HEAD COACH KEITH BATEMAN

Since arriving at Augsburg in 2003, Keith Bateman (Bethel ‘98) has been the architect of a revival of fortunes for the Augsburg baseball program, leading the team to multiple conference tournaments and championship games.

Augsburg Coaching Highlights:
In his first season, Bateman took a team that had gone 18-53-2 in the previous two seasons and finished 16-22. Then in 2005, the Auggies finished 24-18 in qualifying for the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference postseason playoffs for the first time in school history, where they finished second. Bateman was named MIAC Co-Coach of the Year in 2005 and would lead the Auggies back to the conference playoffs in 2010 and 2013.

At Augsburg, Bateman has coached 29 All-MIAC, nine All-MIAC Defensive Team, 17 All-Region student-athletes, including one MIAC Rookie of the Year, one Regional Rookie of the Year and one NCAA DIII/Rawlings Gold Glove recipient. Bateman has had 12 players play in summer collegiate baseball leagues with 10 of those playing in the prestigious Northwoods League. He has also had two of his former players go on to sign professional contracts.

Bateman’s players have also had success in the classroom with 51 Academic All-MIAC and nine Academic All-District award winners, one Academic All-American, and one NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship recipient.

In 2020 Bateman led the Auggies on an international trip to Cuba in which the players learned about the history of Cuba and Cuban culture through the game of baseball. 

Professional Credentials:
Bateman has been a member of the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) since 1999 and presented at the ABCA Barnstormers Clinic in 2017. Bateman has also worked for the Minnesota Twins as a clinician since 2004 and recently with USA Baseball organizing local coaches clinics.

Previous Coaching Experience:
Before he arrived at Augsburg, Bateman served as an assistant coach at the University of St. Thomas in 2003 and at Bethel University from 1999-02.

Playing Experience/Achievements:
As a player at Bethel, Bateman earned All-Midwest Region honors in his senior season. He was a three-time All-MIAC selection and was team captain in his junior and senior years. He earned numerous team honors in his career including: team MVP his junior and senior years, Mr. Defense all four years, team Rookie of the Year, and team Most Respected Player his Junior and senior years. Upon graduation, Bateman held multiple career and single-season records.

Other Duties/Campus Involvement at Augsburg:
Bateman serves as co-director of the Student-Athlete Academic Support team and is an instructor in the Exercise Science Department. He has also served on the Staff Senate and multiple other committees, most recently serving two years on the Pastoral Intern Committee (one year as chair).

Personal/Family Notes:
Bateman resides in Arden Hills, Minn., with his wife Laura and their two children, Brett and Kaylee.