Michigan Wolverines baseball

Michigan Wolverines
2025 Michigan Wolverines baseball team
Founded	1866;158 years ago (1866)
University	University of Michigan
Athletic director	Warde Manuel
Head coach	Tracy Smith (2nd season)
Conference	Big Ten Conference
Location	Ann Arbor, Michigan
Home stadium	Ray Fisher Stadium (Capacity: 4,000)
Nickname	Wolverines
Colors	Maize and blue [1]
NCAA Tournament champions
1953, 1962
College World Series runner-up
2019
College World Series appearances
1953, 1962, 1978, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1984, 2019
NCAA regional champions
1978, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1984, 2007, 2019
NCAA Tournament appearances
1953, 1961, 1962, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1999, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2022
Conference tournament champions
1981, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1999, 2006, 2008, 2015, 2022
Regular season conference champions
1899, 1901, 1905, 1918, 1919, 1920, 1923, 1924, 1926, 1928, 1929, 1936, 1941, 1942, 1944, 1945, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1952, 1953, 1961, 1975, 1976, 1978, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1997, 2006, 2007, 2008

The Michigan Wolverines baseball team represents the University of Michigan in NCAA Division I college baseball. Along with most other Michigan athletic teams, the baseball team participates in the Big Ten Conference. They play their home games at Ray Fisher Stadium.

The Wolverines have made the College World Series eight times, winning two national championships in 1953 and 1962. Michigan is the third winningest program in NCAA Division I baseball history, trailing only Fordham and Texas. ^[2] The team is currently coached by Tracy Smith, who replaced Erik Bakich who left Michigan to coach at Clemson.

1875 Michigan baseball team

1882 Michigan baseball team with Moses Fleetwood Walker.

1886 Michigan baseball team

1899 team – Michigan's first conference champions

1912 team – coached by Branch Rickey.

1914 team – starring George Sisler.

Michigan's 1953 NCAA national championship team.

Championships

NCAA College World Series National Championships

Season	Record	Head coach
1953	21–9	Ray Fisher
1962	31–13	Don Lund

Conference Championships

Season	Conference	Record	Head coach
1899	Big Ten	5–2	H.T. Clarke
1901	Big Ten	8–2	Frank Sexton
1905	Big Ten	9–3	L.W. McAllister
1918	Big Ten	9–1	Carl Lundgren
1919	Big Ten	9–0	Carl Lundgren
1920	Big Ten	9–1	Carl Lundgren
1923	Big Ten	10–0	Ray Fisher
1924	Big Ten	8–2	Ray Fisher
1926	Big Ten	9–2	Ray Fisher
1928	Big Ten	11–1	Ray Fisher
1929	Big Ten	7–2	Ray Fisher
1936	Big Ten	9–1	Ray Fisher
1941	Big Ten	10–2	Ray Fisher
1942	Big Ten	10–2	Ray Fisher
1944	Big Ten	8–0	Ray Fisher
1945	Big Ten	8–0	Ray Fisher
1948	Big Ten	10–2	Ray Fisher
1949	Big Ten	8–4	Ray Fisher
1950	Big Ten	9–3	Ray Fisher
1952	Big Ten	8–4	Ray Fisher
1953	Big Ten	10–3	Ray Fisher
1961	Big Ten	10–2	Don Lund
1975	Big Ten	13–3	Moby Benedict
1976	Big Ten	9–4	Moby Benedict
1978	Big Ten	13–3	Moby Benedict
1980	Big Ten	14–2	Bud Middaugh
1981	Big Ten	10–4	Bud Middaugh
1983	Big Ten	13–2	Bud Middaugh
1984	Big Ten	11–5	Bud Middaugh
1986	Big Ten	13–3	Bud Middaugh
1987	Big Ten	13–3	Bud Middaugh
1997	Big Ten	17–9	Geoff Zahn
2006	Big Ten	23–9	Rich Maloney
2007	Big Ten	21–7	Rich Maloney
2008	Big Ten	26–5	Rich Maloney

Conference Tournament championships

Year	Conference	Tournament Location	Head coach
1981	Big Ten	Ray Fisher Stadium, Ann Arbor, MI	Bud Middaugh
1983	Big Ten	Ray Fisher Stadium, Ann Arbor, MI	Bud Middaugh
1984	Big Ten	Siebert Field, Minneapolis, MN	Bud Middaugh
1986	Big Ten	Siebert Field, Minneapolis, MN	Bud Middaugh
1987	Big Ten	Ray Fisher Stadium, Ann Arbor, MI	Bud Middaugh
1999	Big Ten	Bill Davis Stadium, Columbus, OH	Geoff Zahn
2006	Big Ten	Ray Fisher Stadium, Ann Arbor, MI	Rich Maloney
2008	Big Ten	Ray Fisher Stadium, Ann Arbor, MI	Rich Maloney
2015	Big Ten	Target Field, Minneapolis, MN	Erik Bakich
2022	Big Ten	Charles Schwab Field Omaha, Omaha, NE	Erik Bakich

Stadium

The Wolverines play their home games in Ray Fisher Stadium. The stadium is named after Ray Fisher, who is the winningest coach in Michigan baseball history, with 636 victories and also the 1953 College World Series championship.

In 2008, alum and owner of the New York Mets MLB franchise, Fred Wilpon donated $9 million for the renovation of Fisher Stadium and Alumni Field. It is now known as the Wilpon Baseball and Softball Complex, but more commonly known as the Wilpon Baseball Complex.

Name	Years
Ferry Field	1923–1966
Ray Fisher Stadium	1967–2007
Ray Fisher Stadium at Wilpon Baseball Complex	2008–present

Head coaches

Main article: List of Michigan Wolverines head baseball coaches

Coach	Years	Seasons	Record	Pct
Peter Conway	1891–1892	2	22–9–1	.703
Frank Sexton	1896, 1901–1908	3	38–22	.633
Charles F. Watkins	1897–1898, 1900	3	16–17	.485
Henry T. Clarke	1898–1899	2	14–5	.737
R.C. "Skel" Roach	1903	1	12–5	.706
Jerome Utley	1904	1	10–5	.667
Lew "Sport" McAllister	1905–1906, 1908–1909	4	58–17–1	.770
Bobby Lowe	1907	1	11–4–1	.719
Branch Rickey	1910–1913	4	68–32–4	.673
Carl Lundgren	1914–1920	7	93–43–6	.676
Ray Fisher	1921–1958	38	636–295–8	.682
Don Lund	1959–1962	4	80–53–3	.599
Moby Benedict	1963–1979	18	367–252–5	.592
Bud Middaugh	1980–1989	10	465–146–1	.761
Bill Freehan	1990–1995	6	166–167–1	.499
Geoff Zahn	1996–2001	6	163–169–2	.491
Chris Harrison	2002	1	21–32	.396
Rich Maloney	2003–2012	10	341–244	.583
Erik Bakich	2013–2022	10	328–216	.603
Tracy Smith	2023–present	2	60–56	.517

Year-by-year results

Main article: List of Michigan Wolverines baseball seasons

This is a partial list of the last five seasons completed by the Wolverines.

Year	Coach	Record	Notes
2020	Erik Bakich	8–7	Season cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2021	Erik Bakich	27–19	NCAA Regional
2022	Erik Bakich	34–28	NCAA Regional
2023	Tracy Smith	28–28
2024	Tracy Smith	32–28

Michigan in the NCAA tournament

• The NCAA Division I baseball tournament started in 1947.
• The format of the tournament has changed through the years.

Year	Record	Pct	Notes
1953	4–1	.800	College World Series (Champions)
1961	2–2	.500	NCAA District 4 Regional
1962	8–2	.800	College World Series (Champions)
1975	3–2	.600	NCAA Mideast Regional
1976	3–1	.750	NCAA Mideast Regional
1977	2–2	.500	NCAA Midwest Regional
1978	4–2	.667	College World Series (5th Place)
1980	4–2	.667	College World Series (5th Place)
1981	4–3	.571	College World Series (7th Place)
1983	5–2	.714	College World Series (3rd Place)
1984	3–2	.600	College World Series (7th Place)
1985	3–2	.600	NCAA South I Regional
1986	0–2	.000	NCAA Mideast Regional
1987	1–2	.333	NCAA Northeast Regional
1988	2–2	.500	NCAA Central Regional
1989	3–2	.600	NCAA West II Regional
1999	2–2	.500	NCAA South Bend Regional
2005	1–2	.333	NCAA Atlanta Regional
2006	1–2	.333	NCAA Atlanta Regional
2007	3–3	.500	NCAA Corvallis Super Regional
2008	1–2	.333	NCAA Ann Arbor Regional
2015	2–2	.500	NCAA Louisville Regional
2017	0–2	.000	NCAA Chapel Hill Regional
2019	9–4	.692	College World Series (Runner-up)
2021	0–2	.000	NCAA South Bend Regional
2022	2–2	.500	NCAA Louisville Regional
TOTALS	72–54	.574	2 National Championships, 8 CWS Appearances

First Team All-Americans

Player	Position	Year(s)	Selectors
Bruce Haynam	Shortstop	1953†	ABCA
Don Eaddy	Third Base	1955†	ABCA
Ken Tippery	Second Base	1957†	ABCA
Bill Freehan	Catcher	1961†	ABCA
Jim Burton	Pitcher	1971	SN
Steve Howe	Pitcher	1979	SN
Rick Leach	Outfield	1979	SN
Jim Paciorek	Outfield	1982†	ABCA, BA
Chris Sabo	Third Base	1983	BA, SN
Barry Larkin	Shortstop	1984, 1985†	ABCA, BA, SN
Mike Watters	Outfield	1985	BA
Casey Close	Outfield	1986†	ABCA, BA
Jim Abbott	Pitcher	1988	SN
Carmen Benedetti	Designated Hitter	2015	NCBWA
Jake Cronenworth	Utility	2015	ABCA
Source: "Baseball Record Book" (PDF). mgoblue.com. Retrieved 2021-03-02. ABCA: American Baseball Coaches Association BA: Baseball America CB: Collegiate Baseball NCBWA: National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association SN: Sporting News † Denotes consensus All-American

Individual honors

Retired numbers

Michigan has retired six uniform numbers to date. Below is the detailed list: ^[3]

Retired numbers
No.	Player	Position	Career	No. retired
1	Moby Benedict	SS	1953–56	1979
11	Bill Freehan	C	1959–61	1977
16	Barry Larkin	SS	1983–85	2010
31	Jim Abbott	P	1986–88	2009
33	Don Lund	OF	1943–45	1999
44	Ray Fisher	Coach 1	1921–58	2000

¹ Never played for the Wolverines. He coached Michigan with a record 636 wins and led the team to 15 Big Ten championships apart from winning the 1953 College World Series.

National Awards

Golden Spikes Award Winner

• Jim Abbott (1987) ^[4]

Baseball America College Player of the Year

• Casey Close (1986) ^[5]

NCBWA National Coach of the Year

• Erik Bakich (2019)

Conference Awards

Big Ten Player of the Year

• Jim Paciorek (1982)
• Rick Stoll (1983)
• Barry Larkin (1984, 1985)
• Casey Close (1986)
• Jim Abbott (1988)
• Scott Weaver (1995)
• Nate Recknagel (2008)
• Jordan Brewer (2019)

Big Ten Pitcher of the Year

• Larry Carroll (1984)
• Jim Brauer (2005)
• Zach Putnam (2008)
• Connor O'Halloran (2023)

Big Ten Freshman of the Year

• Scott Weaver (1993)
• Jason Alcaraz (1996)
• Jake Bivens (2015)

Big Ten Coach of the Year

• Geoff Zahn (1997)
• Rich Maloney (2007, 2008)

Big Ten Batting Title

• Bill Freehan (1961; .585 batting average)
• Carl Cmejrek (1965; .453 batting average)
• Elliott Maddox (1968; .467 batting average)
• Rick Leach (1978; .473 batting average)
• George Foussianes (1979; .452 batting average)
• Tony Evans (1981; .465 batting average)
• Jim Paciorek, Ken Hayward (1982; .462 batting average)
• Fred Erdmann (1983; .500 batting average)
• Randy Wolfe (1985; .514 batting average)
• Casey Close (1986; .469 batting average)
• Scott Timmerman (1993; .431 batting average)
• Scott Weaver (1995; .500 batting average)
• Dominic Clementi (2018; .413 batting average)

University of Michigan Athletic Hall of Honor

The following 35 Michigan Wolverines baseball players and coaches (listed in order of induction) have been inducted into the University of Michigan Athletic Hall of Honor:

• Bill Freehan (1978) – baseball
• Bennie Oosterbaan (1978) – football, basketball, baseball, basketball coach, football coach
• Ray Fisher (1979) – baseball coach
• George Sisler (1979) – baseball
• Buck Giles (1980) – baseball
• Harry Kipke (1981) – football, basketball, and baseball
• Whitey Wistert (1981) – football and baseball
• Bud Chamberlain (1982) – baseball
• Jack Tompkins (1982) – hockey and baseball
• Elmer Gedeon (1983) – track and baseball
• Dick Wakefield (1983) – baseball
• Elroy Hirsch (1984) – football, basketball, baseball, and track
• Bob Chappuis (1984) – football and baseball
• Don Lund (1984) – football, baseball, basketball, and coaching
• Doug Roby (1985) – football and baseball
• Branch Rickey (1985) – baseball coach
• David M. Nelson (1986) – football and baseball
• Ernie McCoy (1986) basketball, football, basketball coach, and assistant athletic director
• Jack Blott (1987) – football and baseball
• Bruce Haynam (1988) – baseball
• Frank Nunley (1989) – football and baseball
• Forest Evashevski (1990) – football and baseball
• Jack Weisenburger (1992) – football and baseball
• Moby Benedict (1994) – baseball and coaching
• Dominic Tomasi (1994) – football and baseball
• Steve Boros (1996) – baseball
• Herman Fishman (2002) – basketball and baseball
• Bill Mogk (2002) – baseball
• Jim Abbott (2004) – baseball
• J. Daniel Cline (2007) – football and baseball
• Barry Larkin (2007) – baseball
• Larry Carroll (1991) - baseball
• David Campbell (2009) – baseball
• Rick Leach (2009) – football and baseball
• Casey Close (2011) – baseball
• Jim Paciorek (2020) – baseball

Wolverines in the MLB

^[6]

Barry Larkin

	= Selected to the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame
	= Major League Baseball All-Star Game participant

Player Position Team(s) Years World Series Jim Abbott Pitcher CAL, NYY, CHW, MIL 1989–1999 0 Pete Appleton Pitcher CIN, CLE, BOS, NYY, WSH, CHW, SLB 1927–1945 0 Fred Blanding Pitcher CLE 1910–1914 0 Frank Bliss Catcher/Third Baseman MLG 1878 0 Jack Blott Catcher CIN 1924 0 Steve Boros Third Baseman DET, CHC, CIN 1957–1965 0 Frank Bowerman Catcher BLN, PIT, NYG, BSN 1895–1909 0 James Bourque Pitcher WSN 2019–present 0 Jim Burton Pitcher BOS 1975–1977 0 Dave Campbell Second Baseman DET, SDP, STL, HOU 1967–1974 0 Mike Cervenak Third Baseman PHI 2008 0 Jake Cronenworth Second Baseman SDP 2020–present 0 Kelly Dransfeldt Shortstop TEX, CHW 1999–2004 0 Don Eaddy Third Baseman CHC 1959 0 Hal Elliott Pitcher PHI 1929–1932 0 Jack Enzenroth Catcher SLB, KCP 1914–1915 0 Danny Fife Pitcher MIN 1973–1974 0 Fritz Fisher Pitcher DET 1964 0 Jake Fox Utility CHC, OAK, BAL 2007–2011 0 Bill Freehan Catcher DET 1961–1976 1 Elmer Gedeon Centerfielder WSH 1939 0 Johnny Gee Pitcher PIT, NYG 1939–1946 0 Chris Getz Second Baseman CHW, KCR, TOR 2008–2014 0 Bob Glenn Pitcher STL 1920 0 Tommy Henry Pitcher ARI 2022–present 0 John Herrnstein First Baseman/Leftfielder PHI, CHC, ATL 1962–1966 0 John Hibbard Pitcher CHC 1884 0 Rich Hill Pitcher CHC, BAL, BOS, CLE, LAA, NYY, OAK, LAD, MIN, TBR, NYM, PIT, SDP 2005–present 0 Steve Howe Pitcher LAD , MIN, TEX, NYY 1980–1996 2 Mike Ignasiak Pitcher MIL 1991–1995 0 Mike Joyce Pitcher CHW 1962–1963 0 Scott Kamieniecki Pitcher NYY , BAL, CLE, ATL 1991–2000 1 Karl Kauffmann Pitcher COL 2023–present 0 Red Killefer Outfielder/Second Baseman DET, WSH, CIN, NYG 1907–1916 0 Mike Knode Outfielder/Second Baseman STL 1920 0 Ray Knode First Baseman CLE 1923–1926 0 Dennis Konuszewski Pitcher PIT 1995 0 Bobby Korecky Pitcher MIN, ARI, TOR 2008–2014 0 Ryan LaMarre Outfielder CIN, BOS, OAK, MIN, CHW, NYY 2015–present 0 Chick Lathers Third Baseman/Second Baseman DET 1910–1911 0 Doc Lavan Shortstop SLB, PHA, WSH, STL 1913–1924 0

Player Position Team(s) Years World Series Barry Larkin Shortstop CIN 1986–2004 1 Rick Leach Outfielder/First Baseman DET, TOR, TEX, SFG 1981–1990 0 Dick LeMay Pitcher SFG, CHC 1961–1963 0 Don Lund Outfielder BRO, SLB, DET 1945–1954 0 Tom Lundstedt Catcher CHC, MIN 1973–1975 0 Elliott Maddox Centerfielder/Third Baseman DET, WSA/TEX, NYY, BAL, NYM 1970–1980 0 Mike Matheny Catcher MIL, TOR, STL, SFG 1994–2006 0 Bill McAfee Pitcher CHC, BSN, WSH, SLB 1930–1934 0 Hal Morris First Baseman NYY, CIN , KCR, DET 1988–2000 1 Bud Morse Second Baseman PHA 1929 0 Kirt Ojala Pitcher FLA 1997–1999 1 Steve Ontiveros Pitcher OAK, PHI, SEA, BOS 1991–1995 0 Jim Paciorek First Baseman/Third Baseman MIL 1987 0 Slicker Parks Pitcher DET 1921 0 Jack Perrin Rightfielder BOS 1921 0 Ted Petoskey Centerfielder CIN 1934–1935 0 Ross Powell Pitcher CIN, HOU, PIT 1993–1995 0 Zach Putnam Pitcher CLE, COL, CHC, CHW 2011–2017 0 J. J. Putz Pitcher SEA, NYM, CHW, ARI 2003–2014 0 Glenn Redmon Second Baseman SFG 1974 0 Bob Reed Pitcher DET 1969–1970 0 Clayton Richard Pitcher CHW, SDP, CHC, TOR 2008–2019 0 Branch Rickey Catcher SLB, NYY 1905–1914 0 (4 as executive) Leon Roberts Outfielder DET, HOU, SEA, TEX, TOR, KCR 1974–1984 0 Bill Roman First Baseman DET 1964–1965 0 Chris Sabo Third Baseman CIN , BAL, CHW, STL 1988–1996 1 Bobby Scales Leftfielder/Third Baseman CHC 2009–2010 0 Frank Sexton Pitcher BSN 1895 0 Brian Simmons Outfielder CHW, TOR 1998–2001 0 Bert Sincock Pitcher CIN 1908 0 George Sisler First Baseman SLB, WSH, BSN 1915–1930 0 Ted Sizemore Second Baseman LAD, STL, PHI, CHC, BOS 1969–1980 0 Lary Sorensen Pitcher MIL, STL, CLE, OAK, CHC, MON, SFG 1977–1988 0 Ernie Vick Catcher STL 1922–1926 1 Dick Wakefield Leftfielder DET, NYY, NYG 1941–1952 0 Fleet Walker Catcher TOL 1884 0 Welday Walker Leftfielder TOL 1884 0 Gary Wayne Pitcher MIN, COL, LAD 1989–1994 0 Whitey Wistert Pitcher CIN 1934 0 Geoff Zahn Pitcher LAD, CHC, MIN, CAL 1973–1985 0 Bill Zepp Pitcher MIN, DET 1969–1971 0

Note: Charlie Gehringer, Derek Jeter, and Ted Simmons are Baseball Hall of Fame inductees who were enrolled at Michigan, but never played for the baseball team.

Source: Baseball Reference

First-Round MLB Draft Picks

Pick	Player	Team	Position	Year
13	Rick Leach	Detroit Tigers	OF	1979
16	Steve Howe	Los Angeles Dodgers	LHP	1979
25	Steve Perry	Los Angeles Dodgers	RHP	1979
14	Rich Stoll	Montreal Expos	RHP	1983
4	Barry Larkin	Cincinnati Reds	SS	1985
8	Jim Abbott	California Angels	LHP	1988
28	David Parrish	New York Yankees	C	2000

See also

• List of NCAA Division I baseball programs
• Big Ten baseball tournament
• Big Ten baseball champions

References

1. "University of Michigan Style Guide: Colors". July 7, 2015. Retrieved July 7, 2015.
2. "2021 NCAA Baseball Record Book" (PDF). ncaa.org. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
3. "Baseball retired numbers" at MGoBlue official website
4. "Michigan Baseball Individual Honors". bentley.umich.edu. Bentley Historical Library. 2013-04-18. Retrieved 2013-04-18.
5. "Michigan Baseball National Honors" (PDF). MGoBlue.com. University of Michigan Baseball Record Book. 2013-04-13. Retrieved 2013-04-13.
6. "Wolverines in Professional Baseball" at MGoBlue official website

External links

Media related to Michigan Wolverines baseball at Wikimedia Commons

• Official website