Tech head coach Jeff tam: TJ is highly respected in the baseball community
BREVARD COUNTY • MELBOURNE, FLORIDA – Florida Tech head coach Jeff Tam has announced the addition of TJ Wharton as assistant coach of the baseball program.
“We are extremely happy to have TJ come on board at Florida Tech,” said Tam.
“TJ is highly respected in the baseball community. His overall knowledge and ability to work within all aspects of the game will be a very tremendous asset.
“TJ will be our hitting coach and work defensively with the catchers. We are very fortunate to have him with our program.”
Wharton joins the coaching staff at Florida Tech after serving as the head coach of the Palm Beach Snow Birds in the Collegiate League of the Palm Beaches. He also served as Assistant Coach and Recruiting & Performance Coordinator at Maryville College.
“I am very excited to join Coach Tam’s staff here at Florida Tech,” said Wharton.
“I have felt at home from the second that I walked on campus. It was a perfect fit on all fronts, and it checked all the boxes for me to make the move back down to Florida. To be in a program that can compete at a high level in one of the best conferences in DII is extremely exciting.”
Wharton began his stint at Maryville with a 14-5 overall record in 2019-20 amid a Covid-19 shortened spring. During his first campaign as a Fighting Scots’ assistant, the squad erupted offensively in 2020, hitting .352 as a team, ranking 20th nationally. In 2022, Wharton assisted in leading the team to a 22-16 record.
Prior to Maryville, Wharton managed the Licking Country Settlers of the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League from September 2018-August 2019. The Settlers won the Southern Division regular and postseason championships and improved to a 28-19 record.
In addition, Wharton worked for St. Petersburg College and the New York Yankees. During his time at St. Petersburg College, he oversaw the strength and conditioning department while assisting with offensive and recruiting duties.
While with the Yankees, Wharton served as a Performance Science Assistant, where he oversaw the implementation of new baseball technology and assisted with the minor and major league rehab assignments.
Wharton also had coaching stops with Eckerd in 2017-18 and Catawba in 2015-17.
A former Division II Student-Athlete, Wharton began his collegiate tenure at GTCC, where he was an All-Region Second Team performer as a catcher.
He then moved on to Catawba, where he was a consecutive All-SAC and All-Southeast Region designated hitter. Wharton helped lead Catawba to two regular season titles and a Division II National Runner-up to finish his senior year.
Wharton played professionally in 2016 with stints with the White Sa ds Pup Fish of the Pecos League, where he was an all-star, and with the Ottawa Champions of the Can-Am League.
Wharton earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Exercise Science with a minor in Athletic Coaching from Catawba College in May 2017. He then went on to earn his Master of Coaching Education from Ohio University in August 2019.
Wharton resides in Palm Bay with his wife Taylor and their two dogs, Huck and Murphy.
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