Photo by: Virginia Athletics
Baseball Welcomes Mike Garza to Coaching Staff
Oct 05 | Baseball
Texas native played four seasons in Brewers’ system
PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Rutgers baseball head coach Steve Owens welcomes Mike Garza to the staff as an assistant coach. Primarily focused on the daily development of infielders, Garza will assist with the hitters and baserunning. He will also be responsible for video analysis, defensive alignments, scouting reports and assist with recruiting efforts. In addition, Garza will run all of the camps and clinics throughout the entire year.
"Mike is an excellent coach who brings a ton of energy and experience to our program," Owens said. "He was an outstanding collegiate and pro player and is equally as talented and driven to succeed as a teacher. Our players will benefit greatly from his knowledge of the game and how clear and committed he is with his methods and communication. We are very fortunate to have him with us as we continue to build our program. We welcome Mike, Danielle and Marcus to our baseball family and to the campus community here at Rutgers!"
"First and foremost, I would like to thank Coach Owens for the opportunity to become a part of such a special program and coaching staff," Garza said. "My family and I are excited to join the rising success and rich tradition of Rutgers baseball, and we look forward to experiencing continued success in the years to come. I am honored to be able to work with such dedicated and driven student-athletes and coaches as they continue to add to the accomplishments of Rutgers Athletics in the Big Ten Conference."
Garza spent the last three seasons on the Virginia staff as the program's coordinator of video and scouting. The Cavaliers advanced to the College World Series in 2021, including winning four-straight elimination games in regional play.
Garza previously worked as an assistant coach at Navy in 2018. The Midshipmen posted 38 wins, the second most in program history, en route to the Patriot League Championship series.
Garza, who was drafted in the 20th round of the 2012 MLB Draft by the Milwaukee Brewers, spent four seasons in the Brewers' minor league system. During that time, he played in 260 combined games over the Rookie, Low-A and Advanced-A levels, with a .283 batting average, 91 runs scored, 66 extra-base hits and 95 RBIs. In 2015 and 2016, Garza joined the independent ranks and played with the Joliet Slammers of the Frontier League. As a corner infielder in 113 games, he compiled a .290 batting average with 55 runs, 39 extra-base hits and 66 RBIs in his two seasons.
Prior to professional baseball, Garza's collegiate playing career began at Stanford University before transferring to Georgetown University following his freshman season. As a member of the Hoyas, Garza suited up in the infield for 110 games and earned All-Big East First Team and ABCA All Mid-East Region playing honors in 2012.
His prowess in the regular season college ranks came in addition to his success on the summer baseball circuit with accolades including a nod as a 2010 Valley Baseball League All-Star and 2011 Cape Cod Baseball League Playoff MVP. As a member of the Harwich Mariners of the CCBL in 2011, Garza spearheaded the team's title run and second league championship in four seasons.
A 2012 graduate of Georgetown University, Garza is a native of San Antonio, Texas, where he grew up and played high school baseball. Helping guide his team to two Texas 5-A State Playoff berths, Garza finished his prep career with a number of accolades including being named the 2008 Texas High School Baseball Player of the Year.
Garza resides with his wife, Danielle and their son, Marcus. The son of Dr. Ramon Garza and Mercedes Garza, Mike has two younger brothers, Eric (Georgetown University '17) and Ramon (University of Texas at Dallas '21). Eric, a musician/artist, also known as "Eric Heron," played collegiately at Texas Christian University (TCU), San Jacinto College and Georgetown University, where he participated in both the NCAA College World Series in 2014 and the NJCAA World Series in 2015. Ramon is in his second year at UTD after transferring in from Cornell.
Playing a 44-game schedule all within the Big Ten in 2021 amidst a pandemic, the Scarlet Knights earned their best placement (eighth) and winning percentage (.477) in Big Ten play since joining the conference. That included winning six series, a 7-5 mark against NCAA Regional qualifiers and at least one victory over each team in the league. In addition, RU led the conference in road wins (13).
The campaign was highlighted by a five-game winning streak over ranked Michigan and Nebraska, all on the road. Rutgers was the only team in the Big Ten to win a series over league champion Nebraska. Through 24 games, a standard Big Ten season, RU set Big Ten team season records in wins (12), runs (141), homers (35), total bases (356), slugging percentage (.430), on-base percentage (.353), strikeouts recorded (196), least walks allowed (72), batting average against (.254) and saves (7).
Follow Rutgers Athletics on Facebook and Twitter (@RUAthletics) for all of the latest news and updates. For specific updates regarding baseball, follow the program on Twitter (@RutgersBaseball), Instagram (@rutgersbaseball) and Facebook (/BaseballRU). For additional updates, please download the Scarlet Knights App via the app store or play store.
"Mike is an excellent coach who brings a ton of energy and experience to our program," Owens said. "He was an outstanding collegiate and pro player and is equally as talented and driven to succeed as a teacher. Our players will benefit greatly from his knowledge of the game and how clear and committed he is with his methods and communication. We are very fortunate to have him with us as we continue to build our program. We welcome Mike, Danielle and Marcus to our baseball family and to the campus community here at Rutgers!"
"First and foremost, I would like to thank Coach Owens for the opportunity to become a part of such a special program and coaching staff," Garza said. "My family and I are excited to join the rising success and rich tradition of Rutgers baseball, and we look forward to experiencing continued success in the years to come. I am honored to be able to work with such dedicated and driven student-athletes and coaches as they continue to add to the accomplishments of Rutgers Athletics in the Big Ten Conference."
Garza spent the last three seasons on the Virginia staff as the program's coordinator of video and scouting. The Cavaliers advanced to the College World Series in 2021, including winning four-straight elimination games in regional play.
Garza previously worked as an assistant coach at Navy in 2018. The Midshipmen posted 38 wins, the second most in program history, en route to the Patriot League Championship series.
Garza, who was drafted in the 20th round of the 2012 MLB Draft by the Milwaukee Brewers, spent four seasons in the Brewers' minor league system. During that time, he played in 260 combined games over the Rookie, Low-A and Advanced-A levels, with a .283 batting average, 91 runs scored, 66 extra-base hits and 95 RBIs. In 2015 and 2016, Garza joined the independent ranks and played with the Joliet Slammers of the Frontier League. As a corner infielder in 113 games, he compiled a .290 batting average with 55 runs, 39 extra-base hits and 66 RBIs in his two seasons.
Prior to professional baseball, Garza's collegiate playing career began at Stanford University before transferring to Georgetown University following his freshman season. As a member of the Hoyas, Garza suited up in the infield for 110 games and earned All-Big East First Team and ABCA All Mid-East Region playing honors in 2012.
His prowess in the regular season college ranks came in addition to his success on the summer baseball circuit with accolades including a nod as a 2010 Valley Baseball League All-Star and 2011 Cape Cod Baseball League Playoff MVP. As a member of the Harwich Mariners of the CCBL in 2011, Garza spearheaded the team's title run and second league championship in four seasons.
A 2012 graduate of Georgetown University, Garza is a native of San Antonio, Texas, where he grew up and played high school baseball. Helping guide his team to two Texas 5-A State Playoff berths, Garza finished his prep career with a number of accolades including being named the 2008 Texas High School Baseball Player of the Year.
Garza resides with his wife, Danielle and their son, Marcus. The son of Dr. Ramon Garza and Mercedes Garza, Mike has two younger brothers, Eric (Georgetown University '17) and Ramon (University of Texas at Dallas '21). Eric, a musician/artist, also known as "Eric Heron," played collegiately at Texas Christian University (TCU), San Jacinto College and Georgetown University, where he participated in both the NCAA College World Series in 2014 and the NJCAA World Series in 2015. Ramon is in his second year at UTD after transferring in from Cornell.
Playing a 44-game schedule all within the Big Ten in 2021 amidst a pandemic, the Scarlet Knights earned their best placement (eighth) and winning percentage (.477) in Big Ten play since joining the conference. That included winning six series, a 7-5 mark against NCAA Regional qualifiers and at least one victory over each team in the league. In addition, RU led the conference in road wins (13).
The campaign was highlighted by a five-game winning streak over ranked Michigan and Nebraska, all on the road. Rutgers was the only team in the Big Ten to win a series over league champion Nebraska. Through 24 games, a standard Big Ten season, RU set Big Ten team season records in wins (12), runs (141), homers (35), total bases (356), slugging percentage (.430), on-base percentage (.353), strikeouts recorded (196), least walks allowed (72), batting average against (.254) and saves (7).
Follow Rutgers Athletics on Facebook and Twitter (@RUAthletics) for all of the latest news and updates. For specific updates regarding baseball, follow the program on Twitter (@RutgersBaseball), Instagram (@rutgersbaseball) and Facebook (/BaseballRU). For additional updates, please download the Scarlet Knights App via the app store or play store.
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