Daniel Latham enters his second season as the Hatters’ Pitching Coach. In 2023 he helped lead the Hatters to a 35-23 record and a 2nd Place finish in the A-Sun Conference. Latham was instrumental in the development of Austin Amaral 16th round draft pick to the Washington Nationals.
A native of Covington, La., Latham spent the 2019-2022 seasons as the pitching coach at his alma mater., Tulane University. In his final three years at Tulane, the Green Wave were ranked in the Top 25 at points of each season. During the shortened 2020 season, the Green Wave had a 15-2 record when the season ended thanks in part to the 3.06 team ERA and an average of almost 10 strikeouts per game.
Braden Oltfhoff was the standout, posting a 4-0 mark with a 0.32 ERA and 47 strikeouts against just three walks. He came back in 2021 to post a 6-3 record with a 3.78 ERA, recording 91 strikeouts against just 11 walks before being selected in the 9th round of the MLB draft, the first of four Green Wave pitchers picked in the draft that year.
In 2022, with a pitching staff made up of mostly freshmen and sophomores, Tulane posted a 33-26 record, including a 7-1 mark by freshman Grant Siegel with a 3.02 ERA. Sophomore closer Zach DeVito also had a stellar season with a 4-1 record and nine saves.
Prior to returning to Tulane, Latham served as the Associate Head Coach/Pitching Coach at Southeastern Louisiana University from 2011-18, helping the Lions to two Southland Conference titles and three NCAA Tournament appearances. At Southeastern, Latham built one of the most efficient pitching staffs in the nation, earning the distinction as one of only five programs in the nation to finish in the top 30 in ERA from 2014-16. In 2016 the Lions finished eighth in the nation with a 3.01 ERA, 38th with a 2.42 strike-to-walk ratio and 22nd in WHIP. In 2014 and 2015 SLU ranked 27th and 28th in ERA, respectively, and the 2015 squad ranked seventh with a 3.27 strike-to-walk ratio.
His pitchers totaled 15 All-Southland Conference honors in seven seasons, including two SLC Relief Pitchers of the Year and a conference Freshman of the Year. In addition, closer Stefan Lopez was named National Stopper of the Year in 2012.
Latham also spent one season as the pitching coach at VMI, helping the Keydets post the fourth lowest team ERA in program history. He began his coaching career at High Point University. In 2010, the Panthers posted their first winning season in their Division-1 history.
A 2019 inductee to the Tulane University Athletics Hall-of-Fame, Latham appeared in 122 games for the Green Wave from 2004-07. He helped Tulane to a Conference USA title, three NCAA Regionals, two Super Regionals, as well as a trip to the 2005 College World Series. He earned CUSA All-Freshman honors, was a Cape Cod League All-Star in 2006, a Pre-Season All-American in 2007, and was a four-year member of the C-USA Commissioner’s Honor Roll. Latham still ranks second all-time at Tulane with his 122 pitching appearances and third with 1.77 walks per nine innings. He compiled a career-high 14 saves in 35 appearances in 2006, 13 saves in 31 appearances in 2005 and 10 saves in 29 appearances in 2007, all of which rank among the top 10 single seasons in program history. His 43 career saves still ranks 9th in NCAA history.
Latham was selected in the 2007 MLB Draft in the 15th round by the Minnesota Twins and was a member of the 2007 Appalachian League Champions, Elizabethton Twins.
Overall, Latham has had 33 pitchers selected in the MLB draft, has produced seven All-Americans and 23 All-Conference hurlers.
Latham received his degree in Communications from Tulane in 2007. He and his wife, Shiloh, have one son, Keane.
