Kentucky pitching coach Jim Belanger leaving for Florida State

There will be significant changes to the Kentucky Wildcats baseball coaching staff in 2019.

Two days following the news that recruiting coordinator and third base coach Roland Fanning would not be returning to Lexington, Derek Terry of Cats Pause is reporting pitching coach Jim Belanger is leaving the program to take the same position at Florida State.

Before coming to Kentucky in 2017, Belanger was the pitching coach for the Maryland Terrapins. There, he helped develop several future MLB Draft picks, including current Boston Red Sox reliever Mike Shawaryn.

Since coming to Kentucky in 2017, Belanger has helped develop 12 pitchers selected in the MLB Draft, including Sean Hjelle, Justin Lewis, Zach Pop, and most recently, Zack Thompson.

All in all, 22 pitchers have heard their named called under Belanger’s wing in his college coaching career. At Florida State, Belanger will have the chance to take a Seminoles pitching staff that reached the 2019 College World Series take the next step towards winning a national championship.

His departure is a tough blow to a staff already having moved on from a respected coach in Fanning and a team coming off a 26-29 season in 2019.