Josh Hopper enters his third season as the Pitching Coach at DBU after spending the previous nine seasons at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. In 2020, Hopper helped to produce the third-highest draft pick in DBU Baseball history in left-handed relief pitcher Burl Carraway, who was taken in the second round of the Major League Draft with the 51st overall pick by the Chicago Cubs.
Prior to the 2020 season being cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Hopper’s pitching staff in 2019 helped lead DBU to a 43-win season and the finals of the Lubbock Regional. The Patriots finished the 2019 season ranked in the top 25 nationally in three categories including ninth in strikeouts (600), 16th in strikeouts per nine innings (9.9), and 24th in strikeout-to-walk ratio (2.61). The Patriots also set single-season school records during the program’s Division I era dating back to 2004 in strikeouts, strikeouts per nine innings, batting average against, and hits allowed per game.
In 2019, Hopper helped to produce an All-American in MD Johnson and saw three pitchers earn All-Missouri Valley Conference honors in Johnson (First Team), Burl Carraway (First Team), and Jordan Martinson (Second Team). Martinson set the program’s single-season record for strikeouts in 2019, fanning 115 batters, while Johnson posted the second most strikeouts in a season with 110. Carraway also emerged as one of the elite left-handed relief pitchers in the nation, striking out an average of 15.72 batters per nine innings, the second best mark in school history.
Following the 2019 season, three Patriot pitchers were selected in the Major League Draft including MD Johnson (6th Round - Miami Marlins), Jordan Martinson (11th Round - New York Mets), and Jarod Bayless (33rd Round - Seattle Mariners). Burl Carraway also became the first player from DBU to earn a roster spot on the USA Collegiate National Team and spent the summer pitching for Team USA.
MAJOR LEAGUE DRAFT PICKS & FREE AGENTS COACHED BY HOPPER
2nd Round - Burl Carraway (Chicago Cubs - 2020)
6th Round - MD Johnson (Miami Marlins - 2019)
10th Round - Alex Luna (Kansas City Royals - 2015)
11th Round - Jordan Martinson (New York Mets - 2019)
13th Round - Ryan Wooley (Detroit Tigers - 2011)
14th Round - Chase Mallard (Toronto Blue Jays - 2014)
17th Round - Garrett Whitlock (New York Yankees - 2017)
18th Round - Collin McHugh (New York Mets - 2008)
18th Round - Brett Strickland (Colorado Rockies - 2005)
20th Round - James Naile (Oakland Athletics - 2015)
22nd Round - Romas Hicks (Kansas City Royals - 2006)
24th Round - Ronnie Robinson (San Diego Padres - 2003)
33rd Round - Jarod Bayless (Seattle Mariners - 2019)
37th Round - Adam Lau (Boston Red Sox - 2015)
38th Round - Nick Graffeo (Kansas City Royals - 2010)
38th Round - Ben Rulon (Tampa Bay Rays - 2005)
41st Round - Chris Rearick (Tampa Bay Rays - 2010)
Free Agent - Thomas Lowery (Houston Astros - 2017)
Free Agent - Turner Lee (Toronto Blue Jays - 2014)
Free Agent - Travis Hope (New York Mets - 2004)
Free Agent - Jonathan Craig (Cincinnati Reds - 2003)
Prior to arriving at DBU, Hopper spent nine years as the Pitching Coach at UAB. During his nine-year stint with the Blazers, Hopper’s pitching staff set school records in ERA, shutouts, and opponents' batting average.
In 2012, Hopper helped lead UAB to its first-ever Conference USA Tournament title and a spot in the NCAA Tournament, the school's first since 1991. Two years later, he was named the Conference USA Assistant Coach of the Year after his pitching staff posted a 2.87 ERA and ranked No. 24 in the nation with nine shutouts. The following year, Hopper’s staff carried the Blazers into the C-USA Championship. During the 2015 season, UAB totaled 22 quality starts, allowed three runs or less in half of team’s 59 games, gave up two runs or less on 22 occasions, surrendered just one run in 12 games, and posted five shutouts.
In nine seasons at UAB, Hopper helped produce nine All-Conference selections and saw nine of his pitchers selected in the Major League Draft. Among the pitchers that Hopper developed during his time with the Blazers was right-hander Chase Mallard, who became the first Second Team All-American in school history after boasting a 1.55 ERA and striking out 94 batters in 2014. Hopper also mentored Dillon Napoleon, who became the first UAB player to be named the Conference USA Newcomer of the Year.
Prior to arriving at UAB in 2010, Hopper was the Pitching Coach at his alma mater, Berry College, where he helped lead the Vikings to the program's first NAIA World Series appearance in 2009 and a No. 4 ranking in the final NAIA Baseball Coaches Poll. Berry finished the year with a 46-16 record and Hopper's pitching staff ranked in the top-25 nationally in ERA and opponent batting average.
Hopper’s pitchers are known for their command of the strike zone with his 2006 Berry staff leading the nation in fewest walks per game, while the 2008 squad ranked 13th nationally in that category. In five years at Berry, Hopper’s pitchers averaged 290 strikeouts to just 141 walks.
Hopper also helped to produce two pitchers from Berry that went on to careers at the Major League level in both Colin McHugh and Chris Rearick.
As a player at Berry in the late 1990s, Hopper was a three-time All-Conference selection and finished his career ranked in the top-five on the school's all-time wins and strikeouts list. He also guided the Vikings to three NAIA regional tournament appearances.
Following his collegiate career, Hopper spent two years in the New York Mets' minor league organization. In 1999, he was a key part of the Mets' Gulf Coast League Championship team and then split the 2000 season between the Capital City Bombers of the South Atlantic League and the Pittsfield Mets of the New York-Penn League.
Hopper graduated from Berry College in 1999 with a bachelor’s degree in health and physical education. He earned a master’s degree in exercise science from Georgia State in 2004. Hopper married the former Kylie Bivens in July of 2006. The couple has two sons, Kase and Baylor and one daughter, Kameron.
