Baseball
Dave Eiland
- Title:
- Pitching Coach
- Email:
- eiland@usf.edu
Dave Eiland returned to South after spending 36 years in Major League Baseball as a player, coach, and front office executive. He was named a player development coordinator ahead of the 2026 season and was promoted to pitching coach after the year. Eiland, who pitched at South Florida in 1986 and 1987, was an all-Sun Belt pitcher in 1986, a preseason all-American in 1987, and also co-captained the 1987 squad.
Eiland pitched parts of 10 seasons in the Major Leagues with the New York Yankees, San Diego Padres, and Tampa Bay Devil Rays. He was also a Major League pitching coach for 11 seasons for the New York Yankees, Kansas City Royals, and New York Mets. A two-time World Series-winning pitching coach, 2009. The New York Yankees and 2015 Kansas City Royals, Eiland coached over a dozen Major League all-stars, multiple 20-game winners, two Cy Young award winners, and three Hall of Famers, Mariano Rivera, Mike Mussina, and CC Sabathia. He was also a three-time Major League All-Star pitching coach for the American League in 2010, 2015, and 2016. In 2011, Eiland served as a special assistant/advisor to Tampa Bay Rays VP and General Manager Andrew Friedman.
Eiland also has the distinction of being the only player in Major League Baseball history to hit a home run in his first Major League at bat and give up a home run to the first batter he faced. In 2008, Eiland was elected to the International League Hall of Fame.
Eiland also served as Kevin Costner’s body/pitching double in the movie For Love of the Game.
Eiland is a native of Zephyrhills, FL, and graduated from Zephyrhills High School in 1984. Out of high school, Eiland signed a football scholarship with the University of Florida and played both football and baseball his freshman year before transferring to USF for his sophomore year.
Eiland has been married to his wife, Sandi, for 34 years, and they have two daughters, Nicole and Natalie.
Eiland pitched parts of 10 seasons in the Major Leagues with the New York Yankees, San Diego Padres, and Tampa Bay Devil Rays. He was also a Major League pitching coach for 11 seasons for the New York Yankees, Kansas City Royals, and New York Mets. A two-time World Series-winning pitching coach, 2009. The New York Yankees and 2015 Kansas City Royals, Eiland coached over a dozen Major League all-stars, multiple 20-game winners, two Cy Young award winners, and three Hall of Famers, Mariano Rivera, Mike Mussina, and CC Sabathia. He was also a three-time Major League All-Star pitching coach for the American League in 2010, 2015, and 2016. In 2011, Eiland served as a special assistant/advisor to Tampa Bay Rays VP and General Manager Andrew Friedman.
Eiland also has the distinction of being the only player in Major League Baseball history to hit a home run in his first Major League at bat and give up a home run to the first batter he faced. In 2008, Eiland was elected to the International League Hall of Fame.
Eiland also served as Kevin Costner’s body/pitching double in the movie For Love of the Game.
Eiland is a native of Zephyrhills, FL, and graduated from Zephyrhills High School in 1984. Out of high school, Eiland signed a football scholarship with the University of Florida and played both football and baseball his freshman year before transferring to USF for his sophomore year.
Eiland has been married to his wife, Sandi, for 34 years, and they have two daughters, Nicole and Natalie.
Saturday, February 14
Wednesday, February 11
Friday, October 03
Saturday, May 24
