Derrick Conatser
Derrick Conatser
Title: Assistant Coach
Email: Jonathon.Conatser@fsw.edu

Conatser begins his fourth season with the Bucs in 2021-2022.  

Conatser helped develop one of the most electric pitching staffs in the country in 2020-2021.  The Bucs had two top 10 Major League Baseball Draft Picks in Carlos Rodriguez (6th-Brewers) and Alex Ayala (9th-Rays) and four hurlers go in the top 13 rounds. In the past two full MLB Drafts, FSW has now had six pitchers drafted and five in the top 13 rounds under Conatser's watch.  FSW won their second straight Suncoast Conference Championship in 2021 and their pitching staff had a great deal to do with that.  Ayala was named the Suncoast Conference Pitcher of the Year while closer Antonio Knowles was named the Fireman of the Year and later on the first First Team All-American in program history.  

Conatser's second season with the Bucs was cut short due to Covid-19 after FSW was off to a 16-11 start to their 2020 campaign.  His pitching staff was again solid, setting a new program record for lowest batting average against at .249 while posting a 3.65 team ERA.  Five of Conatser's pitchers signed four year scholarships including four at the NCAA Division I level.   

In his first year in Fort Myers, Conatser helped FSW to a Suncoast Conference Championship as the Bucs went 40-14 and 21-9 in conference play.  The Bucs made their first appearance in the state tournament, had their first All-American, and were ranked for the first time in program history under Conatser's watch.  The Bucs' pitching coach, Conatser saw his staff set all-time program records for ERA, strikeouts, shutouts, batting average against, and saves.  He coached a pair of Major League Baseball Draft Picks on his staff in Ryan Gusto and Marc Davis, Gusto later became the first FCSAA Pitcher of the Year and All-American in FSW Baseball history.