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Baylor Baseball
“I couldn’t be more excited to add Zach Dillon to our staff,” Thompson said. “Zach truly understands what it means to be a Baylor Bear. His extensive resume and experience at all levels of the game will pay huge dividends in helping our players reach their maximum potential and helping our program win championships. Zach’s ability to recognize talent on the field coupled with his contacts throughout the country will benefit our program tremendously on the recruiting trail. It’s always special when we are able to bring a member of the Baylor Family back home and continue to build upon the foundation that Zach helped establish.”
Since the 2016-17 calendar year, Dillon’s work with Twelve Baseball has been influential, particularly in the 2018-2025 recruiting classes. On a daily basis, he assisted in youth and high school practice planning, ensuring a competitive culture and environment that maximized player development. Off the field, he created the club’s annual operating budget, handled program development and fundraising, managed scheduling and other organizational administrative duties. Dillon’s relationships with college coaches and next-level resources greatly helped in sending Twelve Baseball players to college programs around the nation.
“I am honored to be coming home to our Baylor Family,” Dillon said. “I am so fired up to be a part of the next chapter of Baylor Baseball alongside Coach Thompson. We will work relentlessly to bring in talented players with winning DNA. We will build team and championship culture on and off the field together. I can’t wait to start recruiting, developing and serving our players to Prepare Champions for Life!”
Previously, Dillon worked on Thompson’s staff at McLennan Community College during the 2016 season as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator. That year, the Highlanders went 45-12 and won the NTJCAC regular-season title. Under Dillon’s guidance, MCC hitters combined for a .342 batting average with 80 home runs, 144 doubles and a team OPS of 1.018. Dillon played a part in sending 22 players to Division I schools and saw seven of his products selected in the MLB Draft.
In 2015, Dillon served as the volunteer assistant coach and coordinator of camps at Mississippi State. While there, he directly assisted in the development of future SEC Player of the Year Brent Rooker, All-SEC selections Gavin Collins, Ryan Gridley and Jacob Robson and 2016 first-round draft pick Dakota Hudson.
Prior to joining the MSU staff, Dillon spent the 2014 season as the director and head coach of the 18U Iowa Sticks, the premier youth baseball club in Iowa. Additionally, he worked as the director of the Premier Baseball High School Spring League as well as the PPC Showcase Camps.
Before his time in Waukee, Iowa, Dillon served as an assistant coach at the University of Iowa. While there, he served as the Hawkeyes’ third base coach, hitting coach and recruiting coordinator responsible in all areas of program development.
Dillon returned to Iowa City after helping Baylor in 2012 as a volunteer assistant. He aided the Bears in reaching the Waco Super Regional and finishing 49-17 overall, one win shy of a school record and a trip to Omaha for the College World Series. The Bears captured the regular-season Big 12 title, reached No. 1 in the nation for the first time in school history and entered the postseason as the No. 4 overall seed.
Dillon coached a school-record 11 All-Big 12 players that season, including six first-team selections, Big 12 Player of the Year Josh Ludy and Big 12 Newcomer of the Year Nathan Orf. A conference-record four Bears garnered Louisville Slugger All-America recognition, while a total of six players were taken in the 2012 MLB Draft.
Before coaching in Waco, Dillon worked as the volunteer assistant and camp coordinator at Iowa. In his first two seasons in Iowa City, Dillon was part of a coaching staff which led the Hawkeyes to 50 victories and six All-Big Ten honors. Off the field, the Hawkeyes tallied 20 Academic All-Big Ten honors, including a school-record 12 in 2011.
As a player, Dillon played collegiately at Baylor from 2003-06, where he was an integral part of three NCAA Tournament squads, two NCAA Super Regionals appearances and a College World Series berth in 2005. He was a two-time All-Big 12 selection, two-time ABCA All-Region pick and was named to a pair of NCAA Tournament All-Regional teams. In 2006, Dillon garnered Big 12 Player of the Year honors from the San Antonio Express-News and was named a semifinalist for the Johnny Bench Award, which recognizes the nation’s top catcher.
During his senior season at BU, Dillion hit .421 with an eye-popping .496 on-base percentage in Big 12 play. He led the league in average and walks, finishing in the top-20 nationally in walks per game. Dillon wrapped up his career with a .307 average, 124 RBIs and 115 walks.
Away from the diamond, Dillon was a four-time academic all-conference selection, a first-team ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American and a 10-time member of the Big 12 Conference Commissioner’s Honor Roll. In 2009, he was also the recipient of a spring post-graduate scholarship.
Dillon was selected by the Baltimore Orioles in the 20th round of the 2006 MLB Draft. In 2007, he powered the Frederic Keys (Class-A Advanced) to the Carolina League championship and earned a big-league spring training invite a few months later.
Dillon graduated Magna Cum Laude from Baylor with a bachelor’s degree in education in 2005. He later earned his master’s degree in education and sports management in 2009. Dillon has a son, Hayden.
Baylor Baseball Announces Zach Dillon as Hitting Coach
WACO, Texas – Baylor baseball head coach Mitch Thompson announced Saturday the addition of hitting coach and recruiting coordinator Zach Dillon to his staff.
Dillon, a former Baylor baseball player from 2003-06 and volunteer assistant coach in the 2012 season, returns to Waco after spending the last six years as the director of operations for Twelve Baseball, a premier select youth and high school program based out of Katy, Texas.
“I couldn’t be more excited to add Zach Dillon to our staff,” Thompson said. “Zach truly understands what it means to be a Baylor Bear. His extensive resume and experience at all levels of the game will pay huge dividends in helping our players reach their maximum potential and helping our program win championships. Zach’s ability to recognize talent on the field coupled with his contacts throughout the country will benefit our program tremendously on the recruiting trail. It’s always special when we are able to bring a member of the Baylor Family back home and continue to build upon the foundation that Zach helped establish.”
Since the 2016-17 calendar year, Dillon’s work with Twelve Baseball has been influential, particularly in the 2018-2025 recruiting classes. On a daily basis, he assisted in youth and high school practice planning, ensuring a competitive culture and environment that maximized player development. Off the field, he created the club’s annual operating budget, handled program development and fundraising, managed scheduling and other organizational administrative duties. Dillon’s relationships with college coaches and next-level resources greatly helped in sending Twelve Baseball players to college programs around the nation.
“I am honored to be coming home to our Baylor Family,” Dillon said. “I am so fired up to be a part of the next chapter of Baylor Baseball alongside Coach Thompson. We will work relentlessly to bring in talented players with winning DNA. We will build team and championship culture on and off the field together. I can’t wait to start recruiting, developing and serving our players to Prepare Champions for Life!”
Previously, Dillon worked on Thompson’s staff at McLennan Community College during the 2016 season as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator. That year, the Highlanders went 45-12 and won the NTJCAC regular-season title. Under Dillon’s guidance, MCC hitters combined for a .342 batting average with 80 home runs, 144 doubles and a team OPS of 1.018. Dillon played a part in sending 22 players to Division I schools and saw seven of his products selected in the MLB Draft.
In 2015, Dillon served as the volunteer assistant coach and coordinator of camps at Mississippi State. While there, he directly assisted in the development of future SEC Player of the Year Brent Rooker, All-SEC selections Gavin Collins, Ryan Gridley and Jacob Robson and 2016 first-round draft pick Dakota Hudson.
Prior to joining the MSU staff, Dillon spent the 2014 season as the director and head coach of the 18U Iowa Sticks, the premier youth baseball club in Iowa. Additionally, he worked as the director of the Premier Baseball High School Spring League as well as the PPC Showcase Camps.
Before his time in Waukee, Iowa, Dillon served as an assistant coach at the University of Iowa. While there, he served as the Hawkeyes’ third base coach, hitting coach and recruiting coordinator responsible in all areas of program development.
Dillon returned to Iowa City after helping Baylor in 2012 as a volunteer assistant. He aided the Bears in reaching the Waco Super Regional and finishing 49-17 overall, one win shy of a school record and a trip to Omaha for the College World Series. The Bears captured the regular-season Big 12 title, reached No. 1 in the nation for the first time in school history and entered the postseason as the No. 4 overall seed.
Dillon coached a school-record 11 All-Big 12 players that season, including six first-team selections, Big 12 Player of the Year Josh Ludy and Big 12 Newcomer of the Year Nathan Orf. A conference-record four Bears garnered Louisville Slugger All-America recognition, while a total of six players were taken in the 2012 MLB Draft.
Before coaching in Waco, Dillon worked as the volunteer assistant and camp coordinator at Iowa. In his first two seasons in Iowa City, Dillon was part of a coaching staff which led the Hawkeyes to 50 victories and six All-Big Ten honors. Off the field, the Hawkeyes tallied 20 Academic All-Big Ten honors, including a school-record 12 in 2011.
As a player, Dillon played collegiately at Baylor from 2003-06, where he was an integral part of three NCAA Tournament squads, two NCAA Super Regionals appearances and a College World Series berth in 2005. He was a two-time All-Big 12 selection, two-time ABCA All-Region pick and was named to a pair of NCAA Tournament All-Regional teams. In 2006, Dillon garnered Big 12 Player of the Year honors from the San Antonio Express-News and was named a semifinalist for the Johnny Bench Award, which recognizes the nation’s top catcher.
During his senior season at BU, Dillion hit .421 with an eye-popping .496 on-base percentage in Big 12 play. He led the league in average and walks, finishing in the top-20 nationally in walks per game. Dillon wrapped up his career with a .307 average, 124 RBIs and 115 walks.
Away from the diamond, Dillon was a four-time academic all-conference selection, a first-team ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American and a 10-time member of the Big 12 Conference Commissioner’s Honor Roll. In 2009, he was also the recipient of a spring post-graduate scholarship.
Dillon was selected by the Baltimore Orioles in the 20th round of the 2006 MLB Draft. In 2007, he powered the Frederic Keys (Class-A Advanced) to the Carolina League championship and earned a big-league spring training invite a few months later.
Dillon graduated Magna Cum Laude from Baylor with a bachelor’s degree in education in 2005. He later earned his master’s degree in education and sports management in 2009. Dillon has a son, Hayden.
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