Baseball
Niesen, Eric
Eric Niesen
- Title:
- Assistant Coach (Pitching)
- Email:
- niesenem@wfu.edu
Wake Forest baseball head coach Tom Walter announced the addition of Eric Niesen to the program as an assistant coach working directly with the pitching staff prior to the 2026 season.m
A former standout pitcher for the Deacs and one of the most respected minds in professional baseball development, Niesen returns to Winston-Salem after a successful run with the Houston Astros, where he most recently served as the organization’s Director of Pitching.
During his tenure, he played a key role in crafting and implementing the Astros’ pitching philosophy across all levels of the minor leagues, and was part of the 2022 World Series Championship and 2024 Triple-A National Title with the Sugar Land Space Cowboys.
Niesen helped develop MLB talent such as Hunter Brown, Spencer Arrighetti, Colton Gordon, and Ryan Gusto, and contributed to the Astros' building of a farm system that has produced over 57% of their current Major League roster, ranking among the top three in all of baseball for homegrown players. From 2022 to 2025, 13 minor league pitchers were called up to the Astros.
Under the guidance of Niesen, Houston’s minor league pitching staffs rank among the top ten in strikeout percentage for three consecutive seasons (2022–2024).
Prior to the Astros, Niesen served as the Pitching Coach at Georgetown University, where he led the program to multiple milestones, including a school-record four MLB Draft picks in a single year and significant improvements in ERA and strikeout metrics.
In 2019, the Georgetown pitching staff broke the program record for strikeouts in a season (488) and strikeouts per nine innings (9.12). The Hoyas led the BIG EAST in total strikeouts and three pitchers finished in the top five in the conference in strikeouts. GU ranked 44th in the country at the end of the regular season in strikeouts per nine innings.
In his first season with the Hoyas in 2018, the pitching staff improved its team ERA in BIG EAST play by nearly two full runs to 4.58. Two pitchers set single-season individual records as Brent Killam recorded 97 strikeouts and Jimmy Swad registered 12 saves. Georgetown pitchers twice earned BIG EAST Pitcher of the Week honors and three Hoya pitchers were selected to All-BIG EAST teams. The Blue & Gray qualified for the BIG EAST Championship for just the second time since 1986.
Niesen is no stranger to Wake Forest, having earned his bachelor’s degree in Communications in 2017 while serving as a Student Assistant Coach on the 2017 team that reached the NCAA Super Regionals.
Before beginning his coaching career, Niesen enjoyed a seven-year professional playing career after being selected in the third round of the 2007 MLB Draft by the New York Mets. He advanced to Double-A with the Mets and was later invited to Major League Spring Training with both the Mets and Seattle Mariners, and pitched at the Triple-A level with the Boston Red Sox during their 2013 World Series championship season.
Niesen also competed internationally in Venezuela and Puerto Rico, pitching in the Venezuelan Winter League Championship for Caribes and pitching in the prestigious Caribbean World Series.
As a player for the Demon Deacons, Niesen was a 2007 MLB Draft 3rd-round pick by the New York Mets following a standout collegiate career for the Demon Deacons.
Over his three years in a Wake uniform, Niesen combined to go 14-9, including a 6-5 record with a 3.00 ERA and 85 strikeouts in 84 innings in his final season.
What They’re Saying:
A former standout pitcher for the Deacs and one of the most respected minds in professional baseball development, Niesen returns to Winston-Salem after a successful run with the Houston Astros, where he most recently served as the organization’s Director of Pitching.
During his tenure, he played a key role in crafting and implementing the Astros’ pitching philosophy across all levels of the minor leagues, and was part of the 2022 World Series Championship and 2024 Triple-A National Title with the Sugar Land Space Cowboys.
Niesen helped develop MLB talent such as Hunter Brown, Spencer Arrighetti, Colton Gordon, and Ryan Gusto, and contributed to the Astros' building of a farm system that has produced over 57% of their current Major League roster, ranking among the top three in all of baseball for homegrown players. From 2022 to 2025, 13 minor league pitchers were called up to the Astros.
Under the guidance of Niesen, Houston’s minor league pitching staffs rank among the top ten in strikeout percentage for three consecutive seasons (2022–2024).
Prior to the Astros, Niesen served as the Pitching Coach at Georgetown University, where he led the program to multiple milestones, including a school-record four MLB Draft picks in a single year and significant improvements in ERA and strikeout metrics.
In 2019, the Georgetown pitching staff broke the program record for strikeouts in a season (488) and strikeouts per nine innings (9.12). The Hoyas led the BIG EAST in total strikeouts and three pitchers finished in the top five in the conference in strikeouts. GU ranked 44th in the country at the end of the regular season in strikeouts per nine innings.
In his first season with the Hoyas in 2018, the pitching staff improved its team ERA in BIG EAST play by nearly two full runs to 4.58. Two pitchers set single-season individual records as Brent Killam recorded 97 strikeouts and Jimmy Swad registered 12 saves. Georgetown pitchers twice earned BIG EAST Pitcher of the Week honors and three Hoya pitchers were selected to All-BIG EAST teams. The Blue & Gray qualified for the BIG EAST Championship for just the second time since 1986.
Niesen is no stranger to Wake Forest, having earned his bachelor’s degree in Communications in 2017 while serving as a Student Assistant Coach on the 2017 team that reached the NCAA Super Regionals.
Before beginning his coaching career, Niesen enjoyed a seven-year professional playing career after being selected in the third round of the 2007 MLB Draft by the New York Mets. He advanced to Double-A with the Mets and was later invited to Major League Spring Training with both the Mets and Seattle Mariners, and pitched at the Triple-A level with the Boston Red Sox during their 2013 World Series championship season.
Niesen also competed internationally in Venezuela and Puerto Rico, pitching in the Venezuelan Winter League Championship for Caribes and pitching in the prestigious Caribbean World Series.
As a player for the Demon Deacons, Niesen was a 2007 MLB Draft 3rd-round pick by the New York Mets following a standout collegiate career for the Demon Deacons.
Over his three years in a Wake uniform, Niesen combined to go 14-9, including a 6-5 record with a 3.00 ERA and 85 strikeouts in 84 innings in his final season.
What They’re Saying:
- Head Baseball Coach Tom Walter:
- “Eric Niesen is one of the most respected pitching minds at any level of baseball and we are fortunate to have him. His ascent through the Astros organization the last 5 years is nothing short of remarkable and speaks to who he is and his ability to identify and develop talent. We are thrilled that Eric, his wife Tina and their children Gideon, Casey Rae and Grady are part of the Deacon family.”
- Pitching Coach Eric Niesen:
- “I’m incredibly thankful to Coach Walter for the opportunity to return to Wake Forest. There’s something truly special about wearing the Old Gold & Black. With the unmatched resources of the pitching lab and the program’s continued investment, everything is in place for success. I’m excited to get to work and help keep building one of the top pitching staffs in college baseball.”
- Matt Hobbs, Arkansas Pitching Coach (former Wake Forest Pitching Coach):
- “Eric is one of the best pitching minds out there and Wake Forest is certainly lucky to have him lead the development of their pitching staff.”
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