Former Wolverine Fetter Named Michigan Pitching Coach
7/24/2017 12:06:00 PM | Baseball
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan baseball program and head coach Erik Bakich announced Monday (July 24) that former Wolverine Chris Fetter will join the U-M coaching staff as the program's pitching coach. Fetter, who served the Los Angeles Dodgers as the minor league pitching coordinator prior to this appointment, will bring a wealth of both collegiate and professional experience to the Maize and Blue.
"We could not be more excited to welcome Chris Fetter and his amazing wife Jessica back to the Michigan Baseball family," said Bakich. "Our goal in this search was to find the very best developer of talent -- a true pitching technician, who can help all of our pitchers reach their maximum potential. The Dodgers are on the cutting edge of player development, and Chris brings extensive experience coaching, scouting and coordinating in professional baseball."
Fetter joined the Dodgers in the fall of 2016 after serving as the pitching coach at Ball State University for one season. During that time, he guided the Cardinals to a 4.31 team earned run average, which ranked second in the Mid-American Conference.
A four-year letterwinner at Michigan, Fetter became an All-American for the Wolverines and was a three-time All-Big Ten selection while guiding the Maize and Blue to three Big Ten championships and four NCAA appearances. He ranks first in Michigan history with 332.1 career innings pitched, third with 28 career wins, and third with 281 career strikeouts.
"My wife, Jessica, and I couldn't be more excited to return home to Michigan," said Fetter. "This university holds a special place in my heart, and to be able to come back and join Coach Bakich's staff is a dream come true. The culture Erik has created and his vision for the future is beyond impressive, and I look forward to rejoining the Michigan baseball family and leading the pitching staff for years to come."
Fetter graduated from Michigan in 2009 and was drafted by the San Diego Padres the following June in the ninth round of the Major League Baseball Draft. He spent four years with the Padres as a pitcher in the minor leagues before turning to the coaching ranks and serving on the 2013 San Antonio Missions (Double-A) staff.
Prior to joining the collegiate ranks at Ball State, Fetter worked for the Los Angeles Angels as a minor league scout for three seasons.
"His professional background combined with his loyalty and love for Michigan made Chris an obvious target from the start," notes Bakich. "He had an incredible Wolverine career as an All-American, three-time Big Ten champion, made four straight regional appearances and played in one super regional. Chris returning to Michigan to be our pitching coach further solidifies an extremely bright future for our program as we build on the championship success he experienced as a player while developing top professional prospects."
Michigan finished the 2017 campaign with a 42-17 record and a second-place finish in the Big Ten Conference before advancing to regionals for the second time in the last three years.
