Blake Kangas was named an assistant coach on Coach Hannahs' inaugural staff in June 2024.
Kangas arrives in Tampa after spending the previous two seasons as the Director of Player Development at Oklahoma State University. The Cowboys posted a combined for of 83-39 record with Kangas on staff, won the 2024 Big 12 Tournament championship, the 2023 regular season title and hosted back-to-back NCAA Regionals in Stillwater.
At Oklahoma State, Kangas coached 19 All-Conference Players, 14 MLB draft picks, along with the 2023 Big 12 Freshman of the Year and Newcomer of the Year. Most recently he worked with the trio of Carson Benge, Brian Holiday and Nolan Schubart, who were each named All-Americans by Baseball America, Perfect Game/Rawlings and the NCBWA. Benge was also one of five finalists for the John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Award and a semifinalist for the Dick Howser Trophy. Benge was selected in the first round (19th overall) of the 2024 MLB Draft by the New York Mets and Holiday in the third round by the St. Louis Cardinals.
Kangas spent five seasons (2018-2022) at Keiser University in West Palm Beach, Florida where he served as the recruiting coordinator, defensive coordinator, and directed its offense. During his five seasons he made three regionals and had one World Series appearance. He tutored 15 All-Conference hitters, six All-Americans, and the 2022 Conference Player of the Year, Tim Bouchard. During his tenure they set program records for batting average, home runs, triples, RBI’s, runs, and fielding percentage.
Kangas spent time serving as an Assistant Coach at Kansas State for four seasons (2013-2016) where he directed the outfielders and assisted with the offense. In 2013, K-State won its first Big 12 Championship, hosted their first NCAA Regional, and advanced to the program's first Super Regional. Under Kangas’ guidance, Kansas State finished second in the NCAA in batting average during the 2013 campaign. Kangas had eight hitters selected in the MLB Draft, coached the 2013 Big 12 Player of the Year, 2016 Newcomer of the Year, eight First Team All-Big 12 All-Conference Hitters and three NCAA All-Americans while coaching at K-State.
Prior to K-State, Kangas was the Recruiting Coordinator and hitting coach at Feather River College from 2009-2012. He led them to four Golden Valley Conference titles. He coached four Conference Players and Pitchers of the Year, 26 First Team All-Conference players and eight All-Americans. His offenses finished first in all of California Junior Colleges in batting average, slugging percentage, doubles, total bases, and on base percentage from 2010-2012 and his offenses averaged over ten runs a game annually. He also served as an associate scout from 2009-2013 with the Minnesota Twins, scouting the California and Nevada regions.
In 2009, Kangas was as an Assistant Coach with the Bourne Braves in the Cape Cod Baseball League, where the team won its first league championship.
Kangas started his coaching career in 2008 as an Assistant Coach at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Its team finished first in the Horizon League in runs, hits, doubles, walks, and RBI’s while also finishing top ten in the country in total doubles.
Throughout his coaching career he has coached 59 MLB draft picks.
