Legendary Head Coach for the Fresno State Baseball Team, Mike Batesole, announced his retirement on December 30th, two short days before the New Year’s Holiday.
Batesole, finishing his nineteenth season with the Fresno State Bulldogs after the 2022 campaign, was first a head coach at Cal State Northridge from 1996-2002.
Batesole, famously winning the 2008 College World Series National Championship with the Bulldogs, Fresno State’s first and only Men’s Championship, was twice named Collegiate Baseball National Coach of the Year for 2008 and 1998.
The two-time Mountain West Coach of the year in 2016 and 2019 led the Bulldogs to an overall 27-28 record last season.
Besides numerous other coaching accolades including two-time Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Coach of the Year awards in 2008 and 2010, Coach Batesole has had numerous players drafted to Major League Baseball from Fresno State including more recently, Aaron Judge who won the Most Valuable Player award for his efforts in 2022.
Having multiple awardees direct from his program, Batesole emphasized the student aspect of a student-athlete, with a number of those awards having gone to players for their academic achievements.
A number of Clovis High School Baseball players have played under Batesole in his 19 year career including current ballplayers, Ixan Henderson (Clovis West), Cooper Bergman (Buchanan), Nathan Baeza (Clovis West), and Jett Ruby (Buchanan).
Mike Batesole is only the third Head Coach of the Fresno State Baseball Program since 1948, succeeding both previous Head Coaches Bob Bennett and Pete Beiden.
Coach “Bates” will be honored at some point during the 2023 season by Fresno State Baseball at a home game, although the date has not been set as of yet. Batesole leaves assistant coach Ryan Overland to serve as Interim Head Coach for the 2023 season.