McKinney comes to Oakland from Akron
ROCHESTER, Mich.–Dan McKinney has been named Assistant Coach for the Oakland baseball team announced Head Coach Jordon Banfield. McKinney comes to the Golden Grizzlies after spending two years as the Pitching Coach at Akron.
“I’m honored that Dan decided to join me at Oakland. As a former player of mine and a guy I worked with previously, I’ve seen first-hand how dedicated he is to making the program successful,” said Banfield. “He’s a proven developer of pitchers and will run that part of the team. “Dan is also a grinder on the recruiting trail, an outstanding evaluator of talent and will do a tremendous job building relationships in the area.”
In a shortened 2020 season, McKinney’s pitching staff at Akron finished fourth among Mid-American Conference teams in walks allowed per nine innings and opponents’ batting average.
Prior to Akron, McKinney served as the Volunteer Assistant and Assistant Pitching Coach at Miami University in 2018.
During the 2017 and 2018 season, McKinney spent time at Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, serving as the Pitching Coach and was later promoted to Recruiting Coordinator. McKinney oversaw a staff that led the conference in team ERA two years in a row and helped Kirkwood make its first National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) World Series appearance since 1999. Under his direction, 15 pitchers moved on to NCAA Division I programs.
McKinney spent the 2018 summer with the Kokomo Jackrabbits in the Prospect League serving as the Pitching Coach helping the team secure the 2018 regular season title and East Division Playoff Championship. His pitching staff posted a 3.83 ERA, down from 6.03 the previous summer. One pitcher was named a First-Team Summer Collegiate All-American by Perfect Game while two additional pitchers were named to the Prospect League Top Prospect List by Perfect Game.
A native of Bowling Green, Ohio, McKinney attended the University of Michigan on a baseball scholarship earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science in 2016. He currently resides in Auburn Hills, Mich.
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