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Gentry Hiring

Baseball

Baseball Hires Myles Gentry as Director of Player Development

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Head Coach Tony David of the Samford Baseball Team announced Thursday the hiring of Myles Gentry as Director of Player Development.
 
"We are elated to have Myles join our staff in what is a home run hire for us," Coach David said. He was an outstanding pitcher in college and brings the knowledge that comes from having been a professional in the coaching ranks for several years at the junior-college level as a pitching coach and comes highly recommended.
 
In his role as Director of Player Development, Gentry will oversee all technology, Trackman, watch communications, etc. as well as other assigned duties.
 
"My wife and I could not be more excited to join the Samford family," Gentry said. "I want to thank Coach David for this incredible opportunity to join an amazing staff and a program whose tradition speaks for itself. I can't wait to get to campus and get to work!"
 
Gentry comes to Samford from Jones College in Ellisville, Miss., where he spent two stints on staff with the Bobcats. In his most recent tenure from 2021-2023, Gentry served as the team pitching coach. From 2017-2019 Gentry served as an assistant coach, working primarily with the pitchers and infielders.
 
"So many things go into the hiring process," Coach David said. "I talk so much here about 'fit' when it comes to recruiting and building a staff. Knowledge and talent matter, but getting a guy in here we felt would be a great fit for our staff and community will always be at the top of the list.
 
In between his first and second stints in Ellisville, Gentry worked as the pitching coach at Desoto Central High School in Southaven, Miss.
 
Gentry played collegiate baseball at Mississippi State University from 2012-17, where he compiled a record of 4-2 over 47 appearances. He compiled a 4-1 with a 3.69 ERA in 31.2 innings in 2013, a year that saw the Bulldogs finish national runner-up to UCLA in the College World Series.
 
"Honestly the hope was we would get a great candidate that had no Samford baseball ties," Coach David said. "Myles brings another perspective, an 'outside' voice, and a new set of contacts for us to tap into as a staff and program. It is an amazing group of guys that will mesh well together and continue to develop our players at the highest level."
 
The addition of Gentry rounds out the coaching staff for the 2024 Bulldogs. Earlier this summer coach David announced the addition of former Bulldog Gil Walker staff. Pitching Coach and Recruiting Coordinator Tyler Shrout and Cam Shepherd return from the staff that led the 2023 historic baseball championship season. Coach David and Shrout remain the only two recruiting coordinators over the last 20 years the baseball program has had.
 
"We have discussed the incredible progress this program has made in a short amount of time a lot this summer," Coach David said. "There is so much to be proud of. Our staff took over in a year when we had so many seniors, the beginning of the portal madness, and our best arm being drafted. It was a start over of sorts for the program that had a lot of good traditions. My head coach Steve Kittrell would always say 'Becoming a winner is hard. Staying a winner year-to-year is much harder'. Getting back to the NCAA tournament was important for this program. It is our standard that we want to build on and move beyond to the next round."
 
One unique aspect of Coach David's time at Samford, was his first recruiting class as the Recruiting Coordinator came in and won the OVC Regular Season Conference title and his first recruiting class as a head coach came in and won the SoCon Regular Season Conference Championship.
 
"Obviously a lot of people are involved with both of those groups but I am proud of those accomplishments here. We are all excited and ready to get back to work on the field!
 
Gentry earned his Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from Mississippi State in May of 2017, with an emphasis in Sports Studies and Communication. He received his Master of Science in Sports Administration from Arkansas State University in May 0f 2023.
 
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