Wes Fortson
Staff Writer
Earlier this month, Troy baseball added a familiar face to the coaching staff.
Logan Pierce was hired as a volunteer assistant coach under his father, head coach Bobby Pierce.
“It’s unique that in my final and 33rd season, he is going to be beginning his first season,” Pierce said. “So now, my son, who played for me for three years, is now going to be back in the dugout in a Trojan uniform as a coach in my final year. It’s a perfect fit for us.”
Logan transferred to Troy from Shelton State Community College in Tuscaloosa after playing under current Troy baseball pitching coach Brad Phillips at Charles Henderson High School.
While playing for Troy, Logan managed a .317 batting average and accumulated 17 home runs and 153 RBIs throughout his three years.
Logan’s résumé makes him well-qualified to fill in as the volunteer assistant coach. He will be taking the place of C.J. Wamsley, who accepted a position with the Ohio University baseball program.
“We certainly appreciate C.J. and his years of service in our program, and fortunately for him he was able to secure his first paid position at the Division I level,” said Bobby Pierce.
Logan graduated from Troy in 2013 after playing on a two-time conference championship team that was loaded with talent.
As a senior, Logan showed tremendous amounts of talent on the field. He built up a .364 batting average and had a reached base streak of 47 games.
Pierce was also drafted in the 15th round, 451st overall pick, by the Philadelphia Phillies after being named Louisville Slugger All-American and first team All-Sun Belt Conference as a third basemen.
“Logan was not only a terrific player for us recently, but he’s also a very intelligent young baseball mind that is going to transition into coaching quickly,” said assistant coach Mark Smartt. “So from our program’s point of view, it couldn’t have been any better for us.”
Many people in the sports world dream of not only being able work at such a prestigious level, but to work with a family member is extremely rare.
“I had my mind set from August until now that this was something that I wanted to do and something that was very special to me and very special to my dad,” said Logan Pierce.
Current head coach Bobby Pierce has put together one of the most memorable careers as a coach in Troy baseball history and in the Southeast. He was inducted into the Alabama Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame in 2010 and is well-known among names such as Chase Riddle, a Troy baseball legend.
For coach Pierce to end his successful 33-year career working next to his son in the same jersey would be a dream come true for many people.
“I’ve been hoping and really wanting this job, and it finally happened when the Lord wanted it to happen, and it’s a great uplifting and rewarding feeling for our family especially and for the Troy baseball program,” said Logan Pierce.
