MSU Extends Guttin, Announces Baseball Staff Promotions

SPRINGFIELD – Missouri State head baseball coach Keith Guttin has received a three-year contract extension, while Joey Hawkins has been promoted to Associate Head Coach and Nick Petree to Assistant Coach. Additionally, long-time assistant Paul Evans transitions to the role of Special Assistant to the Head Coach after 34 seasons as the Bears’ pitching coach. All changes will take effect July 1.

Guttin’s contract now runs through the 2025 season with the same terms as his current deal. He recently guided the Bears to the NCAA Tournament for a 12th time – and fourth in the last eight years – during his 40th season in 2022 and ranks third among active Division I baseball coaches and 16th all-time with 1,340 career victories.

“First, I’d like to congratulate Coach Evans on 34 outstanding years of service to Missouri State on the field and in the dugout. He transitions to the administrative side with a legacy of consistently producing high-quality pitching staffs and individuals who succeeded at the highest level,” said Guttin. “The promotions of Joey and Nick position Missouri State baseball very well for the future. Finally, I want to thank Kyle Moats and Clif Smart for their continued support of the program.”

Hawkins’ promotion comes after a successful first season mentoring the Bears’ hitters, including a torrid season-ending stretch of 31 home runs in the final nine games. The Bears hit 110 homers on the season, good for second in school and fifth in Missouri Valley Conference history, with the program’s best power-hitting season since 1999. Missouri State ranks among the national leaders in home runs (13th), slugging percentage (17th), scoring (37th) and doubles (41st) with only the College World Series remaining on the 2022 Division I baseball schedule.

Petree will coach the Missouri State pitchers after spending five years in two stints on the MSU staff as a student assistant (2016) and Director of Player Development (2019-22). During his playing career, Petree went 27-7 with a 1.76 ERA on the mound for the Bears and was Collegiate Baseball’s National Player of the Year in 2012. He was inducted in the Missouri State Athletics Hall of Fame earlier this season.

Evans served as Missouri State’s pitching coach for 34 seasons and was the D1Baseball National Assistant of the Year in 2015. During that span he mentored five first-round Major League Baseball draft picks, 14 MLB pitchers, seven Missouri Valley Conference Pitchers of the Year and 66 total professional signees.

All changes are contingent upon formal approval by the Missouri State Board of Governors.