COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri baseball head coach Steve Bieser has selected Ricky Meinhold, a Missouri native and former staff member in the St. Louis Cardinals and New York Mets organizations, as the Tigers’ pitching coach. Meinhold has spent the past season as the Director of Pitching for the Lotte Giants of the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO).
“First of all, this process has been terrific,” Bieser said. “The interest in the pitching coach position and the level of highly-qualified coaches who wanted this job tells me people understand the potential we have to bring back Pitcher U here at Mizzou. Ricky’s combination of pitching knowledge, talent evaluation and, most importantly, coaching and relationship building separated him from the pack. He brings a passion for development and the game that will complement our staff well. I am so excited and ready to get to work with Ricky.”
Known across baseball for his developmental acumen and care for players, Meinhold brings a substantial background in integrating data and biomechanics into pitching programs. Over the course of 11 years in professional baseball, he has played major roles in pitching, development and scouting.
Meinhold will look to continue the upward trajectory of the Tigers pitching staff and guide Mizzou back to its historical pitching prominence. From 2017-19 the Tigers owned one of the elite staffs in the SEC, posting an ERA of 3.75 or better in each season and leading the SEC in league ERA in 2019. This season, a young Mizzou pitching staff showed promise while marking a 13-game improvement over 2021.
“I am truly humbled to be a Tiger,” Meinhold said. “I’m honored to be on this great staff and have the opportunity to lead the pitching staff in our quest for an SEC title and an opportunity to compete in Omaha. Thank you to coach Bieser and Director of Athletics Desiree Reed-Francois for the confidence they have in me as the right coach at the right time. My family and I cannot wait to get started and serve these student-athletes, the university and our community. M-I-Z!”
While with the Lotte Giants, Meinhold has guided every aspect of the organization’s pitching development and coaching. Under his leadership, the Giants’ rotation has worked to a 3.55 ERA this season. Ace Charlie Barnes leads the KBO with 96 innings of work while owning a 2.72 ERA.
Prior to moving to Korea last fall, Meinhold spent two seasons as an assistant major league pitching coach and minor league pitching coordinator with the New York Mets. The Mets finished the 2021 season ninth in the majors with a 3.90 ERA. He oversaw the implementation of the organization’s pitching programs at both the Major and Minor League levels while also assisting in the Mets roster management from the MLB to the Dominican League.
Meinhold spent six years in the St. Louis Cardinals organization with five of those seasons spent in Major League scouting and pitching development. During his time with the Cardinals, he covered scouting responsibilities for the Instructional League and Arizona Fall League. He also coordinated the Cardinals’ pitching development and analysis across both the major and minor leagues, utilizing data and biomechanics to enhance individual pitching plans.
Born in St. Louis and later raised in Springfield, Meinhold earned his bachelor’s degree from Drury University in 2009. He earned a master’s from Coker College in South Carolina where he served as the pitching coach and recruiting coordinator from 2011-2014. Meinhold got his start in coaching as a volunteer assistant at Lindenwood during the 2011 season.
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