This week, UTRGV Athletics announced the hiring of Taylor Steen and promotion of Chris Mondesi to the baseball team coaching staff.
These additions bring experience and depth to the Vaqueros’ coaching staff headed into the 2024 season, according to UTRGV Baseball head coach Derek Matlock.
Steen is “fired up and really excited” about his hire by UTRGV and the chance to work with Matlock and the rest of the staff.
“I’ve been here for a couple of weeks now,” he said. “I’m still getting my feet underneath me, but with practice rolling and all that, I’m getting better. [I’m] really excited to be around this coaching staff that has this energy and passion for this program … and excited to see what happens this season.”
Steen worked at Pittsburg State University in Pittsburg, Kansas, from 2020-2022 as an assistant hitting coach and recruiter.
In 2023, he was the head of baseball operations for Marucci-Arkansas, where he put together rosters for travel teams and ran youth baseball camps.
Matlock said Steen will work with outfielders and hitters with assistant coach Rob Martinez. Steen will also use his contacts from previous experience to help UTRGV recruiting efforts.
Steen brings “energy, his knowledge of the game and his work ethic” to the coaching staff, Matlock said.
“Knowing the contacts up in the middle part of the country [is] huge for UTRGV and recruiting,” he said.
Vaqueros redshirt left fielder Adrian Torres, a senior, said Steen’s hire was “much needed.”
“Since the moment that he came in the first day, I mean, you could tell he bought into what we had going on here,” Torres said. “Everything that we do in the outfield is with a purpose. He came in and right away set the record straight that he’s here to make us better and we’re here, the outfielders, we’re here to listen to him. And, as much as we trust Matlock and coach Rob, as soon as Taylor [Steen] came in, I mean, we put all our trust into him and it’s been a good time so far.”
Mondesi previously served as a student assistant working with infielders last season. In 2022, he played his junior season at UTRGV, during which he hit .240 with four home runs and 20 RBI in 32 games for the Vaqueros.
Mondesi is related to two major leaguers. His cousin, current Red Sox infielder Adalberto Mondesi, was a World Series champion with the 2015 Kansas City Royals. His uncle, Raul Mondesi, was a major league outfielder for 13 seasons for seven teams, a two-time Gold Glove award winner and an NL All-Star in 1995. Raul Mondesi won the 1994 National League Rookie of the Year award.
At UTRGV, Mondesi will serve as an infield and first base coach during the games, according to Matlock.
Torres said the team felt “great” about having Mondesi, who he called “one of the best defensive players,” coaching the infielders.
“Having [Mondesi] now coaching the infielders, I mean, you just see the impact his knowledge has had on the infielders,” Torres said. “I’m just so excited for this team. Offensively, we know what we’re capable of doing, but now with coach Steen and coach [Mondesi] working with us defensively, with the outfielders and infielders, this team is going to be so much better.”
Both coaches will be with the team for the start of the season. The Vaqueros will play their first game against the University of Rhode Island Feb. 16. at the UTRGV Baseball Stadium on the Edinburg campus.
