Jay Sorg (Baseball Coach) – Episode 5
Friday, June 22nd, 2012
#GetBetterTV – Episode 5
Michael Fear, sits down with former professional baseball coach Jay Sorg. He discusses:
1. Coaching Joey Votto & Josh Hamilton 2. Keys to Votto and Hamilton’s MVP 3. His own path to playing professional baseball 4. Common traits among successful traits 5. His one piece of advice to people who want to get better. Sorg played three seasons as a third baseman at MSU (1992-94) before being selected in the 15th round of the 1994 Major League Baseball First Year Player Draft by theCincinnati Reds. During his MSU career, he was a member of the Ohio ValleyConference Tournament champion team (1993), served as the Eagle captain, was named the team‘s most valuable player, and earned First Team All-OVC accolades (1994).Sorg played five years in the Reds minor league system, before being hired by the club as a baseball instructor in their player development area. He held numerous positions in the organization during the next five years including: manager of the Class
A Clinton (Iowa) and Advanced Rookie League Billings (Mont.) minor league teams, hitting coach for Class A Rockford (Ill.) and Billings minor league teams, bench coach for the AAA Louisville Bats, and minor league spring training camp coordinator. While
with Clinton, he led the team to the playoffs as the youngest professional manager (26) in the nation.
He also led Billings to a Pioneer League Championship. While coaching in the Reds minor league system, Sorg had the opportunity to coach both of the 2010 Major League Baseball’s Most Valuable Players in Josh Hamilton and Joey Votto.
Sorg left the Reds organization in 2003 to be closer to his family, taking a position as director of baseball operations for Champions Sports Complex in Louisville, a position he held for three years. He began his second stint with the Cincinnati Reds in June 2006, when he again took a position as baseball instructor in player development.
Before taking over the MSU program, Sorg served as bench coach for the Bats in 2006 and 2007. Sorg returned to MSU after completing his first season as a professional baseball player to earn his bachelor’s degree in accounting (1994) and needed just three-and-a-half years to complete the degree.
He is married to Eagle alum and former volleyball standout Shelly Rocke. She still ranks in the top 10 in Eagle volleyball history in digs, total attacks and games played. They have four children, Ty, Kyley, Casey and Macy.
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