Former Wichita State University standout pitcher Mike Pelfrey was named the program’s pitching coach in January of 2019 and enters his fifth season with the Shockers in 2023.
In 2022, Pelfrey helped develop sophomore right-handed pitcher Cameron Bye into a First Team All-Conference starter after throwing just 12.2 innings the year prior. Bye led the nation in ERA into early March, and did not allow an earned run in his first 24.2 innings.
Pelfrey coached 2021 American Athletic Conference Newcomer Pitcher of the Year and five-time Freshman All-American Jace Kaminska, in addition to 2021 All-Conference First Team reliever Aaron Haase.
Kaminska posted an 8-1 record and ranked second in the AAC with a 2.32 ERA in 12 appearances and 10 starts. He tossed two complete games and gave up just 16 earned runs on 51 hits with 51 strikeouts and only 19 walks in 62 innings of work.
Haase led Wichita State and tied for the American Athletic Conference lead with eight saves during the 2021 campaign. He tallied an impressive 1.78 ERA with a 2-1 record in 25 1/3 innings, allowing only five earned runs on 15 hits with 24 Ks and two walks. Haase also ranked 33rd on D1Baseball.com's Top 100 pitchers from an analytical standpoint in 2021. He was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the 17th round of the 2021 MLB Draft.
The 2021 Shockers compiled an overall record of 31-23 and finished third in The American with an 18-13 mark. The third-place finish and 18 conference wins were both program bests since joining the AAC prior to the 2018 season.
Pelfrey, who is a member of the Pizza Hut Shocker Sports Hall of Fame and was an All-American for Wichita State, joined the Shockers after spending the previous two seasons as the pitching coach for the Newman University Jets.
During his career with WSU from 2003-05, Pelfrey went an impressive 33-7 on the mound and compiled a 2.18 ERA, which still ranks second in program history. He also finished second in career strikeouts with 366.
In 2005, he was named a first team All-American by Collegiate Baseball, American Baseball Coaches Association and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association after going 12-3 with a 1.93 ERA and 143 strikeouts.
A three-time first-team All-MVC honoree, he was also the Valley's 2004 and 2005 Pitcher of the Year after 2003 Freshman of the Year honors. He was also a three-time ABCA all-region selection and was named to the Valley's 2007 All-Centennial team.
Pelfrey was drafted ninth overall by the New York Mets during the first round of the 2005 MLB Draft, and went on to pitch in the majors for 12 years with the Mets (seven seasons), Minnesota Twins (three seasons), Detroit Tigers (one season) and Chicago White Sox (one season). In total, he appeared in 275 major league contests.
From 2008-11 with New York, he started at least 31 games each season, totaling 45 wins, 435 strikeouts and just 263 walks in 782 2/3 innings.
Pelfrey earned a bachelor's degree in sport management from Wichita State in May 2019.
He and his wife, Angela, have a son, Chase, and two daughters, Avery and Madison.
