ÃÛÌÒÓ°ÏñAV

DeRouin, who was entering his first season as the Wildcats’ pitching coach, has taken a job as a pitching coordinator with the New York Mets, the Star has learned.

Although the timing isn’t ideal, DeRouin’s move to MLB did not take Chip Hale and his staff by surprise. DeRouin, 25, is considered a rising star in the industry with his ability to use technological tools to teach pitch shapes and improve pitchers’ performance.

DeRouin served as the top assistant to Kevin Vance the past two seasons, helping Arizona transform its pitching staff from a liability to a strength. The Wildcats ranked in the top 12 nationally in strikeout-to-walk ratio and BB/9 rate during the 2024 and ’25 seasons.

Vance left the program in June to become the head coach at San Diego State. Arizona quickly moved to promote DeRouin in the interest of continuity. The Wildcats have some of the most talented arms in college baseball, including right-handers Owen Kramkowski and Smith Bailey, who would have been attractive options in the transfer-portal market had they decided to leave following Vance’s departure.

Arizona is expected to act fast to hire a new pitching coach. Hale and his staff have already begun talking to candidates.

The new coach could come from the college or pro ranks. Ideally, he will have experience calling games in high-pressure situations.

Whoever it is will inherit what has the potential to be one of the top pitching staffs in the country. In addition to Kramkowski and Bailey — who combined for 12 wins and 170 strikeouts last season as Arizona’s top two starters — the Wildcats bring back senior right-hander Tony Pluta, who was named the NCBWA Stopper of the Year.

Arizona has also invested in technology in the increasingly data-driven world of pitching instruction. The UA is one of a growing number of college programs with a pitching lab, the Arizona Baseball Pitching Wing, which is tucked into the back of the Terry Francona Hitting Center.

Owen Cuffe, who had been elevated to shortly after DeRouin’s promotion, is expected to remain in the same capacity and assist the new pitching coach. Cuffe, who pitched at Abilene Christian and Saint Mary’s, served as Arizona’s pitching strategist this past season.

DeRouin is the latest college coach , a recent trend in the world of baseball. The most high-profile move this offseason saw Tennessee head coach Tony Vitello leave Knoxville to become .

DeRouin came to Arizona from the Detroit Tigers organization, where he served as rehab pitching coordinator.

Hale is entering his fifth season. He’s had three pitching coaches so far: Dave Lawn (2022-23), Vance (2024-25) and DeRouin.

Arizona, coming off a College World Series appearance, will resume training for the 2026 season when the spring semester begins in mid-January. The Wildcats open the season Feb. 13 vs. Stanford in the 2026 College Baseball Series in Surprise.