University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers Add Two to Coaching Staff, Ty McDevitt to Focus on Health
1/20/2023 9:34:00 AM | Baseball
Crawford and Kvasnicka are alums, MLB Draft picks
MINNEAPOLIS – The University of Minnesota baseball program has announced several staff changes before the upcoming 2023 season. Pitching coach Ty McDevitt, who has been with the program for the past seven seasons, will be taking a leave of absence from the team to focus on his health.
"In early December I made the decision to temporarily step away from my coaching duties to focus on my personal health," McDevitt said. "For a year and a half I have battled a host of symptoms, primarily neurological, attributed to Lyme Disease. Unfortunately, even with rigorous treatment, these symptoms have continued to progress to a point in which I am unable to perform the duties my job requires. My family and I have gone all in on winning this fight and regaining my health. I'm currently undergoing an intensive treatment protocol out of state with the hopes of being back with the team as soon as I can."
McDevitt has served as the pitching coach since the 2018 season after working for two years as the volunteer assistant. He played for coach Anderson from 2012-16.
"The Gopher baseball family is committed to Ty and his family as he embarks on his mission to regain his health and a quality of life that allows him to lead a normal, engaged relationship with his wife Claire and their daughter Mila," said head coach John Anderson. "His impressive contributions to this program as a player and coach have had a significant impact on Gopher baseball both on and off the field. Ty has always held a passionate, competitive spirit that will serve him well as he wins this health battle and returns to his impressive work as our pitching coach. We all miss Ty and send our sincere best wishes for a healthy return soon."
In addition to the news on coach McDevitt, the Gophers have added two members to the staff in Gophers' alums Alec Crawford and Mike Kvasnicka. Crawford will be the interim pitching coach, while Kvasnicka will serve as the volunteer assistant coach.
"I am extremely grateful that Alec and Mike have joined the Gopher baseball coaching staff," said Anderson. "Both were outstanding former players in our program and had impressive careers in professional baseball. They have the knowledge and experiences that will be impactful in our player development plans, which are critical to competing for championships in the Big Ten conference. They are proud alumni who wore the 'M' as players and now want to impact the success of the program in their new roles and add to our proud history and tradition."
Crawford is an owner of Northstar Baseball Club, where he has run the well-known Complete Pitchers Program for the past seven years. This program has given pitchers an in-depth look at combining the complexities of the pitching delivery in terms of biomechanical movement patterns as well as proprioceptive (feel) training with both flat ground and mound work.
Prior to his time with Northstar, Crawford played for two years in the Colorado Rockies organization. He also had a brief stint with the St. Paul Saints. In 2018, Alec signed a minor league contract with the Milwaukee Brewers.
"The tradition of Gopher Baseball is one that I hold very close to my chest," said Crawford. "The type of program Coach Anderson has been able to build over his 40-plus years at this university is nothing short of admirable. The opportunity he has given me to add to this tradition is one I'm extremely excited about. I'm looking forward to helping these young athletes become the best versions of themselves on and off the field."
A 2014 MLB Draft pick of the Rockies, Crawford pitched for two years (2013-14) at the University of Minnesota. He was an All-Big Ten Third Team selection and named the Gophers' David Winfield Pitcher of the Year in his senior season. He tied for the team lead and ranked fifth in the Big Ten with 67 strikeouts. He tossed 97.1 innings and held a 3.79 ERA with a 4-2 record in 15 starts.
As a junior, he pitched in a total of 10 games, including nine starts, going 4-2 with a 2.28 ERA, which ranked third on the team. He pitched a total of 51.1 innings (fourth on the team). He was 3-1 with a 2.27 ERA in 39.2 Big Ten innings and held opponents to a 2.57 ERA in his last six starts.
Originally from Wilton, Iowa, Crawford played baseball, basketball, football and golf at Wilton High School, where he was all-state and all-elite in baseball, and second team all-state in basketball. He's the son of Ken and Dawn Crawford and also has a brother, Cole. He currently resides in Corcoran, Minn., with his wife, Kim, and son, Crew.
Fellow Gophers alum and former MLB first round draft pick Mike Kvasnicka joined the Golden Gophers coaching staff as the volunteer assistant coach this fall.
"It is hard to put into words how big of an impact the Gopher baseball program has had in my life," Kvasnicka said. "My dad played under coach Anderson, I attended Gopher baseball camps all through my childhood and played here for three years, winning a Big Ten championship and making countless lifelong friends. The opportunity to give back and serve the program that has given me so much is a dream come true. I look forward to working alongside coach Anderson to build upon the unrivaled tradition of this program and help young athletes become better players and people."
Prior to returning to his alma mater, Mike spent three years (2020-2022) as the head coach at Cretin-Derham Hall High School in St. Paul, Minn. Here, he coached 15 future college baseball players and led the Raiders to their first Section Finals game (2021) in eight seasons. Kvasnicka also has one year of college coaching and recruiting experience as the assistant/hitting Coach at St. Thomas University during the 2017 season.
In addition to his high school and college coaching, Mike has been the Co-Founder, Owner, and Club Director of Northstar Baseball Club since 2016. During his time there, Mike directly coached 112 high school athletes that signed to play college baseball (41 to Division I schools).
A former first round MLB Draft pick in 2010 (33rd, Houston Astros), Kvasnicka spent time in the Houston Astros and Minnesota Twins farm systems (Third base, right field and catcher) over the course of six seasons. He reached AA (New Britain) in 2014 with the Twins before playing with the St. Paul Saints in the American Association in 2015.
During his professional baseball career, Kvasnicka played in 535 games, with a career batting average of .269. He totaled 515 hits, 116 doubles, 53 home runs and 306 RBI. Notable achievements from his professional career include a New York-Penn League Championship in 2010, voted into the South Atlantic League All-Star Game in 2011, being selected the South Atlantic League Hitter of the Week (July 16-23, 2012), and Florida State League Hitter of the Week (July 1-8, 2013).
Kvasnicka had a stellar career with the Gophers from 2008-10 and was a part of two Gopher teams that reached the NCAA Regional Finals in 2009 and 2010.
In his junior season (2010), Kvasnicka hit .355 with eight home runs, reaching base safely in 61 of 62 games and led the Big Ten in doubles (25) and walks (46). In his three years with the Gophers, he played in all but one game (175 of 176), with a .317 average, 217 hits, 53 doubles, 22 home runs and 140 RBI.
Kvasnicka attended Lakeville North High School and was named the 2007 Minnesota High School Player of the Year. He was selected by the Minnesota Twins in the 31st round of the 2007 MLB Draft but elected to attend Minnesota instead.
Mike is a legacy Gopher baseball alum, as his father Jay Kvasnicka played in the program from 1986-88, under current head coach John Anderson. Jay was a member of the 1988 Big Ten championship team before being drafted in the eighth round of the '88 MLB Draft by the Minnesota Twins. He played professionally with them for five seasons (A-AAA).
Mike earned his bachelor of arts degree in youth studies from the University of Minnesota in the School of Social Work. He currently resides in Lakeville, Minn., with his wife Kimberly, and their two children, Mac and Morgan.