COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou Baseball has added Todd Butler to its coaching staff, announced Monday by head coach Steve Bieser. Butler will become the Tigers’ newest assistant coach and also serve as the program’s recruiting coordinator.
“We’re excited to have Coach Butler join our staff,” Bieser said. “He brings a wealth of experience to our program and has demonstrated success at every stop he has made throughout his 27-years as a college coach. His number one responsibility will be to bring excellent recruiting classes to Mizzou. When you look at his track record, there is no doubt he will be successful in that role. Not only can he recruit, but he’s an excellent teacher of the game and does a great job of developing young men.”
“I’m very excited about this opportunity to join Coach Bieser and his staff at Mizzou,” Butler said. “I want to thank Steve and Athletic Director Jim Sterk for giving me the chance to re-join the great Southeastern Conference. This will be my 17th year in the league and it’s truly the greatest conference in the nation. Coach Bieser, Coach Corral and the rest of the staff are doing outstanding things in Columbia and I want to help take this program to the next level. My family and I are very thankful for this opportunity and we can’t wait to get started!”
Butler joins the Mizzou staff after a six-year (2014-19) run as the head coach at Wichita State. He has spent the past 27 years as either an assistant or head coach at the Division I level. Along with the Shockers, Butler has served on the staffs at McNeese State (1993-94, 2001-03), Alabama (1995-2000, ’04-05) and Arkansas (2006-13).
Across his long-tenured Division I coaching career, Butler’s squads have produced five College World Series appearances, six NCAA Super Regional bids and 17 trips to an NCAA Regional. He has also coached 36 combined All-Americans and Freshman All-Americans, 171 players selected in the MLB Draft and 45 individuals who ultimately reached the Major Leagues.
In his recent six-year tenure in Wichita, Kan., Butler oversaw 30 MLB draftees and 11 combined All-American and Freshman All-American honorees.
Butler has spent a total of 16 seasons as an assistant coach in the Southeastern Conference. He had two stints over a combined eight years on the Alabama staff, aiding the Crimson Tide to seven NCAA Regional appearances and three trips to the College World Series.
Spanning across eight years as an assistant coach with Arkansas, Butler and the Razorbacks reached the NCAA Tournament each season with three NCAA Super Regional bids and two trips to the College World Series. As the lead recruiting coordinator, Butler helped haul-in five, top-10 national recruiting classes.
Historically as a lead recruiter on his respective coaching staffs, Butler has brought in 10 freshmen classes ranked among the nation’s top-10. In 1999, Alabama’s incoming freshmen class was ranked fourth-best in the country and still stands as the program’s all-time highest ranked class.
Along with his recent head coach stint at Wichita State, Butler led the charge at McNeese State for three years in the early 2000’s. He improved the Cowboys’ win total each year, capped by a 2003 Southland Conference Tournament championship. The automatic bid to the 2003 NCAA Tournament marked only McNeese State’s fourth all-time NCAA Regional appearance.
Prior to beginning his coaching career, Butler played collegiately for McNeese State (1985-86) and Oklahoma (1987-88). In his senior campaign with the Sooners, Butler earned Third Team All-America honors while also being named to the All-Region and All-Big Eight Conference teams. He later signed a professional deal with the Cleveland Indians and played for one season.
Butler is originally a native of Alexandria, La., and is married to his wife, Melissa. They have two daughters, Caitlyn and Kendyll.
