When Jake Epstein played baseball at the University of Missouri from 1997-99, he was known for his immense power. In the 1998 Big 12 Championship in Oklahoma City, he crushed a home run 576 feet, still a conference record.
Epstein, hired Monday by Missouri as the Tigers' primary hitting instructor, will look to teach those kind of skills to his former school, a team that could use the help.
The Missouri and Cal State Fullerton product founded the Epstein Online Hitting Academy and has spent more than 15 years as a full-time hitting instructor for pro and amateur players. He's done hitting consulting with three MLB organizations, including the Milwaukee Brewers.
"We were very fortunate to land Jake, especially considering how close we are to the season opener," head coach Steve Bieser said in a news release from MU Athletics announcing Epstein's hiring. "Jake checks all the boxes in what we are trying to accomplish in our program from an offensive standpoint. He has great experience in coaching hitters both mentally and physically. He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to go along with his passion for Mizzou Baseball."
For Epstein, returning to Columbia is a "dream come true."
"I'm ecstatic to have the opportunity to give back to a program that provided me so much opportunity and molded me into who I am today," Epstein said. "Seeing the advancements in the baseball program since the time I was here is absolutely mind-blowing and my hope is to be a part of the next generation of Tigers to help build the program to an even higher level. Having the utmost respect for Coach Bieser, his entire staff and the University of Missouri made the decision to return to Columbia an easy one."
Epstein will need to get to work right away, as the start of the 2019 campaign looms. Missouri opens up its season at 5:05 p.m. Feb. 15 against North Florida in Jacksonville, Florida.
Epstein, hired Monday by Missouri as the Tigers' primary hitting instructor, will look to teach those kind of skills to his former school, a team that could use the help.
The Missouri and Cal State Fullerton product founded the Epstein Online Hitting Academy and has spent more than 15 years as a full-time hitting instructor for pro and amateur players. He's done hitting consulting with three MLB organizations, including the Milwaukee Brewers.
"We were very fortunate to land Jake, especially considering how close we are to the season opener," head coach Steve Bieser said in a news release from MU Athletics announcing Epstein's hiring. "Jake checks all the boxes in what we are trying to accomplish in our program from an offensive standpoint. He has great experience in coaching hitters both mentally and physically. He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to go along with his passion for Mizzou Baseball."
For Epstein, returning to Columbia is a "dream come true."
"I'm ecstatic to have the opportunity to give back to a program that provided me so much opportunity and molded me into who I am today," Epstein said. "Seeing the advancements in the baseball program since the time I was here is absolutely mind-blowing and my hope is to be a part of the next generation of Tigers to help build the program to an even higher level. Having the utmost respect for Coach Bieser, his entire staff and the University of Missouri made the decision to return to Columbia an easy one."
Epstein will need to get to work right away, as the start of the 2019 campaign looms. Missouri opens up its season at 5:05 p.m. Feb. 15 against North Florida in Jacksonville, Florida.
