ROCHESTER, Mich. – Oakland Baseball head coach Brian Nelson announced the addition of Mike Ruppenthal to his coaching staff on Friday. Ruppenthal will serve as the pitching coach.
Ruppenthal returns to Rochester after spending the past four seasons at Towson, where he served as pitching coach before being elevated to associate head coach. He previously joined the Oakland staff prior to the 2023 season under then-head coach Jordon Banfield.
"I am so grateful to Coach Nelson for giving me the opportunity to come back to OU," said Ruppenthal. "It's extremely exciting to return back home and work with such a talented and driven coaching staff and athletic department. I can't wait to get on the field with the pitchers and work toward winning a Horizon League Championship."
"I couldn't be more excited about adding Coach Ruppenthal to this coaching staff," said Nelson. "We are getting a phenomenal person, great father, and a leader of men. His passion, knowledge, and joy for this game are clearly evident in his work ethic and resume. I'm eagerly anticipating the positive impact that he will have on the overall progress of Oakland Baseball – specifically the pitching staff and our recruiting – as we look to take the next step as a program."
During his time at Towson, Ruppenthal helped elevate the Tigers' pitching staff into one of the Colonial Athletic Association's most consistent units. In 2026, Towson lowered its team ERA for the second consecutive season while recording 404 strikeouts, the third-highest single-season total in program history.
The Tigers also made significant strides during the 2025 campaign, posting their second-lowest ERA since 2021 while totaling 203 strikeouts in conference play and issuing just 110 walks, the fifth-fewest in the CAA. Ruppenthal also coached Nate Nabholz to All-CAA Second Team honors.
In 2024, Towson pitchers combined for 369 strikeouts, tying for the seventh-most in school history, while the bullpen recorded 11 saves from six different pitchers, matching the fifth-highest single-season total in program history. His impact was immediate in his first season with the Tigers in 2023, as the pitching staff established a program record with 433 strikeouts.
Prior to Towson and Oakland, Ruppenthal served as pitching coach and recruiting coordinator at Tyler Junior College, helping guide the Apaches to the 2021 NJCAA National Championship. That same year, he earned American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) Division III National Assistant Coach of the Year honors. He also served as head coach of the Battle Creek Bombers of the Northwoods League from October 2018 through August 2021.
Ruppenthal previously worked as pitching coach at Bethany College, where the staff lowered its ERA by 1.3 runs from 2017 to 2018.
As a player, Ruppenthal starred at Southeastern University, helping the Fire capture Sun Conference championships in 2014 and 2017 while making three appearances in the NAIA National Championship tournament (2014, 2015 and 2017). He finished his career ranked among the top five in program history in pitching appearances.
Ruppenthal earned a bachelor's degree in finance with a minor in sport management from Southeastern University in 2016 before completing his Master of Business Administration in 2018.
He is joined in Rochester with his wife, Lydia, and their son, Wade.
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