Raffo Anoints Alan Dunn As Red Wolves’ Next Pitching Coach
JONESBORO, Ark. (8/24/21) – One of the most respected pitching minds in college baseball, Alan Dunn, joined the Arkansas State baseball program as its next pitching coach, Head Coach Tommy Raffo announced Tuesday.
The 2015 Collegiate Baseball National Pitching Coach of the Year, Dunn joins the Red Wolves after a decade at LSU (2012-21), where he played a pivotal role on Paul Mainieri’s staff. While in Baton Rouge, Dunn was part of nine NCAA Tournament teams, including seven squads that earned national seeds, three College World Series appearances, including the 2017 runner-up finish, seven NCAA Regional crowns, three SEC championships, four SEC Western Division titles and three SEC Tournament championships.
“We are excited to have Alan join our coaching staff,” Raffo said. “He brings years of college and professional pitching experience to our Red Wolves players. Alan is highly respected in all baseball coaching circles, and he is a great teacher and even better person. With his coaching credentials, Alan could have gone anywhere and he chose Arkansas State. This is such a big deal for our university, the community, our program, and most of all, the student-athletes. I know the A-State community will help welcome Alan and his wife Jay to Jonesboro and I look forward to everyone getting to know this great family.”
Dunn coached seven eventual Major League Baseball pitchers at LSU, including MLB All-Star right-hander Aaron Nola (Philadelphia Phillies) and Kevin Gausman (Cincinnati Reds), both of whom were first-round draft picks. During his stint, Dunn produced 26 LSU pitchers that were chosen in the Major League Baseball draft, including 15 in the first 10 rounds.
“It is such an honor to become part of the Red Wolves athletic department, baseball program and the Jonesboro community,” Dunn said. “When my wife and I looked for our next journey, we wanted to find that perfect fit of community, commitment and competitive atmosphere. After talking with Coach Raffo and hearing his philosophy for the program, and meeting with Tom Bowen and listening to him talk about his vision for Arkansas State athletics, I knew that A-State could be a place where we could connect.”
Prior to his stint with the Fighting Tigers, Dunn spent nearly 20 years in professional baseball, mostly as a pitching coach in the Chicago Cubs organization (1993-06). He was promoted to the Cubs’ Minor League Pitching Coordinator (2007) before serving as the Baltimore Orioles’ bullpen coach from 2007-10. In 2011, Dunn was hired as the Orioles’ Minor League Pitching Coordinator before joining Paul Mainieri’s staff in Baton Rouge prior to the 2012 season.
In his 10 seasons at LSU, Dunn tutored three players for a combined six All-SEC selections, including five first-team nods. He helped Aaron Nola to back-to-back SEC Pitcher of the Year honors in 2013 and 2014, while guiding Nola, Kevin Gausman and Alex Lange to First Team All-America laurels. Under his guidance, LSU consistently boasted some of the best pitching staffs in the SEC and the nation and led the league in shutouts three times, including a school-record 17 in 2014.
Prior to beginning his coaching career at the pro level, Dunn worked as an assistant coach at Vanderbilt in 1991 and 1992.
As a player, Dunn was a fourth-round selection (95th overall) of the Detroit Tigers in the 1983 MLB Draft out of Alabama, where he played for the Crimson Tide’s 1983 College World Series runner-up squad. He spent two years in the Tigers’ farm system before beginning his coaching career.
Dunn earned his bachelor’s degree in physical education from UAB in 1991. He and his wife, Jay, are the parents of a son, Davis, and a daughter, Bailey.
THE DUNN FILE
Birthdate: Nov. 19, 1961
Hometown: Gadsden, Ala.
Wife: Jay
Children: Davis, Bailey
Alma Mater: UAB, 1991
Playing Career
1981-83 – Alabama
1983-84 – Detroit Tigers and New York Mets organizations
Coaching Experience
1991-92 – Assistant Coach, Vanderbilt
1993 – Pitching Coach, Geneva Cubs (Class A New York-Penn League [Cubs])
1994 – Pitching Coach, Peoria Chiefs (Class A Midwest League [Cubs])
1995-96 – Pitching Coach, Rockford Cubbies (Class A Midwest League [Cubs])
1997 – Pitching Coach, Daytona Cubs (High-A Florida State League [Cubs])
1998-2005 – Pitching Coach, West Tennessee Diamond Jaxx (Double-A Southern League [Cubs])
2006 – Pitching Coach, Iowa Cubs (Triple-A Pacific Coast League [Cubs])
2007 – Chicago Cubs Minor League Pitching Coordinator
2007-10 – Bullpen Coach, Baltimore Orioles
2011 – Baltimore Orioles Minor League Pitching Coordinator
2012-21 – Pitching Coach/Associate Head Coach [2017-21], LSU
