PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Rutgers baseball head coach Steve Owens rounds out his staff for the 2026 season with the addition of New Jersey native and former Major League Baseball player Frank Schwindel as the Director of Player Personnel.
 
In his role, Schwindel will provide strategic input to assist the coaching staff with recruitment, roster management and evaluation.
 
A native of Livingston, New Jersey and former standout for Livingston High School and St. John's, Schwindel was drafted in the third round of the 2013 MLB Draft by the Kansas City Royals. He would make his Major League debut in 2019 with the Royals before later signing with the Cubs.
 
Schwindel had his breakout season in 2021 with the Cubs, batting .342 with a 1.002 OPS and hitting 13 home runs, 19 doubles with 40 RBIs in just 56 games. He finished sixth in National League Rookie of the Year voting that season.
 
After a three-year career in majors, Schwindel played professionally in the Dominican Republic, Japan, the United States (Atlantic League) and Mexico.
 
Schwindel played at St. John's from 2011-13, where he was teammates with current Rutgers assistant coach Danny Bethea from 2012-13. He hit .327 over 148 games for the Red Storm, hitting nine home runs, 32 doubles, one triple, driving in 94 and scoring 81 runs. He was named to the 2012 Chapel Hill Regional All-Tournament Team after helping St. John's advance to the Tucson Super Regional.
 
At Livingston High School, Schwindel was a team captain for the Lancers and was named Second Team All-State and First Team All-Group 4 as a senior, while also being named Essex County Scholar Athlete of the Year. He was inducted into the Livingston High School Hall of Fame in 2021.
 
Schwindel lives in Livingston with his wife, Katherine, and two sons, Frank Jr. and Cameron.