- B.S., Business Administration/Management, University of South Carolina, Aiken
Derek Beasley is an assistant coach and pitching coach for the baseball team at Lenoir-Rhyne since 2019. Beasley was in the Oakland A's farm system from 2014-17 and posted a 2.93 ERA in the New York Penn League.
Beasley comes to Hickory after a successful playing and coaching career at University of South Carolina, Aiken. As the program's pitching coach, the Pacers finished second in the Peach Belt Conference in each of Beasley's two seasons. In 2019, all three of Beasley's weekend starters were drafted in the MLB draft (Mitch Spence - 10th round, Zach Rafuse - 37th round, Garvin Alston Jr. - 37th round). Rafuse garnered Second Team All-Conference honors, while Spence was the overall strikeout leader in the conference and was a First Team All-Conference. In addition, the Pacers were first in the PBC in strikeouts and K/9 innings, allowing the fewest hits and the lowest batting average against under Beasley in 2019. In 2018, Aiken led the league in saves, earned runs, hits and batting average.
As a pitcher from 2011-14, Beasley went 29-13 with a 3.65 ERA and struck out 292 batters in 311 career innings. In 2014, Beasley ranked third in NCAA Division II in games started (15), and his 52 career starts still stands as the program record. He ranks eighth in the history of the PBC in strikeouts and wins and fifth in games started. He was a two-time All-Conference selection and was the team MVP as a senior. In 2013, Beasley won the Mr. Pacer Award for the baseball team and was All-Region.