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, 16^th in batting average and 17^th 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 11^th in Division I in combined home runs and stolen bases, 17^th in doubles, 21^st in runs scored, 23^rd in stolen bases and 24^th 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)