Oklahoma State Announces Hiring of New Pitching Coach

Oklahoma State has officially hired a new pitching coach.

After Rob Walton announced his retirement as OSU’s pitching coach, it was wondered who might fill that void. On Wednesday, OSU made its choice official, announcing the signing of Blake Hawksworth as the next pitching coach in Stillwater.

After OSU lost in a regional again in 2025, adding someone like Hawksworth could be the first step toward getting the program to the next level. After the hire, OSU coach Josh Holliday had no shortage of great things to say about his team’s newest coach. 

"I spoke with people all across the country about who the top pitching minds in the game were and what made them special," Holliday said. "We wanted someone who could really connect with our pitchers on a personal level while providing top-level instruction to them in the pursuits of performance excellence.

"Blake's unique background as a player in Major League Baseball and now as a coach has introduced him to some of the brightest minds in the game, and his pitching knowledge gained as a performer and now that of a modern baseball instructor and coach is going to really bring a lot to the program.

"Our pitchers will enjoy his personality, his life experience, his mentorship and his passion for teaching and developing, and he's a great fit with our staff as we create an awesome learning environment with all the modern tools at our disposal."

Hawksworth has spent the past two seasons as the pitching coach at Oregon and has plenty of experience around the game. Before going to Oregon in 2024, Hawksworth had spent most of the past decade as a pitching coach, filling that position at both the college and high school levels.

Hawksworth also spent some time in the major leagues, pitching for the St. Louis Cardinals and Los Angeles Dodgers in his three-year MLB career.

"I'm incredibly honored and excited to join the Oklahoma State baseball program," Hawksworth said. "This is a storied program with a tradition of excellence, and I'm grateful to Coach Holliday and the entire staff for the opportunity. I look forward to developing our pitchers both on and off the field, competing at the highest level and helping bring championships to Stillwater. Go Pokes!"