Thomas Eager joined the Bears' coaching staff for the 2015-16 season after three years as the pitching coach at Cal Poly under head coach Larry Lee.
In his first year at Cal, Eager saw his staff compile a 3.20 ERA, the program's second-best team mark in the last five seasons. Thanks in part to his pitchers' efforts, the Bears finished with a 32-21 overall record. After the season, three Cal pitchers were selected in the Major League Baseball First Year Player Draft, including first round lottery pick Daulton Jefferies, who was taken No. 37 overall by the Oakland A's.
In 2017, Eager directed one of the youngest pitching staffs in the country, helping freshman Jared Horn evolve into a Friday starter in his first collegiate season while also helping closer Erik Martinez land a spot on the midseason Stopper of the Year watch list.
The Mustangs pitching staff compiled an earned-run-average of 3.50 under Eager’s tutelage and set a new school record in 2014 for lowest ERA in a season since moving to Division I (3.05). The Mustangs rode their stellar pitching to a 47-12 record, also a program-best mark since the move, as well as a number one seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Seven Cal Poly pitchers were selected in the Major League Baseball First Year Player Draft during Eager’s tenure with the Mustangs, including a pair this past June. Left-hander Matt Imhof was Cal Poly’s highest selection during that time, when he was picked in the second round, 47th overall by the Philadelphia Phillies in 2014.
Prior to his time as the pitching coach, Eager spent two seasons as the Director of Operations for his alma mater, Cal Poly, where he pitched in 2006 and 2007.
Eager spent four seasons in the minor leagues after his fifth round selection in 2007 by the St. Louis Cardinals. He played for the Batavia Muckdogs (short-season A), Quad Cities River Bandits (A), Palm Beach Cardinals (High-A) and Springfield Cardinals (AA), where he posted a 15-21 record during his professional career.
The Visalia, Calif. native finished his sophomore season at Cal Poly in 2007 with an 11-3 ledger, notching a 3.43 ERA with 99 strikeouts in 126.0 innings of work on his way to first team All-Big West accolades. As a redshirt freshman in 2006, Eager compiled a 1-2 record with a 4.15 ERA.
A three-year varsity letterman, Eager was a first-team All-Central California Conference selection as a senior at Merced High School. Eager was also a second team all-conference choice as a junior and helped the Bears to a CIF Sac-Joaquin Section title as a sophomore in 2002.
Eager, 29, earned a bachelor of science degree in business management from the University of Phoenix in May of 2012 after studying business administration at Cal Poly.
Thomas and his wife Jenna have two sons, Trey and Blake.
