Kentucky Hires Chase Slone as Assistant Coach
Kentucky has hired Wright State Associate Head Coach and Hitting Coach Chase Slone as assistant coach after he played a pivotal role in the Raiders breaking four school records this past season.
He will now be tasked with helping continue Kentucky’s impressive offensive versatility that either led or ranked near the top of the Southeastern Conference in most major statistical categories.
“Chase is a perfect fit for Kentucky Baseball,” UK coach Nick Mingione said. “He’s extremely intelligent, innovative and has played a pivotal role in one of the nation’s most effective and opportunistic offensive attacks. We are thrilled to welcome him to the UK baseball family and the Big Blue Nation.”
In Slone, UK is hiring a rising star in the coaching community who presided over a Raiders offense that was 10th in scoring in Division I in 2024 at nine runs per game. It also ranked eighth in slugging percentage and home runs per game, 16th in batting average and 17th in total runs scored as Wright State won yet another Horizon League championship.
The balanced attack broke the school record for home runs with 112, RBI (473) and runs scored (505). Ben Vore also set a new single-season school record for RBI with 75.
In 223 games under Slone’s guidance, Wright State’s offense has batted .300 overall, smacked 349 home runs, scored 8.5 runs per game and stolen 357 bases, all while setting multiple records along the way. In four full seasons since being promoted to full-time hitting coach, Wright State has won four Horizon League regular season titles, three Horizon League Tournament crowns and been to three NCAA Regionals. It also has seen a pair of Slone proteges with Horizon League Player of the Year.
During the past three seasons, Wright State ranks 11th in Division I in combined home runs and stolen bases, 17th in doubles, 21st in runs scored, 23rd in stolen bases and 24th in triples.
Wright State also has developed six Major League Baseball draft picks in three years while Slone has been on staff, including Tyler Black, who made his big league debut this spring.
In 2023, Andrew Patrick broken the Wright State single-season record for home runs and shortstop Justin Riemer was drafted in the fourth round. A year prior in 2022, the Raiders set a then-school record for home runs that was shattered last season and saw Alec Sayre win Horizon League Player of the Year.
In 2021, Slone’s first as a full-time assistant, Wright State’s offense led Division I in average, slugging, on-base percentage and scoring. It also saw Quincy Hamilton win Horizon Player of the Year and four position players either drafted or sign free agent contracts.
Slone began his collegiate playing career at Southern Illinois, transferred to Dyersburg State Community College where he hit over .400 and eventually completed his final two seasons at Wright State. With the Raiders, he was a First-Team Horizon League shortstop his first season and Second Team his final season. He played a year of professional baseball before entering the coaching ranks.
CHASE SLONE FILE
Hometown: Murfreesboro, Tennessee
Education:
2019 – Wright State University
2017 – Dyersburg State Community College
Playing Career:
2015 – Southern Illinois
2017 – Dyersburg State
2018-19 – Wright State
2019 – Washington Wild Things
Coaching Career:
2020 – Wright State, Volunteer Assistant
2021-23 – Wright State, Assistant (Hitting and Infield)
2024 – Wright State, Associate Head Coach (Hitting and Infield)
