Action, the athletic ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ. He earned a master’s degree in physical education from Mississippi State in 1991.

Thompson and his wife, Amber, have two daughters, Mary Conley and Caroline, who are both Baylor graduates.