Former Texas Tech great and big league outfielder Roger Kieschnick was announced as UTSA assistant coach on Aug. 17, 2018.
“It is an honor to name Roger Kieschnick as an Assistant Coach at UTSA,” Marshall said. “After meeting and getting to know Roger in the search process, and hearing what his former players and references had to say about him, I felt like he was the best man for the job. Roger is one of the rare people in the game who accomplished almost every goal a top player in the State of Texas would ever want to reach. The past two years he has coached some great offensive teams at McLennan College and helped them reach the JUCO World Series in 2017. Coach Kieschnick will be a huge asset on the recruiting trail and in the trenches with our hitters at UTSA. We are excited to welcome Roger and wife Claire into the UTSA family.”
A native of Rockwall, Texas, Kieschnick starred for the Red Raiders. He earned freshman All-America accolades in 2006, all-conference honors in each season and was twice on the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team. Kieschnick was a third-round selection in the 2008 MLB Draft by the San Francisco Giants.
“I could not be more excited and blessed to be a part of the UTSA family,” Kieschnick said. “I want to thank Coach Marshall and Dr. Campos for giving me this opportunity. Claire and I could not be happier to be a part of UTSA and San Antonio community. I can’t wait to get started working with our players and recruiting future athletes to this great school. I am excited to work with our staff as we strive to bring championships to UTSA.”
During his time at Texas Tech, Kieschnick played in 168 games, batting .322 (222-for-689) with 54 doubles, 39 homers, 156 RBI and 23 steals. As a junior, he cranked 17 homers and drove in 65.
Kieschnick, a five-time minor league all-star, put up monster numbers in his first professional season in 2009, hitting .296 in high class-A with 37 doubles, eight triples, 23 homers and 110 RBI, owning a .876 OPS. He made his MLB debut in 2013 with the Giants, playing in 38 games. He shifted to the Arizona Diamondbacks organization in 2014, playing in 25 MLB games for the D-Backs. He wrapped up his professional career in the Mexican League in 2016.
Over the last two seasons, Kieschnick has been coaching with McLennan Community College. He worked directly with hitters and outfielders, while manning the first-base box during games. He helped lead McLennan to the 2017 NTJCAC and Regional V Championship, falling in the NJCAA World Series, good for a fifth-place finish in the nation. Overall, McLennan became one of the top offenses in the junior college ranks under his tutelage, with the team ranking fourth in the NJCAA in runs, third in hits, second in doubles, third in homers, third in RBI, fourth in slugging, seventh in walks and 11th in on-base percentage. McLennan also ranked fourth in the nation in fielding percentage. Six players earned all-conference honors, with five of his hitters picked in the 2017 MLB Draft.
In 2018, Kieschnick’s offense again ranked among the nation’s leaders in homers (29th), runs (35th), walks (15th) and fielding percentage (.968). McLennan advanced to the regional championship and had four players in all-conference accolades, including catcher Josh Breaux, who was a second-round pick in the 2018 MLB Draft. Breaux was the first junior college player picked in the draft and moved up from a 36th round pick in 2017 to a second-round pick after his season at McLennan.
Kieschnick earned his undergraduate degree from Texas Tech in 2017, returning to complete his degree program after wrapping up his professional career.
“It is an honor to name Roger Kieschnick as an Assistant Coach at UTSA,” Marshall said. “After meeting and getting to know Roger in the search process, and hearing what his former players and references had to say about him, I felt like he was the best man for the job. Roger is one of the rare people in the game who accomplished almost every goal a top player in the State of Texas would ever want to reach. The past two years he has coached some great offensive teams at McLennan College and helped them reach the JUCO World Series in 2017. Coach Kieschnick will be a huge asset on the recruiting trail and in the trenches with our hitters at UTSA. We are excited to welcome Roger and wife Claire into the UTSA family.”
A native of Rockwall, Texas, Kieschnick starred for the Red Raiders. He earned freshman All-America accolades in 2006, all-conference honors in each season and was twice on the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team. Kieschnick was a third-round selection in the 2008 MLB Draft by the San Francisco Giants.
“I could not be more excited and blessed to be a part of the UTSA family,” Kieschnick said. “I want to thank Coach Marshall and Dr. Campos for giving me this opportunity. Claire and I could not be happier to be a part of UTSA and San Antonio community. I can’t wait to get started working with our players and recruiting future athletes to this great school. I am excited to work with our staff as we strive to bring championships to UTSA.”
During his time at Texas Tech, Kieschnick played in 168 games, batting .322 (222-for-689) with 54 doubles, 39 homers, 156 RBI and 23 steals. As a junior, he cranked 17 homers and drove in 65.
Kieschnick, a five-time minor league all-star, put up monster numbers in his first professional season in 2009, hitting .296 in high class-A with 37 doubles, eight triples, 23 homers and 110 RBI, owning a .876 OPS. He made his MLB debut in 2013 with the Giants, playing in 38 games. He shifted to the Arizona Diamondbacks organization in 2014, playing in 25 MLB games for the D-Backs. He wrapped up his professional career in the Mexican League in 2016.
Over the last two seasons, Kieschnick has been coaching with McLennan Community College. He worked directly with hitters and outfielders, while manning the first-base box during games. He helped lead McLennan to the 2017 NTJCAC and Regional V Championship, falling in the NJCAA World Series, good for a fifth-place finish in the nation. Overall, McLennan became one of the top offenses in the junior college ranks under his tutelage, with the team ranking fourth in the NJCAA in runs, third in hits, second in doubles, third in homers, third in RBI, fourth in slugging, seventh in walks and 11th in on-base percentage. McLennan also ranked fourth in the nation in fielding percentage. Six players earned all-conference honors, with five of his hitters picked in the 2017 MLB Draft.
In 2018, Kieschnick’s offense again ranked among the nation’s leaders in homers (29th), runs (35th), walks (15th) and fielding percentage (.968). McLennan advanced to the regional championship and had four players in all-conference accolades, including catcher Josh Breaux, who was a second-round pick in the 2018 MLB Draft. Breaux was the first junior college player picked in the draft and moved up from a 36th round pick in 2017 to a second-round pick after his season at McLennan.
Kieschnick earned his undergraduate degree from Texas Tech in 2017, returning to complete his degree program after wrapping up his professional career.