Tommy Raffo

Last updated
Tommy Raffo
1988 Ballpark - Thomas Raffo (cropped).jpg
Raffo with the Falmouth Commodores in 1988
Biographical details
Born (1967-12-22) December 22, 1967 (age 56)
Playing career
1987–1990 Mississippi State
1990 Miami Miracle
1991 Charleston Wheelers
1992 Cedar Rapids Reds
1993 St. Paul Saints
Position(s) First baseman
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1994–2008Mississippi State (asst.)
2009–2024 Arkansas State
Head coaching record
Overall381–459–2
TournamentsSun Belt: 17–16
NCAA: 0–0
Accomplishments and honors
Awards
  • Second Team All-SEC (1988)
  • 2× First Team All-SEC (1989, 1990)
  • Sun Belt Coach of the Year (2012)

Thomas G. Raffo (born December 22, 1967) is an American college baseball coach and former first baseman. Raffo is the former head coach of the Arkansas State Red Wolves baseball team.

Contents

Amateur career

Raffo attended Bishop Kenny High School in Jacksonville, Florida. He was named a First Team All-Florida Class AAA. [1] He was drafted in the 34th round of the 1986 Major League Baseball draft by the Baltimore Orioles, but he decided not to sign. Raffo then accepted a scholarship to play at Mississippi State University, to play college baseball for the Mississippi State Bulldogs baseball team.

As a sophomore in 1988, Raffo was named Second Team All-Southeastern Conference (SEC).

As a junior in 1989, Raffo batted .383 with a 22 home runs and 80 RBIs. He was named First Team All-SEC.

As a senior in 1990, he batted .358 with 13 home runs and 69 RBIs. He was again named First Team All-SEC.

Professional career

Raffo was drafted in the 8th round (209th overall) by the Miami Miracle in the 1990 Major League Baseball draft. [2]

Raffo began his professional career with the Miracle of the Class A Florida State League, where he batted .258 with three home runs.

Raffo played 1991 season with the Charleston Wheelers of the Class A South Atlantic League as a member of the Cincinnati Reds organization. He batted .277 with 13 home runs and 68 RBIs in 133 games.

In 1992, he played with the Cedar Rapids Reds of the Midwest League. He batted .302 with nine home runs and 38 RBIs during the season. He signed with the St. Paul Saints to play the 1993 season. He hit .321 with 20 RBIs in 48 games.

Coaching career

In 1994, Raffo was named a volunteer assistant at Mississippi State. In the fall of 1997, he was promoted to a full-time assistant. [3] In 2008, Raffo was being considered for the head coaching position at Mississippi State, but when the team decided to go with John Cohen, [4] he was named the head coach for the Arkansas State Red Wolves baseball program. [5]

Raffo lead the Red Wolves to their best finish in Sun Belt Conference history going 19–9 finishing 2nd. As a result, he was named the 2012 Sun Belt Coach of the Year. [6]

On May 29, 2024, Arkansas State Athletics and Vice Chancelor for Intercollegiate Athletics Jeff Purinton announced there would be a change in leadership for the Arkansas State baseball program and that Raffo would not return. [7]

Head coaching record

Statistics overview
SeasonTeamOverallConferenceStandingPostseason
Arkansas State Red Wolves (Sun Belt Conference)(2009–2024)
2009 Arkansas State 23–3012–189th
2010 Arkansas State 30–2816–148th Sun Belt Tournament
2011 Arkansas State 27–31–113–16–17th Sun Belt Tournament
2012 Arkansas State 34–2319–92nd Sun Belt Tournament
2013 Arkansas State 28–3112–188th Sun Belt Tournament
2014 Arkansas State 32–2718–123rd Sun Belt Tournament
2015 Arkansas State 27–3012–178th Sun Belt Tournament
2016 Arkansas State 28–3013–178th Sun Belt Tournament
2017 Arkansas State 28–2713–163rd (West) Sun Belt Tournament
2018 Arkansas State 20–3211–19T-4th (West) Sun Belt Tournament
2019 Arkansas State 26–2911–206th (West)
2020 Arkansas State 7–90–0(West)Season canceled due to COVID-19
2021 Arkansas State 19–3010–145th (West) Sun Belt Tournament
2022 Arkansas State 11–385–2412th
2023 Arkansas State 20–309–196th (West)
2024 Arkansas State 21–32–17–22–114th
Arkansas State:381–459–2181–255–2
Total:381–459–2

      National champion        Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion        Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion      Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

See also

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References

  1. ↑ "Two Hoboes make prep All-State team". www.newspaperarchive.com. NewspaperARCHIVE.com. May 29, 1986. Retrieved October 26, 2018.
  2. ↑ "2018 Mississippi State Bulldogs Baseball Media Guide" (PDF). www.hailstate.com. Mississippi State University. Retrieved October 27, 2018.
  3. ↑ "Coaches & Staff" (PDF). www.msstate_ftp.sidearmsports.com. Mississippi State. Retrieved October 27, 2018.
  4. ↑ "Baseball Press Conference Transcript - June 7, 2008". www.hailstate.com. Mississippi State University Athletics. June 7, 2008. Retrieved October 27, 2018.
  5. ↑ "Raffo Named Head Baseball Coach at Arkansas State". www.astateredwolves.com. Arkansas State University. July 1, 2008. Retrieved October 27, 2018.
  6. ↑ "Jacob Lee named Sun Belt Pitcher of the Year, Tommy Raffo gets Coach of the Year honors". www.kait8.com. KAIT. May 22, 2012. Retrieved October 27, 2018.
  7. ↑ Whaley, Logan; Hudgison, Chris (May 29, 2024). "Tommy Raffo to not return as Arkansas State head baseball coach". KAIT . Retrieved May 29, 2024.
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