Greg Beals

Career Record: 568-460-1
Ohio State Record: 325-258-1
Big Ten Record: 133-125
Big Ten Tournament Record: 15-14
NCAA Tournament Record: 2-6
Overall NCAA Tournament Record: 3-8

Greg Beals, a Springfield, Ohio, native with 28 years of coaching experience is heading into his 12th season as head coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes in 2022. He holds a 568-460-1 career record and is 325-258-1 overall record at Ohio State. Beals has guided the Buckeyes to three NCAA Regional appearances in the last six years and has led the Scarlet and Gray to two Big Ten Tournament titles (2016 and 2019). The Ohio State University Board of Trustees approved a three-year contract extension for Beals that will keep him in the dugout as head coach of the Buckeyes four more seasons and at least through the 2023 baseball season.

• Beals ranks third among active Big Ten coaches in Division I career wins.
• Holds a 16-7 record vs. conference-rival Michigan
• Has produced six Buckeye All-Americans and 41 All-Big Ten honorees
• His program has developed 27 MLB draft picks in the last 10 years, including eight Top 10 round picks
• 21 Buckeyes were named Academic All-Big Ten selections and 33 gained OSU Scholar-Athlete status this past spring

Beals’ program culture at Ohio State stresses elite preparation, competitive toughness and brotherhood, which prepares young men for life after baseball and develops talents for the next level. In a shortened 2020 season, Beals, who earned his 300th victory at the helm of the Buckeyes at Lipscomb Feb. 28, saw his Buckeye pitching staff lead the nation with 12.7 strikeouts per nine innings. Junior catcher Dillon Dingler, named a Collegiate Baseball Third Team All-American, was selected with the opening pick of the second round of the 2020 Major League Baseball Draft by the Detroit Tigers, becoming the 24th Buckeye selected in the MLB Draft under Beals.

The 2021 season of Big Ten games only saw the Buckeye pitchers again lead the conference in strikeouts per nine innings at 11.0 and finish 9th nationally. Garrett Burhenn was tied for the Big Ten lead with seven victories and TJ Brock was second with nine saves. The highlight of the season was a brilliant 17-strikeout, two-hit, shutout by Seth Lonsway against Indiana on April 3. Burhenn and Lonsway were two of five Buckeyes who garnered All-Big Ten honors on the year. Freshman Kade Kern had a great first season, leading the team in hitting at .325 and earning Freshman All-American honors. The summer following the season was special as well as Burhenn, Lonsway and Jack Neely were all selected in the Top 11 rounds of the MLB draft.

The 2019 Buckeyes went on a remarkable run to the Big Ten tournament title in Omaha, Neb., this past May, becoming the lowest seed ever to win the league tournament (No. 7 seed). This was the eighth Big Ten tournament appearance in Beals’ nine seasons and the 36 wins in 2019 were the second-most victories in the Beals’ era. Dominic Canzone was drafted in the 8th round by the Arizona Diamondbacks, while Andrew Magno was selected in the 15th round by the Detroit Tigers. Canzone and Magno were each named third team All-Americans. Seth Lonsway and Zach Dezenzo each earned Freshman All-America honors. In all, six Buckeyes were named to All-Big Ten teams. Magno was named the Big Ten Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player.

The 2018 Buckeyes made it back to a NCAA Regional and finished with a 36-24 overall record and 14-10 mark in Big Ten play. According to Baseball America, the 2018 season was the fourth-best turnaround in the country after the 2017 Buckeyes finished with a 22-34 record. The Buckeyes advanced to the Big Ten Tournament for the seventh time under Beals and advanced to the semifinals in Omaha, Neb., after winning two straight elimination games at TD Ameritrade Park. Three Buckeyes were taken in the 2018 MLB Draft. Junior pitcher Ryan Feltner was picked in the fourth round by the Colorado Rockies, marking the the fifth Buckeye to be selected in the Top 10 rounds under Beals. Junior catcher Jacob Barnwell was selected in the 22nd round by the Colorado Rockies and junior pitcher Connor Curlis was picked in the 24th round by the Cincinnati Reds. Senior pitcher Seth Kinker became the 51st Buckeye to be named an All-American. He was named to the second team list by Collegiate Baseball. Kinker also was selected as a NCBWA Stopper of the Year Finalist and a Senior CLASS Award Finalist. Under Beals, six Buckeyes picked up All-Big Ten honors. Senior Noah McGowan was named a first team selection, Kinker and sophomore Dominic Canzone were second team honorees and senior Tyler Cowles and sophomore Conner Pohl earned third team laurels. Dillon Dingler was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman team. Beals hit the 500-win mark in his coaching career after a 4-2 win over Purdue Friday, May 11 at Bill Davis Stadium.

The 2016 season was one for the record books in Beals’ sixth year at the helm of the Scarlet and Gray. He guided a talented and dynamic Buckeye squad to one of the top seasons in Ohio State baseball history. The team finished with a 44-20-1 overall record and won the program’s ninth Big Ten tournament before making its 20th all-time NCAA Tournament appearance in the Louisville Regional. Under Beals, the 2016 Buckeyes became the first team in school history to go 5-0 vs. Michigan in a single season. A Big Ten-best six Buckeyes were taken in the 2016 MLB Draft. Ronnie Dawson was selected in the second round by the Houston Astros. Dawson became the first All-American since 2013 and 50th in Ohio State history, leading the Buckeyes to a remarkable four-consecutive wins in elimination games in the Big Ten Tournament in Omaha, Neb., to be named tournament MVP. Troy Montgomery was taken in the eighth round by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim followed by Jacob Bosiokovic (19th round; Colorado Rockies), Michael Horejsei (21st round; Chicago White Sox), Nick Sergakis (23rd round, New York Mets) and Tanner Tully (26th round, Cleveland Indians). The six picks tied the 1998 team record for second-most in school history. With Beals, Ohio State finished with 44 wins tied for fifth on the OSU single-season wins list. The squad broke school records for stolen bases (101) and strikeouts by a staff (495) in a single season. The Buckeyes powered their way to 133 doubles (fourth-most in school history) and 57 home runs, the most by a Buckeye squad in seven years. The team’s memorable run through the Big Ten Tournament broke multiple records, including strikeouts by a staff (44), innings pitched (55.0) and tied the tournament record for steals (13). Under Beals, the Buckeyes got hot at the right time, going 16-4 in the month of May, while defending their home turf at Bill Davis Stadium with 23 victories on the year (fifth-most in school history). Dawson, Sergakis and Tully were each named first team All-Big Ten selections, while five Buckeyes were named to the B1G All-Tournament team. Beals also claimed his 200th win at Ohio State during the Big Ten Tournament in a 3-2 extra-inning victory over Michigan State at TD Ameritrade Park May 29, 2016.

In 2017, the Buckeyes finished 22-34 overall in 2017. Freshman Dominic Canzone garnered third tam All-Big Ten honors after leading the Buckeyes at the plate with a .343 average. Beals and his staff continued to develop on the professional end as three members were selected in the 2017 MLB Draft. Shea Murray was selected in the 18th round of the 2017 Major League Baseball Draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates. In addition, Jalen Washington and Tre’ Gantt were also picked. Washington was taken in the 29th round by the San Diego Padres while Gantt was also selected in the 29th round by the Cleveland Indians.

In his first season in Columbus, Beals guided the Buckeyes to a 26-27 overall record, 13-11 in Big Ten Conference play, to earn a No. 4 seed in the Big Ten Tournament. Under his tutelage freshman 1B/RHP Josh Dezse garnered Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors and garnered Freshman All-America Laurels from the NCBWA and Collegiate Baseball. Along with Dezse, three other Buckeyes earned All-Big Ten honors including senior right-hander Drew Rucinski and freshmen Tim Wetzel and Greg Greve. In 2012, Beals led the Buckeyes to a 33-27 record and a second Big Ten Tournament appearance in as many seasons. Under Beals’ guidance, right-hander Jaron Long was named first team All-Big Ten and another right-hander, John Kuchno, was drafted in the 18th round of the 2012 MLB Draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Six years ago, Ohio State went 35-23 and earned the No. 2 seed in the Big Ten Tournament after going 15-9 in conference play in the third season under Beals. Sophomore closer Trace Dempsey garnered All-America honors and was named first team All-Big Ten along with senior shortstop Kirby Pellant. Senior right-hander Brad Goldberg was taken in the 10th round of the 2013 MLB Draft by the Chicago White Sox while senior right-hander Brett McKinney was selected in the 19th round by the Pittsburgh Pirates and Pellant was picked in the 26th round by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

In 2015, Ohio State advanced to the Big Ten Tournament for the fifth-consecutive year and posted a 35-20 overall record and 13-11 mark in Big Ten play. For Buckeyes were selected to All-Big Ten honors, including first team selection Pat Porter, while Troy Montgomery was a second team honoree. Ryan Riga was named to the third-team list and Adam Niemeyer earned all-freshmen honors. Ohio State had a strong showing on draft day as five Buckeyes were selected in the 50th first-year draft. Travis Lakins went in the sixth round by the Boston Red Sox followed by Riga (13th, Chicago White Sox) and Porter (15th, Houston Astros). Beals also hit the 400-win milestone in his coaching career in a road win at Cincinnati May 6, 2015.

Beals led Ball State to a 243-202 record in his eight seasons as coach with three seasons of 36-or-more victories. After setting the school record for a first-year coach with 36 wins in 2003, Beals led the Cardinals to consecutive 38-win seasons, including the NCAA Regional appearance in 2006 – Ball State’s first NCAA Regional since 1969 – and to MAC West Division crowns in 2003, 2005 and 2009.

His teams were 2-2 vs. Ohio State. They were 4-1 vs. Indiana, 5-4 vs. Purdue and a respectable 5-8 vs. Louisville. They were also known to play any team anywhere, including series vs. Arkansas, Miami (Fla.), Missouri and Vanderbilt on the road.

Beals’ abilities as a recruiter – in terms of finding and then developing talent – have yielded most impressive results. He watched 21 of his Ball State players get selected in the Major League Baseball First Year Player Draft, including four players in 2006 and three players in both 2009 and 2010.

Beals looked on as his 2010 first team All-American utility player – Kolbrin Vitek, from Bryan, Ohio – was selected with the 20th pick of the first round by the Boston Red Sox and third-year sophomore pitcher Perci Garner, from Dover, Ohio, was chosen in the second round by the Philadelphia Phillies. A third Cardinal – Zach Dygert – was selected in the 22nd round by the Houston Astros.

Prior to his position at Ball State, he was an assistant coach for nine seasons at his alma mater, Kent State. He was a part of three Golden Flash teams to make an NCAA Regional – 1994, 2001 and 2002 – and three that won MAC championships. He also worked with 21 players who would sign professional contracts and 17 who would be named to the MAC all-academic team.

Beals, who spent three seasons in the New York Mets’ farm system after his playing career at Kent State, attended Kenton Ridge High School in Springfield, Ohio, where he played baseball under Coach Tom Randall, a member of the Ohio High School Baseball Coaches’ Association Hall of Fame.