| Current: | 2024 Oakland Golden Grizzlies baseball team |
| Oakland Golden Grizzlies | |
| Founded: | 1970 |
| University: | Oakland University |
| Conference: | Horizon League |
| Location: | Rochester, Michigan |
| Coach: | Brian Nelson (Interim) |
| Stadium: | Oakland University Baseball Field "The Den" |
| Capacity: | 500 |
| Nickname: | Golden Grizzlies |
| Conference Champion: | GLIAC 1978 |
The Oakland Golden Grizzlies baseball team is a varsity intercollegiate athletic team of Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan, United States.[1] The team is a member of the Horizon League, which is part of the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division I. The team plays its home games at Oakland University Baseball Field in Rochester, Michigan.
Oakland won the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) league championship in 1978.[2]
| 1970–1971 | Gene Bolden | 2 | 22–34 | ||
| 1972 | John Scovill | 1 | 14–18 | ||
| 1973–1974 | Bill Pfaff | 2 | 38–28 | ||
| 1975 | Dick Robinson | 1 | 27–15 | ||
| 1976–1980 | Dirk Dieters | 5 | 126–102–2 | ||
| 1987 | Rob Righter | 1 | 4–28 | ||
| 1988–1993 | Paul Chapoton | 6 | 135–123 | ||
| 1994–1998 | Steve Lyon | 5 | 113–101–1 | ||
| 1999–2005 | Mark Avery | 7 | 129–241–1 | ||
| 2006–2007 | Dylan Putnam | 2 | 40–72 | ||
| 2008–2016 | John Musachio | 9 | 169–294 | ||
| 2017–2019 | Colin Kaline / Jacke Healey | 3 | 43–109 | ||
| 2020 | Colin Kaline | 1 | 2–10 | ||
| 2021–2024 | Jordon Banfield | 4 | 109–114 | ||
| 2025-Present | Brian Nelson | 1 | 0-0 | --- |
Jacke Healey and Colin Kaline were named co-head coaches of the Oakland program on July 12, 2016.[3] Healey was relieved of his duties as co-head coach in June, 2019. Kaline continued as the team's head coach.[4] The team was coached solely be Kaline until his resignation in March 2020 for health reasons.[5] On May 29, 2020, Jordon Banfield was named the programs new head coach.[6] On July 12, 2024, Banfield resigned from Oakland to accept the Head Coach position at Cal-State Bakersfield.[7] Brian Nelson was promoted and named the Interim Head Baseball Coach on July 17, 2024 for the 2025 Season.[8]
Oakland has had 19 Major League Baseball Draft selections since the draft began in 1965.[9] Don Kirkwood one of the only 2 OU players to have played in Major League Baseball. He played for the California Angels, Chicago White Sox and Toronto Blue Jays from 1974 to 1978. The other is Mike Brosseau of the Tampa Bay Rays although he went undrafted he made his way to the pros in though the Rays farm system.
| Golden Grizzlies in the Major League Baseball Draft | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Player | Round | Team |
| 1977 | 7 | Baltimore Orioles | |
| 1978 | 32 | St. Louis Cardinals | |
| 1987 | 31 | Kansas City Royals | |
| 1997 | 7 | Toronto Blue Jays | |
| 2000 | 12 | Seattle Mariners | |
| 2001 | 21 | Atlanta Braves | |
| 2002 | 20 | Seattle Mariners | |
| 2002 | 11 | Seattle Mariners | |
| 2003 | 22 | Anaheim Angels | |
| 2004 | 40 | Cincinnati Reds | |
| 2004 | 27 | Detroit Tigers | |
| 2004 | 17 | Baltimore Orioles | |
| 2005 | 9 | Toronto Blue Jays | |
| 2007 | 25 | Houston Astros | |
| 2009 | 34 | Washington Nationals | |
| 2012 | 21 | Miami Marlins | |
| 2014 | 39 | Cleveland Indians | |
| 2014 | 27 | Cincinnati Reds | |
| 2024 | 19 | New York Yankees | |