OMAHA, Neb. — The Southeastern Conference plans to propose a rule change to the NCAA that would add a third full-time assistant coach for baseball and softball, college baseball leaders said at the College World Series.
The rule change is expected to be voted on sometime next year and if passed would likely be in place for the 2020 season.
"We think it's much needed and certainly can help our game," said Craig Keilitz, executive director of the American Baseball Coaches Association. "But with 35 student-athletes on each team and having just two full-time assistants and one head coach, it's needed.
"We did a survey a few years back asking our coaches what their position is, and 88 percent of our coaches are in favor of adding this position."
Baseball and softball staffs are allowed to have two full-time assistants, but also consist of an assortment of other assistants, including graduate and student assistants. Baseball also has volunteer coaches who are unpaid for their work with a team but can be compensated through their work at camps held at their program's facilities.
Craig Parry, a former full-time assistant at Southern Arkansas, is in his first season as a volunteer coach for the Razorbacks. He coaches first base and works with the team's catchers.
"My guess is that they would do away with the volunteer thing," Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn said in February when asked about the possibility of adding a third assistant. "Our volunteer coaches in this league, they all work camp and they all do lessons. They’re making money, but they don’t have all of the benefits. You could go on and on. But I think that it’s coming, even if it’s just the Power Five conferences saying we’re going to do it because it makes sense. It really does.
"I think football just got another (assistant) coach, didn’t they? So we’ll see how it goes, but it would be big for our sport."
Former South Carolina coach Ray Tanner said the extra position is needed to help with the 35-man roster during the season and the unlimited rosters each fall.
"When fall practice starts, it's typically a lot more than 35," said Tanner, the chair of the D-I Baseball Committee and athletics director at South Carolina. "So I think you need an extra coach. I think it's very important for our game.
"To take that volunteer position and turn it into a full-time position where they can recruit and just be another coach, I think gives us an opportunity to go back and help us develop more coaches that take the place of the guys that are leaving the game."