Baseball Tabs Cory Barton as New Pitching Coach

MACON, Ga. – Mercer Head Baseball Coach Craig Gibson announced the hiring of Cory Barton as the newest assistant coach for the Bears.

Barton will be heading up the pitching staff and comes to Mercer after spending the previous three years at Rice University.

"I am really excited about Cory, Robin and Cooper joining our baseball family!" remarked Gibson. "Throughout this process we interviewed some outstanding candidates, and as the process continued it was apparent that Cory was the perfect fit. His ability to communicate and develop individuals became very clear. He has had great success at his previous stops including Rice, La Tech and McNeese State. I feel as though our pitching staff is in great hands, and the future is extremely bright!"

"When I sat down with Coach Gibson to talk about this position I was so impressed with not only what this program has accomplished in the past but the vision for what it can accomplish in the near future," remarked Barton. "There is so much potential for this baseball program that has already established itself as a proven winner. I am eager to get to work and help our student athletes take this program to next level. Robin, Cooper and I can't wait to get to Macon and join the Mercer family."

In his final season at Rice, Barton's pitching staff was led by Brandon Deskins, who ranked 11^thin Conference USA with a 3.88 earned run average. Not only did Deskins lead the pitching staff in ERA but he also lead the team in strikeouts (73), averaging 12.3 strikeouts per nine innings, the 33^rd-best mark in the nation.

Like every college baseball team in 2020, Barton's second season with the Owls came to an abrupt halt in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 15 of the Owls' pitchers recorded game action, and Barton was good to his word from the recruiting trail as eight Rice pitchers made their Division I debut in 2020. A highlight from the short season was the long-awaited return of star right-hander Roel Garcia.

Under Barton, the 2019 season proved to be a smashing success for the Rice pitchers. Not only was right-hander Matt Canterino named the Conference USA Pitcher of the Year, he was selected in the second round of the 2019 Major League Draft as the 54th overall selection. Four other Rice pitchers – Evan Kravetz, Garrett Gayle, Addison Moss and Roel Garcia – were all selected in the 2019 draft due to Barton's influence. The Rice pitching staff led Conference USA with 520 strikeouts on the season while Canterino (.199) and Kravetz (.200) finished first and second in lowest opposing batting average.

Barton joined Rice after a stint at Louisiana Tech, where he served as the Bulldogs' pitching coach and was named the 2018 Conference USA Assistant Baseball Coach of the Year. Not only did Louisiana Tech lead the league and finish 25th in the nation with a 3.48 ERA, the pitching staff also posted C-USA's second-best strikeouts-to-walks ratio (2.77-to-1), the 15^th best ratio among all Division I pitching staffs. The staff was also 12^th nationally in walks allowed per nine innings. The Bulldogs finished the season with a 21-9 record in conference play, setting the program record for league wins. The Bulldogs were 31st in the nation in WHIP (1.29), tied for second in the conference with four shutouts and maintained a steady .253 opponent batting average.

Prior to Louisiana Tech, Barton served four years as Associate Head Coach/Recruiting Coordinator at McNeese State where he helped lead the Cowboys to the 2017 Southland Conference regular season title. While at McNeese, the Cowboys won 30 games or more each year for the first time since 1995 and were also ranked in the top 25 for the first time in school history during the 2017 campaign. In 2015 the Cowboys posted a 3.66 team ERA, the second-best mark in the last 20 seasons, while also setting the then school record for strikeouts in a season with 466.

Barton is a Trussville, Ala., native and a 2007 graduate of Memphis. He also spent five seasons as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Louisiana Monroe.

He and his wife, Robin, have one son, Cooper.

WHAT THEY ARE SAYING ABOUT CORY BARTON
"Mercer Baseball made a tremendous hire in Cory. I could tell when Cory played for me that his leadership skills, understanding of the game, and respect he earned from teammates were the building blocks needed to launch him into a tremendous coaching career. I'm so thankful our paths crossed at Memphis and happy for Cory, Robin, Cooper and Mercer University."

Daron Schoenrock, University of Memphis Head Coach

"Cory is one of the brighter pitching minds in college baseball. I got to know Cory and his craft during his time at McNeese, and then with his miraculous turnaround at Louisiana Tech to his days at Rice. Cory is a rising star in the college baseball coaching ranks in my eyes."

Kendall Rogers, D1Baseball

"Mercer just got better with this hire. The pitching staff and catchers will absolutely love Cory as players always get better under his care. He will also be a great asset to Coach Gibson. Cory is a great baseball mind and has an incredible understanding of how to win in baseball and life."

Justin Hill, McNeese State University Head Coach

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Baseball Tabs Cory Barton as New Pitching Coach

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