Mike Cather enters his second season at Arizona State University as assistant coach and pitching coach.
In his first season with the Sun Devil pitching staff, Cather oversaw a team ERA that dropped by an entire point from 2017 to 2018. Three of his pitchers had their names called in the 2018 MLB Draft (Fitz Stadler, Eli Lingos and Connor Higgins).
A pair of freshmen helped pave the way for the Sun Devils as Boyd Vander Kooi and Dellan Raish each led the team with 3.00 ERA while the latter would go on to be named a Freshman All-American.
The 2018 season saw the emergence of Alec Marsh as the team’s Friday night ace as the sophomore finished with a 3.89 ERA and 1.29 WHIP. Marsh posted five quality starts in his six starts as the team’s Friday night starter, a role he assumed midway through the season. Marsh finished the season in the Top-10 in the Pac-12 ion fewest extra base hits and hits allowed over the course of the season.
Cather coached Eli Lingos to his best season as a Sun Devil as the senior left finished with a 3.83 ERA on the season and a team-leading seven victories. Lingos struck out a career-high 72 batters to just 24 walks on the year in a team-high 91.2 innings pitched. Lingos’ performance allowed him to get drafted for the first time in his career, going in the 22ndround to the Cleveland Indians.
Cather joined the Sun Devils with over a decade of experience at the professional level, most recently serving as the Minor League Pitching Coordinator for the Miami Marlins organization beginning in 2015. With the Marlins, Cather oversaw the development for the organization's minor league system and worked closely with Miami's Major League Pitching Coach, Juan Nieves.
Prior to his coaching career, Cather had a 10-year career as a professional pitcher with three seasons spent in Major League Baseball with the Atlanta Braves (1997-99). Cather did not allow an earned run in his first eight games in the MLB and helped the Braves to a spot in the National League Championship Series against the Florida Marlins in 1998.
Among his professional assignments and developments through the years, Cather has worked with All-Stars Josh Beckett and Clay Buchholz, as well as the likes of Matt Wisler, Carl Edwards, Jr., Joe Ross and Daniel Bard.
In 2014, Cather joined the Chicago Cubs organization as the pitching coach for the Iowa Cubs at the Triple-A level and oversaw a pitching staff that led the Pacific Coast League in ERA, setting several club records in the process. He developed young and veteran players for the team's postseason run in 2015.
The Iowa Cubs' pitching staff finished with a team ERA of 3.73 in 2015 and were led by Carlos Pimentel, who finished with a 2.95 ERA – second in the PCL – while leading the league with 12 victories on the season.
Cather joined the San Diego Padres organization in 2012 where he served as the Minor League Pitching Coordinator as well as the pitching coach for the El Paso Chihuahuas, the Padres' Triple-A affiliate. In El Paso, Cather worked under former Sun Devil Baseball head coach Pat Murphy.
With the organization, Cather established throwing programs used throughout the system and oversaw development of players for the major league or trades. He also initiated and created the throwing program used for Dominican players at the overseas academy.
Cather began his career in the professional ranks with the Boston Red Sox organization in 2006. He joined the organization as the pitching coach for the Class A Wilmington Blue Rocks before being promoted to pitching coach for the Portland Sea Dogs, the Red Sox's Double-A affiliate, in 2007. In 2010, Cather was named as one of Boston's Major League advanced scouts, where he provided reports and insight to the organization's Major League staff.
During his playing career with the Braves, Cather pitched two scoreless innings of relief in Game 2 against the Houston Astros in the 1998 National League Divisional series after helping the team to the NL Eastern Division title. In the National League Championship Series against the Marlins, Cather did not allow a run over four games
.
During his 10-year professional career, Cather also played within the Texas Rangers, Florida Marlins and St. Louis Cardinals organizations. His career saw him play alongside fellow Sun Devil alumni Tim Spehr and Jacob Cruz.
Cather will be joined in Phoenix by his wife of nearly 20 years, Kristine, as well as his daughters Lauren and Avery and his son Colby.
In his first season with the Sun Devil pitching staff, Cather oversaw a team ERA that dropped by an entire point from 2017 to 2018. Three of his pitchers had their names called in the 2018 MLB Draft (Fitz Stadler, Eli Lingos and Connor Higgins).
A pair of freshmen helped pave the way for the Sun Devils as Boyd Vander Kooi and Dellan Raish each led the team with 3.00 ERA while the latter would go on to be named a Freshman All-American.
The 2018 season saw the emergence of Alec Marsh as the team’s Friday night ace as the sophomore finished with a 3.89 ERA and 1.29 WHIP. Marsh posted five quality starts in his six starts as the team’s Friday night starter, a role he assumed midway through the season. Marsh finished the season in the Top-10 in the Pac-12 ion fewest extra base hits and hits allowed over the course of the season.
Cather coached Eli Lingos to his best season as a Sun Devil as the senior left finished with a 3.83 ERA on the season and a team-leading seven victories. Lingos struck out a career-high 72 batters to just 24 walks on the year in a team-high 91.2 innings pitched. Lingos’ performance allowed him to get drafted for the first time in his career, going in the 22ndround to the Cleveland Indians.
Cather joined the Sun Devils with over a decade of experience at the professional level, most recently serving as the Minor League Pitching Coordinator for the Miami Marlins organization beginning in 2015. With the Marlins, Cather oversaw the development for the organization's minor league system and worked closely with Miami's Major League Pitching Coach, Juan Nieves.
Prior to his coaching career, Cather had a 10-year career as a professional pitcher with three seasons spent in Major League Baseball with the Atlanta Braves (1997-99). Cather did not allow an earned run in his first eight games in the MLB and helped the Braves to a spot in the National League Championship Series against the Florida Marlins in 1998.
Among his professional assignments and developments through the years, Cather has worked with All-Stars Josh Beckett and Clay Buchholz, as well as the likes of Matt Wisler, Carl Edwards, Jr., Joe Ross and Daniel Bard.
In 2014, Cather joined the Chicago Cubs organization as the pitching coach for the Iowa Cubs at the Triple-A level and oversaw a pitching staff that led the Pacific Coast League in ERA, setting several club records in the process. He developed young and veteran players for the team's postseason run in 2015.
The Iowa Cubs' pitching staff finished with a team ERA of 3.73 in 2015 and were led by Carlos Pimentel, who finished with a 2.95 ERA – second in the PCL – while leading the league with 12 victories on the season.
Cather joined the San Diego Padres organization in 2012 where he served as the Minor League Pitching Coordinator as well as the pitching coach for the El Paso Chihuahuas, the Padres' Triple-A affiliate. In El Paso, Cather worked under former Sun Devil Baseball head coach Pat Murphy.
With the organization, Cather established throwing programs used throughout the system and oversaw development of players for the major league or trades. He also initiated and created the throwing program used for Dominican players at the overseas academy.
Cather began his career in the professional ranks with the Boston Red Sox organization in 2006. He joined the organization as the pitching coach for the Class A Wilmington Blue Rocks before being promoted to pitching coach for the Portland Sea Dogs, the Red Sox's Double-A affiliate, in 2007. In 2010, Cather was named as one of Boston's Major League advanced scouts, where he provided reports and insight to the organization's Major League staff.
During his playing career with the Braves, Cather pitched two scoreless innings of relief in Game 2 against the Houston Astros in the 1998 National League Divisional series after helping the team to the NL Eastern Division title. In the National League Championship Series against the Marlins, Cather did not allow a run over four games
.
During his 10-year professional career, Cather also played within the Texas Rangers, Florida Marlins and St. Louis Cardinals organizations. His career saw him play alongside fellow Sun Devil alumni Tim Spehr and Jacob Cruz.
Cather will be joined in Phoenix by his wife of nearly 20 years, Kristine, as well as his daughters Lauren and Avery and his son Colby.