Baseball
Mike Brown
- Title:
- Assistant Coach / Recruiting Coordinator
- Email:
- mbrown@huntsman.utah.edu
Listed among D1Baseball.com’s Top 100 Assistant Coaches in 2023, Mike Brown will begin his sixth season at Utah in 2027. In addition to serving as recruiting coordinator, Brown is the Utes’ third base coach, works with the outfielders and assists with hitting & baserunning.
With a renowned reputation for finding talent, his past newcomers have appeared on Collegiate Baseball Newspaper’s annual lists of the top recruiting classes in the country. In his 14 years of collegiate coaching, Brown has helped produce top talent with 95 draft selections, including 36 in the top 10 rounds. Twenty-two of those players have reached the Major League level.
His players at Utah have totaled 14 postseason conference awards and three ABCA All-Region selections. He has had a player taken in the MLB Draft each of the last three years, highlighted by shortstop Core Jackson (New York Yankees). Jackson went to the Yankees in the fifth round of the 2025 MLB Draft, while outfielder Kai Roberts (San Diego) was a seventh-round selection in 2024. In addition, left fielder Jake Long was taken by the Los Angeles Angels in the 13th round of the 2026 draft.
Brown guided transitions to the outfield for Roberts as well as TJ Clarkson, after the pair had spent much of the 2021 season in the corner infield. In the three seasons that followed, Roberts earned Pac-12 All-Conference (2024) while Clarkson was a two-time Pac-12 Honorable Mention pick (2023, ’24).
In 2026, he coached two all-conference award winners in the outfield, capped off by All-Region honors for Jake Long. One of the Big 12’s most improved players, Long boosted his batting average by over 100 points to 374 in addition to marked growth in slugging (.329 to .626), OBP (.347 to .445), doubles (8 to 16), homers (1 to 11) and RBIs (21 to 58). Including Long, five Utah Utes hit .300 or better as the team finished with a .307 clip—ranking 25th in the nation and Utah’s best mark since 2008.
Continued progress was evident defensively, with Utah committing the third-fewest errors of any Big 12 team during conference play. Overall for the year, the Utes turned 52 double plays—the sixth-most in program history—and led the league during the regular season.
Utah's accomplishments in 2026 unfolded against one of college baseball's most scenic new backdrops: Charlie Monfort Field at America First Ballpark. The Utes' new on-campus home opened prior to the season, bringing the program's competition, practice and support spaces under one roof. Brown and the entire coaching staff played a key role in the three-year project design and development process. Utah christened the new facility in memorable fashion, winning 16 home games—the program's highest home win total in at least 35 years.
The 2025 squad featured a lineup with five .300-or-better hitters. Jackson, a first-team All-Big 12 selection, placed in the upper tier of the league for batting average (fourth), doubles (fifth) and runs scored per game (first). He finished his two seasons at Utah with a .363 batting average and a top-10 ranking for three career categories in the program record book.
Defensively, the club made significant strides and posted a .975 fielding percentage with the fewest errors (43) in the Big 12 Conference. The outfield combined for five assists and Santino Panaro went error-free in center field, wowing Utah fans with his range and highlight-worthy plays among his 133 putouts.
Kai Roberts raised his batting average nearly 100 points from 2023 to 2024 while resetting Utah’s career and single-season records for stolen bases. TJ Clarkson, meanwhile, became the first Utah Ute in the Power Conference era to hit double-digit home runs in three straight seasons. Core Jackson, another All-Conference selection, was a catalyst for the Utah offense with a team-leading .363 batting average and ranked second in the Pac-12 with a .398 clip in conference play.
Led in part by Clarkson and Jayden Kiernan, the Utes enjoyed one of the best offensive seasons in the Pac-12 era in 2023. Both were among four Pac-12 All-Conference honorees for the club, highlighted by Kiernan’s .402 batting average—ranking second in the Pac-12 and the first .400 clip by a Utah player since 2011. Clarkson once again brought the power with a team-best 14 home runs—following up on a 2022 campaign that saw him belt 11 homers.
Alex Baeza, whom Brown had previously coached at Hawaii, won Utah’s first-ever ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove after starring at first base in 2022. Baeza was also named to the Pac-12 All-Defensive Team that year.
Prior to Utah
Brown came to Salt Lake City after spending 2019-21 with the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors as associate head coach. Like Brown’s previous stops, he led the UH’s offense to new heights and made an immediate impact his first season by coaching four position players to All-Big West accolades – including the 2019 Big West Freshman Hitter of the Year in Scotty Scott, the first in UH history since joining the BWC.
In 2021, Brown saw Dustin Demeter named National Player of the Week by two different publications after driving in 14 runs with three homers and 11 total hits in UH’s series win over Cal State Fullerton. Kole Kaler also became the sixth Rainbow Warrior to hit for the cycle when he accomplished the feat against UC Riverside. Demeter finished the year on the All-Big West First-Team and as the league’s top designated hitter while Adam Fogel earned second-team honors.
In a COVID-19 shortened season of 2020, the Rainbow Warriors led the league in doubles (32) and triples (8) while ranking in the top-five nationally in sacrifice bunts (4th) and sacrifice flies (3rd). Brown also helped Kaler lead the team in batting average (.407) that year and was named the 29th best shortstop of 2020 after starting the year unranked.
Prior to joining the Rainbow Warriors, Brown spent a pair of seasons with Mississippi State where he reunited with Gary Henderson. His first year in Starkville saw the Bulldogs advance to the NCAA Super Regionals and compiled a 40-27 overall mark. Then with Henderson at the helm and Brown by his side, Hail State went on to have a storybook 2018 campaign and advanced to the College World Series semifinals. MSU’s run saw the Bulldogs win four-straight in the Tallahassee Regional before taking down Vanderbilt in three games to earn a spot in Omaha. Mississippi State took advantage of its opportunity and won its first two games at the MCWS before falling to the eventual champions, Oregon State.
Brown came to Starkville via New Mexico State, where he spent two seasons as the Aggies' assistant coach. Brown helped oversee NMSU’s hitters, hitting system and coached third base, while also overseeing the squad’s outfield. Brown was an instrumental part in New Mexico State making the biggest turnaround in college baseball in 2016, with the Aggies posting a 23-win improvement to finish 34-23.
Under Brown's leadership, the Aggies' offense made impressive strides from 2015 and dominated the Western Athletic Conference, leading the way in a multitude of categories. In total, NMSU led the WAC in batting (.297), slugging percentage (.445), runs (371), RBIs (344), doubles (112), home runs (49), HBPs (65) and total bases (887).
Brown's leadership also helped provide one of the best individual seasons in New Mexico State history, as junior outfielder Daniel Johnson became the first Aggie since 2009 to earn All-American honors. Along with being named to the ABCA/Rawlings All-American Third Team, Johnson also garnered WAC Player of the Year honors, All-WAC Team laurels and was listed to the ABCA/Rawlings First Team All-Region.
Along with Johnson, the 2016 season saw the Aggies have the first All-American pitcher in school history, as Kyle Bradish was named a Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American. In total, Brown and New Mexico State had two All-Americans, one conference player of the year and five total All-WAC honorees.
Brown spent 2013 and ‘14 at Kentucky under Gary Henderson, assisting in practice management, planning and coordination, while also working directly with the Wildcat hitters. In his two seasons as a graduate assistant at UK, Brown helped direct the Wildcats to the semifinals of the SEC Tournament and an NCAA Regional Finals appearance. He served as first-base coach for six Southeastern Conference games.
In his two seasons, Brown helped develop one of the top players in collegiate baseball history in A.J. Reed. Reed was a dominant double threat, sweeping the national awards while leading the NCAA in home runs, slugging percentage and OPS and pacing the rigorous SEC in wins on the mound. Reed's success led him to be named the unanimous national player of the year and the highest-drafted player under Brown (second round, Houston Astros, 2014).
He was the manager for the Fulton Railroaders Summer Baseball Club in the Ohio Valley League during the summer of 2014. Brown managed the team to a 22-18 record, finishing second place in the league. The Railroaders capped the year on a high note, winning 12 of their last 14 games, losing their final two in the playoffs. The Railroaders led the Ohio Valley League in batting average, slugging percentage, on-base percentage, total hits and walks under Brown's management.
The summer prior, Brown spent time with the Amsterdam Mohawks in the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League (PGCBL). As an assistant coach, he helped coordinate the offense while also helping on the defensive side. The squad won the PGCBL Championship with a record of 25-18, while winning 20 of its last 22 games.
He also had a three-year stint as the director of baseball at KOA Sports. There, he coached the 16-and-under and the 18-and-under showcase teams. While expanding the KOA Sports name, Brown held after-school clinics and served as a mentor to kids both on and off the field.
Playing Career
Brown played the 2006-07 seasons at Kentucky, then immediately joined the program as a student assistant coach. In his first year on staff, UK won a school-record 44 games and advanced to the championship game of the 2008 NCAA Ann Arbor Regional. Brown also helped develop two All-American outfielders in Sawyer Carroll and Collin Cowgill.
As a player, Brown led the Wildcats to a pair of historic seasons and finished with his name all over the Wildcats' record book. After helping UK to the 2006 SEC Championship and hosting an NCAA Regional in his first season as a reserve utility man, Brown emerged as a star for SEC Coach of the Year John Cohen's 2007 squad. Brown led the club with a .369 average (eighth in the SEC) and 68 runs. Brown's 1.28 average runs scored per game earned him a ninth-place finish in the NCAA that season as well. He finished 2007 ranked seventh in single-season history in runs, ninth in on-base percentage (.486), fourth in sacrifice bunts (12) and ninth in hit by pitches (18).
He played for Cuesta College before transferring to UK, where he was the only player in school history with a career average over .400 after earning a scorching .409 clip. In 2005, Brown was awarded the Western State Conference Player of the Year and was named a California Junior College Baseball All-American. Brown was also recognized for being the Cuesta Athlete of the Year in 2005.
Personal
A California native, Brown was born in Woodland and raised in Davis. Brown is the son of Scott and Sandra Brown, with an older brother, Rich. Brown and his wife, Sarah, have two daughters, Riki and Anna.
Brown earned his bachelor’s degree from Kentucky in agricultural academics (2008) and later received his master’s of education in sports management and leadership in June 2014.
Mike Brown • Coaching History
2022-present • Utah • Assistant Coach / Recruiting Coordinator
2019-21 • Hawaii • Associate Head Coach
2017-18 • Mississippi State • Assistant Coach
2015-16 • New Mexico State • Assistant Coach
2014 • Fulton Railroaders (OVL) • Head Coach
2013-14 • Kentucky • Graduate Assistant Coach
2013 • Amsterdam Mohawks (PGCBL) • Assistant Coach
2008 • Kentucky • Student Assistant Coach
With a renowned reputation for finding talent, his past newcomers have appeared on Collegiate Baseball Newspaper’s annual lists of the top recruiting classes in the country. In his 14 years of collegiate coaching, Brown has helped produce top talent with 95 draft selections, including 36 in the top 10 rounds. Twenty-two of those players have reached the Major League level.
His players at Utah have totaled 14 postseason conference awards and three ABCA All-Region selections. He has had a player taken in the MLB Draft each of the last three years, highlighted by shortstop Core Jackson (New York Yankees). Jackson went to the Yankees in the fifth round of the 2025 MLB Draft, while outfielder Kai Roberts (San Diego) was a seventh-round selection in 2024. In addition, left fielder Jake Long was taken by the Los Angeles Angels in the 13th round of the 2026 draft.
Brown guided transitions to the outfield for Roberts as well as TJ Clarkson, after the pair had spent much of the 2021 season in the corner infield. In the three seasons that followed, Roberts earned Pac-12 All-Conference (2024) while Clarkson was a two-time Pac-12 Honorable Mention pick (2023, ’24).
In 2026, he coached two all-conference award winners in the outfield, capped off by All-Region honors for Jake Long. One of the Big 12’s most improved players, Long boosted his batting average by over 100 points to 374 in addition to marked growth in slugging (.329 to .626), OBP (.347 to .445), doubles (8 to 16), homers (1 to 11) and RBIs (21 to 58). Including Long, five Utah Utes hit .300 or better as the team finished with a .307 clip—ranking 25th in the nation and Utah’s best mark since 2008.
Continued progress was evident defensively, with Utah committing the third-fewest errors of any Big 12 team during conference play. Overall for the year, the Utes turned 52 double plays—the sixth-most in program history—and led the league during the regular season.
Utah's accomplishments in 2026 unfolded against one of college baseball's most scenic new backdrops: Charlie Monfort Field at America First Ballpark. The Utes' new on-campus home opened prior to the season, bringing the program's competition, practice and support spaces under one roof. Brown and the entire coaching staff played a key role in the three-year project design and development process. Utah christened the new facility in memorable fashion, winning 16 home games—the program's highest home win total in at least 35 years.
The 2025 squad featured a lineup with five .300-or-better hitters. Jackson, a first-team All-Big 12 selection, placed in the upper tier of the league for batting average (fourth), doubles (fifth) and runs scored per game (first). He finished his two seasons at Utah with a .363 batting average and a top-10 ranking for three career categories in the program record book.
Defensively, the club made significant strides and posted a .975 fielding percentage with the fewest errors (43) in the Big 12 Conference. The outfield combined for five assists and Santino Panaro went error-free in center field, wowing Utah fans with his range and highlight-worthy plays among his 133 putouts.
Kai Roberts raised his batting average nearly 100 points from 2023 to 2024 while resetting Utah’s career and single-season records for stolen bases. TJ Clarkson, meanwhile, became the first Utah Ute in the Power Conference era to hit double-digit home runs in three straight seasons. Core Jackson, another All-Conference selection, was a catalyst for the Utah offense with a team-leading .363 batting average and ranked second in the Pac-12 with a .398 clip in conference play.
Led in part by Clarkson and Jayden Kiernan, the Utes enjoyed one of the best offensive seasons in the Pac-12 era in 2023. Both were among four Pac-12 All-Conference honorees for the club, highlighted by Kiernan’s .402 batting average—ranking second in the Pac-12 and the first .400 clip by a Utah player since 2011. Clarkson once again brought the power with a team-best 14 home runs—following up on a 2022 campaign that saw him belt 11 homers.
Alex Baeza, whom Brown had previously coached at Hawaii, won Utah’s first-ever ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove after starring at first base in 2022. Baeza was also named to the Pac-12 All-Defensive Team that year.
Prior to Utah
Brown came to Salt Lake City after spending 2019-21 with the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors as associate head coach. Like Brown’s previous stops, he led the UH’s offense to new heights and made an immediate impact his first season by coaching four position players to All-Big West accolades – including the 2019 Big West Freshman Hitter of the Year in Scotty Scott, the first in UH history since joining the BWC.
In 2021, Brown saw Dustin Demeter named National Player of the Week by two different publications after driving in 14 runs with three homers and 11 total hits in UH’s series win over Cal State Fullerton. Kole Kaler also became the sixth Rainbow Warrior to hit for the cycle when he accomplished the feat against UC Riverside. Demeter finished the year on the All-Big West First-Team and as the league’s top designated hitter while Adam Fogel earned second-team honors.
In a COVID-19 shortened season of 2020, the Rainbow Warriors led the league in doubles (32) and triples (8) while ranking in the top-five nationally in sacrifice bunts (4th) and sacrifice flies (3rd). Brown also helped Kaler lead the team in batting average (.407) that year and was named the 29th best shortstop of 2020 after starting the year unranked.
Prior to joining the Rainbow Warriors, Brown spent a pair of seasons with Mississippi State where he reunited with Gary Henderson. His first year in Starkville saw the Bulldogs advance to the NCAA Super Regionals and compiled a 40-27 overall mark. Then with Henderson at the helm and Brown by his side, Hail State went on to have a storybook 2018 campaign and advanced to the College World Series semifinals. MSU’s run saw the Bulldogs win four-straight in the Tallahassee Regional before taking down Vanderbilt in three games to earn a spot in Omaha. Mississippi State took advantage of its opportunity and won its first two games at the MCWS before falling to the eventual champions, Oregon State.
Brown came to Starkville via New Mexico State, where he spent two seasons as the Aggies' assistant coach. Brown helped oversee NMSU’s hitters, hitting system and coached third base, while also overseeing the squad’s outfield. Brown was an instrumental part in New Mexico State making the biggest turnaround in college baseball in 2016, with the Aggies posting a 23-win improvement to finish 34-23.
Under Brown's leadership, the Aggies' offense made impressive strides from 2015 and dominated the Western Athletic Conference, leading the way in a multitude of categories. In total, NMSU led the WAC in batting (.297), slugging percentage (.445), runs (371), RBIs (344), doubles (112), home runs (49), HBPs (65) and total bases (887).
Brown's leadership also helped provide one of the best individual seasons in New Mexico State history, as junior outfielder Daniel Johnson became the first Aggie since 2009 to earn All-American honors. Along with being named to the ABCA/Rawlings All-American Third Team, Johnson also garnered WAC Player of the Year honors, All-WAC Team laurels and was listed to the ABCA/Rawlings First Team All-Region.
Along with Johnson, the 2016 season saw the Aggies have the first All-American pitcher in school history, as Kyle Bradish was named a Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American. In total, Brown and New Mexico State had two All-Americans, one conference player of the year and five total All-WAC honorees.
Brown spent 2013 and ‘14 at Kentucky under Gary Henderson, assisting in practice management, planning and coordination, while also working directly with the Wildcat hitters. In his two seasons as a graduate assistant at UK, Brown helped direct the Wildcats to the semifinals of the SEC Tournament and an NCAA Regional Finals appearance. He served as first-base coach for six Southeastern Conference games.
In his two seasons, Brown helped develop one of the top players in collegiate baseball history in A.J. Reed. Reed was a dominant double threat, sweeping the national awards while leading the NCAA in home runs, slugging percentage and OPS and pacing the rigorous SEC in wins on the mound. Reed's success led him to be named the unanimous national player of the year and the highest-drafted player under Brown (second round, Houston Astros, 2014).
He was the manager for the Fulton Railroaders Summer Baseball Club in the Ohio Valley League during the summer of 2014. Brown managed the team to a 22-18 record, finishing second place in the league. The Railroaders capped the year on a high note, winning 12 of their last 14 games, losing their final two in the playoffs. The Railroaders led the Ohio Valley League in batting average, slugging percentage, on-base percentage, total hits and walks under Brown's management.
The summer prior, Brown spent time with the Amsterdam Mohawks in the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League (PGCBL). As an assistant coach, he helped coordinate the offense while also helping on the defensive side. The squad won the PGCBL Championship with a record of 25-18, while winning 20 of its last 22 games.
He also had a three-year stint as the director of baseball at KOA Sports. There, he coached the 16-and-under and the 18-and-under showcase teams. While expanding the KOA Sports name, Brown held after-school clinics and served as a mentor to kids both on and off the field.
Playing Career
Brown played the 2006-07 seasons at Kentucky, then immediately joined the program as a student assistant coach. In his first year on staff, UK won a school-record 44 games and advanced to the championship game of the 2008 NCAA Ann Arbor Regional. Brown also helped develop two All-American outfielders in Sawyer Carroll and Collin Cowgill.
As a player, Brown led the Wildcats to a pair of historic seasons and finished with his name all over the Wildcats' record book. After helping UK to the 2006 SEC Championship and hosting an NCAA Regional in his first season as a reserve utility man, Brown emerged as a star for SEC Coach of the Year John Cohen's 2007 squad. Brown led the club with a .369 average (eighth in the SEC) and 68 runs. Brown's 1.28 average runs scored per game earned him a ninth-place finish in the NCAA that season as well. He finished 2007 ranked seventh in single-season history in runs, ninth in on-base percentage (.486), fourth in sacrifice bunts (12) and ninth in hit by pitches (18).
He played for Cuesta College before transferring to UK, where he was the only player in school history with a career average over .400 after earning a scorching .409 clip. In 2005, Brown was awarded the Western State Conference Player of the Year and was named a California Junior College Baseball All-American. Brown was also recognized for being the Cuesta Athlete of the Year in 2005.
Personal
A California native, Brown was born in Woodland and raised in Davis. Brown is the son of Scott and Sandra Brown, with an older brother, Rich. Brown and his wife, Sarah, have two daughters, Riki and Anna.
Brown earned his bachelor’s degree from Kentucky in agricultural academics (2008) and later received his master’s of education in sports management and leadership in June 2014.
Mike Brown • Coaching History
2022-present • Utah • Assistant Coach / Recruiting Coordinator
2019-21 • Hawaii • Associate Head Coach
2017-18 • Mississippi State • Assistant Coach
2015-16 • New Mexico State • Assistant Coach
2014 • Fulton Railroaders (OVL) • Head Coach
2013-14 • Kentucky • Graduate Assistant Coach
2013 • Amsterdam Mohawks (PGCBL) • Assistant Coach
2008 • Kentucky • Student Assistant Coach
No videos available.
