Youngstown State University head baseball coach Rich Pasquale has added Ed Marko to his staff as the pitching coach and recruiting coordinator for the 2012 season.
Marko, who was most recently serving as an associate scout for the Colorado Rockies, comes to YSU highly experienced coaching in both the collegiate and summer ball ranks.
"I'm extremely excited to add Eddie to our Penguins baseball family," Pasquale said. "In addition to his knowledge of how to run a quality pitching staff, he has tremendous connections throughout the baseball world that will help us in recruiting. Our program will definitely benefit with Eddie on board."
Marko has coached a national championship team at the junior college level while producing two NJCAA All-America pitchers, seven all-conference pitchers and four all-region pitchers. Thirty-eight pitchers he has worked with have been drafted, including three in the first round.
He got his coaching start at the University at Buffalo in 2006, and he went on to coach the next two seasons at Grayson County College in Texas. With Marko heading up the pitching staff, the Vikings won the 2008 NJCAA National Championship. In 2007, with current Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim closer Jordan Walden on the team, the Vikings had a staff ERA of 2.99.
Marko served as the pitching coach the next two seasons in the Cape Cod League, which is one of the top summer leagues in the country. He coached the Bourne Braves in 2008 and the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox in 2009. Current Chicago White Sox reliever Chris Sale was on that Y-D staff. Marko was the pitching coach for the Laconia Muskrats in the New England Collegiate Baseball League in 2010.
Sale was drafted 13th overall by the White Sox in 2010. Other first-round picks to have worked with Marko include Kyle Gibson (2009 by the Minnesota Twins) and Victor Black (2009 by the Pittsburgh Pirates). Gibson was rated the No. 32 prospect by MLB.com prior to the 2011 season.
As a player, Marko pitched collegiately for Cleveland State and the University of Texas-Pan American. He then pitched professionally for four years in independent leagues, including three in the Frontier League.
He earned his degree in general studies from UTPA.
Marko takes over for Dan Lipari, who resigned to pursue opportunities outside of coaching.
Marko inherits a pitching program at YSU that currently has four former hurlers pitching in the minor leagues. Justin Thomas is pitching at the AAA level in the Pirates Organization, Eric Marzec is pitching at the A level in the Milwaukee Brewers system, Aaron Swenson is pitching at the A level in the Baltimore Orioles organization and Phil Klein is pitching in the Rookie Arizona League in the Texas Rangers organization.
