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Softball
Mat Nelson
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
Mat Nelson joins the Tulsa Softball staff under first-year head coach DJ Gasso.
“Mat is probably the most decorated college baseball player to ever coach Division I softball. His experience in baseball will easily transition to our sport. I look forward to having Mat’s perspective integrated with our process to make it one of the most innovative in the country. There’s a ton of great things happening in this program, and Mat’s addition is the cherry on the top,” said Gasso.
Nelson comes to Tulsa after a professional baseball career with the Cincinnati Reds organization. He was drafted 35th overall in the 2021 draft by the Reds after a terrific final season at Florida State. Nelson won the Buster Posey and Johnny Bench Awards as the best catcher in the country. The Largo, Florida native led the country with 23 home runs, becoming the second Seminole to lead the country in home runs. He also hit .330, drove in 66 runs, and slugged .773 at the plate.
Those numbers also earned him the ACC Player of the Year in 2021, as well as the Perfect Game/Rawlings National Player of the Year. Nelson was a Unanimous First Team All-American (ABCA, Baseball America, Collegiate Baseball, College Baseball Foundation, D1Baseball, NCBWA, and Perfect Game) and was a finalist for the Dick Howser Trophy and semifinalist for the Golden Spikes Award.
Nelson went on to play five seasons in the Reds organization, making his final stop with the Chattanooga Lookouts, the team’s Double-A affiliate. In his minor league career he hit 34 home runs and recorded 98 RBI, while throwing out 80 base stealers behind the plate.
“Mat is probably the most decorated college baseball player to ever coach Division I softball. His experience in baseball will easily transition to our sport. I look forward to having Mat’s perspective integrated with our process to make it one of the most innovative in the country. There’s a ton of great things happening in this program, and Mat’s addition is the cherry on the top,” said Gasso.
Nelson comes to Tulsa after a professional baseball career with the Cincinnati Reds organization. He was drafted 35th overall in the 2021 draft by the Reds after a terrific final season at Florida State. Nelson won the Buster Posey and Johnny Bench Awards as the best catcher in the country. The Largo, Florida native led the country with 23 home runs, becoming the second Seminole to lead the country in home runs. He also hit .330, drove in 66 runs, and slugged .773 at the plate.
Those numbers also earned him the ACC Player of the Year in 2021, as well as the Perfect Game/Rawlings National Player of the Year. Nelson was a Unanimous First Team All-American (ABCA, Baseball America, Collegiate Baseball, College Baseball Foundation, D1Baseball, NCBWA, and Perfect Game) and was a finalist for the Dick Howser Trophy and semifinalist for the Golden Spikes Award.
Nelson went on to play five seasons in the Reds organization, making his final stop with the Chattanooga Lookouts, the team’s Double-A affiliate. In his minor league career he hit 34 home runs and recorded 98 RBI, while throwing out 80 base stealers behind the plate.
Wednesday, June 17
Monday, February 02
Friday, February 28
Friday, February 28
