STARKVILLE — Mississippi State Director of Athletics John Cohen named LSU assistant coach Andy Cannizaro the new MSU baseball coach Saturday morning.
Cohen, who was announced as MSU’s director of athletics Friday afternoon, spent the last eight seasons leading MSU’s baseball team. In 2013, MSU finished as the national runner-up to UCLA in the College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska. Last season, Cohen earned Southeastern Conference Coach of the Year after leading the Bulldogs to the SEC regular-season championship.
The details of Cannizaro’s contract weren’t announced. He will be introduced at 3 p.m. Monday in the Bryce Griffis Boardroom.
“Andy is a person I’ve known for a while,” Cohen said. “He’s an outstanding person, and he’s an outstanding coach.
“When you look at all of the characteristics we need in a baseball coach at Mississippi State, Andy is the perfect fit. He has an outstanding resume as a recruiter and scout in evaluating and developing talent. He’s been around some of the best minds in all of baseball during his college and professional career. His personality and knowledge of the game will benefit our players.”
Cannizaro was hired at LSU in 2014 after serving as a New York Yankees scout for five years. He was a four-year starter at Tulane (1998-2001) and played in the organizations of the New York Yankees, the Tampa Bay Rays, the Cleveland Indians, and the Chicago White Sox. He reached the major leagues with the Yankees in September 2006 and with the Rays in 2008.
“I am extremely honored and humbled by the opportunity to become the head baseball coach at Mississippi State, and would like to thank President Mark Keenum and John Cohen for trusting me to continue the success of this historic program into the future,” Cannizaro said in a statement released by MSU. “My family and I could not be more excited to become a part of the Starkville community. Our team and our staff understand the tradition and pride in Mississippi State baseball and will be relentless in our pursuit of our first national championship.”
LSU middle infielder Kramer Robertson tweeted: “So many things I could say but I’ll keep it short… Andy Cannizaro saved my career and I am forever grateful. Miss St. got a great one.”
Cannizaro, 37, served as hitting coach and recruiting coordinator at LSU under coach Paul Mainieri since July 2014. He coached six Tigers to All-America recognition and played a role in helping 11 players get drafted. Five were selected in the first five rounds.
One of Cannizaro’s top proteges, Alex Bregman, became the highest drafted batter in LSU history, going No. 2 to the Houston Astros in the 2015 Major League Baseball First-Year Player draft. It took Bregman, a two-time All-American and Golden Spikes Award finalist, one year to reach the majors.
In 2015, Cannizaro helped LSU finish among the NCAA’s top seven in five offensive categories. LSU led the nation in hits (762) and finished third in stolen bases (130) and doubles (146), fourth in batting average (.314), and seventh in runs (451).
Last season, LSU still had one of the SEC’s top offenses after losing eight starters. The Tigers finished the year ranked first in the SEC in stolen bases (95), second in runs (426) and triples (21), third in scoring (six-and-a-half runs), and third in on-base percentage (0.385) and slugging percentage (.422).
Prior to his time at LSU, Cannizaro worked as a Yankees scout from 2009-2014, evaluating and recruiting amateur players in preparation for the annual MLB draft. He was the Yankees’ official representative at the 2013 and 2014 MLB drafts. He also worked as the advance scout for the team as it prepared for the 2011 and 2012 playoffs.
Cannizaro was the Yankees’ seventh-round selection in the 2001 MLB draft, and he played in the organization for seven seasons. He joined the Rays in 2008 and was on the club’s big-league roster for the first two months of the season. He later played for the AAA affiliates of the Cleveland Indians and Chicago White Sox before retiring in September 2009.
Cannizaro was a four-year starter at Tulane. He led the 2001 Green Wave squad to the first College World Series appearance in school history by hitting .395 with 118 hits, 34 doubles, 70 RBIs and 52 stolen bases.
A two-time All-American and three-time All-Conference USA performer, Cannizaro is Tulane’s all-time leader in games (248), at-bats (1,030), hits (350), doubles (85), and stolen bases (128). He was inducted into the Tulane Athletics Hall of Fame in 2007.
A native of Mandeville, Louisiana, Cannizaro graduated from Tulane in December 2001 with a bachelor’s degree in sociology/business minor. He and his wife, Allison, are the parents of Gabrielle, 6, and Pierce, 3.
Follow Dispatch sports writer Ben Wait on Twitter @bcwait
Ben Wait reports on Mississippi State University sports for The Dispatch.
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