DeLand, Fla. ? Stetson Head Baseball Coach Pete Dunn has announced that Chris Roberts will be the latest addition to the baseball staff. Roberts will replace Garrett Quinn as pitching coach. Associate Head Coach Mitch Markham will assume Quinn's responsibilities as recruiting coordinator.
“We are extremely happy to have Chris on board. He brings a wealth of experience to our program”, said Dunn. “He will make an immediate impact with our players. His previous pitching staffs have been known for being extremely competitive and mentally tough.”
“His background in recruiting will allow him to combine with Mitch and form a great team”, he added.
Roberts comes to Stetson from UNC Greensboro where he was an assistant for one season after spending four seasons as the pitching coach at NC State where he coached two All-Americans at NC State and three first-team All-ACC pitchers. Prior to joining the Wolfpack, Roberts spent two seasons at Western Carolina and a season as a volunteer at Flagler College in Florida.
Roberts graduated from Florida State where he was an outstanding two-way player as an outfielder and pitcher. He was a two-time All-American and played in the College World Series in 1991 and 1992. Although he did not pitch in the game, he played for the team that defeated Stetson 2-0 in the 1992 Regional. He also played for Team USA in the 1991 Pan Am Games and was the starting left fielder for the USA Olympic squad in 1992 in Barcelona
“This opportunity is exciting for me and my family. I grew up in Middleburg so returning to Florida will be nice”, said Roberts. “I have always followed the Stetson baseball program and look forward to joining the staff. Working for Coach Dunn will be great for me professionally. There is a lot I can learn from him. I hope to add something to the team and look forward to helping the program break through and win in the Regionals.”
Roberts was selected by the New York Mets in the first round of the 1992 draft and played in the Mets organization from 1993-97. Roberts was regarded as a Top 10 prospect for the Mets and went 13-5 with a 2.75 ERA in his first season at Class-A St. Lucie, earning a spot in the Florida State League All-Star Game. He won 13 games again the following year at Class-AA Binghamton, helping the Mets to the Eastern League title.
He later had one-year stints with Oakland (1998), Colorado (1999) and Milwaukee (2001), along with a season in the Japanese Pacific League (2000). He played on the Class-AAA level with New York, Oakland and Milwaukee before retiring from his playing career at the end of the 2001 season.
