Mike Hampton is in his sixth season on Ed Blankmeyer’s staff and
in his ninth year of coaching at the collegiate level. He
joined the St. John’s baseball staff as the program's recruiting
coordinator and hitting coach in September 2001.
In his first five seasons, the Red Storm has combined to post a
team batting average over .300, including a .328 average last
season. The Red Storm lost the team's top three hitters – Greg
Thomson, P.J. Antoniato and Joe Burke – to the 2005 Major League
Baseball draft, but marked improvement from veteran leaders Sam
DeLuca, Chris Joachim, Anthony Smith and Will Vogl helped the Red
Storm adjust quickly and succeed.
Vogl had one of the best offensive seasons in school history and
earned first team All-BIG EAST and third team All-America honors.
Joachim hit over .400 for nearly the entire season and finished
with a .398 average, and Joachim, DeLuca and Smith all earned
all-conference consideration.
Teaching sound fundamentals and solid situational hitting, Hampton
directed the offense to new school records with 118 doubles and 427
runs in 2005 in what was one of the most successful seasons in
school history. A balanced offensive effort helped the Red Storm to
a record season and 41 wins, as eight different players drove in at
least 25 runs.
In his role of recruiting coordinator, Hampton has overseen a group
of 15 players that has gone on to play professionally. A record
seven Red Storm players signed in 2005, six of which began and
ended their playing careers during Hampton's tenure. A former
collegiate All-American and fourth-round draft choice himself,
Hampton's keen eye for talent has given St. John's a presence in
every level of competitive baseball.
Hampton came to the Red Storm from BIG EAST Conference rival West
Virginia University, where he served as the Mountaineers hitting
coach from 2000-01. He spent the 1999 season as a volunteer
assistant on Jack Leggett’s staff at Clemson.
“Mike’s got a great background, and he’s been a great addition to
our staff,” Blankmeyer said. “He’s played at the top level in
college baseball and his experience there, and as a professional
player, have been a great benefit to our student-athletes.”
Prior to his stay at Clemson, Hampton played professionally in the
Cincinnati Reds organization, advancing to high A before retiring
due to injury.
A fourth-round draft choice by the Reds, Hampton was an All-America
third baseman for Leggett at Clemson, helping the Tigers to a 57-18
record and the nation’s No. 1 ranking for a portion of the 1994
season.
A native of Colorado Springs, Colo., Hampton spent the summer of
2001 as the head coach for the Wilmington Sharks and as an
assistant for the Thomasville Hi-Toms during the summer of 1999,
both of the Coastal Plain League.
Hampton earned his master’s degree in Athletic Coaching Education
from West Virginia in 2001, and his Bachelor’s degree in Biological
Science from Clemson in 1997.