Trent Pratt officially named BYU baseball head coach

BYU has promoted Trent Pratt to head baseball coach after two months under interim status, the school announced Wednesday.

“Trent has done an excellent job leading our baseball team through his assignment as interim coach,” BYU athletic director Tom Holmoe said. “He quickly earned the respect and trust of our team and is the right choice to guide BYU Cougar baseball into the future, which shortly will include our entry into the Big 12.”

Pratt assumed interim head coaching duties on April 11 following Mike Littlewood’s abrupt resignation, piloting the Cougars to a 16-9 finish while winning 11 of 13 down the stretch in the regular season.

Pratt joined BYU’s staff in 2013 after spending six seasons as an assistant coach at Dixie State. Pratt’s BYU tenure — where he has served as an associate head coach, hitting coach and catchers supervisor — has seen three WCC regular season championships and 45 All-WCC selections, including 2022 First Team honoree Austin Deming.

“I feel really excited and blessed for this opportunity,” Pratt said. “I’m grateful to Tom Holmoe, President Worthen and BYU for their trust in me. I’m ready to get to work, and I’m looking forward to big things ahead for BYU baseball.”

BYU had began interviewing potential coaching candidates as early as April, but Pratt’s late-season surge and widespread respect from his players made the choice a no-brainer for Holmoe.

Several players in the program had told Daily Universe Sports over the past few weeks that the team was united in its desire for Pratt to remain at the helm, citing his grace under pressure in the aftermath of Littlewood’s exit along the healthy, tight-knit clubhouse culture Pratt quickly fostered as factors in helping to save BYU’s season.

“Ever since (Pratt) became the head coach, he’s done a great job of making people feel more relaxed and have that little league mentality of going out there to play the game and have fun because you love it,” senior center fielder Mitch McIntyre said.

Pratt will return 10 of his 11 All-WCC selections in 2023 along with previously-injured Andrew Pintar and the majority of BYU’s pitching staff, giving the Cougars a real chance to compete for their final WCC crown before heading to the Big 12 in 2024.