University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Pitt Welcomes Back Forever Panther Jim Negrych as Assistant Coach and Recruiting Coordinator
8/25/2026 10:05:00 AM | Baseball
PITTSBURGH – The University of Pittsburgh and head coach Mike Bell announced the hiring of Forever Panther Jim Negrych as the program's newest assistant coach and recruiting coordinator on Tuesday morning.
"My family and I could not be more excited to be back at Pitt. This university and program mean so much to us," Negrych said. "I'm looking forward to bringing a championship caliber team to Pitt."
This marks Negrych's third stint with the program, and second on the coaching staff. Following his professional playing career, Negrych spent the 2016 and 2017 seasons as a volunteer assistant coach for the Panthers.
Negrych will work with Pitt's hitters and infielders in addition to serving as the program's recruiting coordinator.
"As we like to say – Once a Panther, Always a Panther," Mike Bell said. "Jimmy's historical track record as a player in the collegiate and professional ranks speaks for itself, but what he has accomplished as a scout over the last nine years gives him a unique skill set that is very beneficial in today's world of college athletics," Bell continued. "We are extremely excited to welcome Jimmy & his family back to the Steel City."
In 2016, Negrych helped develop one of the ACC's top players in Charles Leblanc who won the conference's batting title as a sophomore. Leblanc hit .405 that year with 79 hits, nine doubles, two home runs and 46 RBIs and would be drafted by the Texas Rangers in the fourth round of the MLB Draft.
As an infielder at Pitt from 2004-06, Negrych was a three-time All-American, three-time All-Big East selection, two-time All-Region performer and the 2004 Big East Rookie of the Year as he finished with one the best careers in program history. Negrych earned First Team All-American and First Team All-Big East honors in both 2005 and 2006.
In 160 games as a Panther, he batted .374 with 213 hits, 48 doubles, 34 home runs, 164 RBIs and 367 total bases. Negrych ranks second all-time in RBIs at Pitt, third in home runs and total bases, fifth in doubles and sixth in batting average.
He declared for the MLB Draft in 2006 where he was selected in the sixth round by the hometown Pittsburgh Pirates. The Buffalo, NY native spent five years in the Pirates organization and was named their Minor League Player of the Year, a High-A All Star and the Tops Carolina League Player of the Year in 2008.
He went on to play in the Florida Marlins', Washington Nationals' and Toronto Blue Jays' organizations throughout the rest of his career and was named to Triple-A All-Star teams in both 2012 and 2013.
In his eight years of minor league baseball, Negrych batted .296 with 811 hits, 417 runs scored, 353 RBIs, 158 doubles and 32 home runs over 796 games.
Prior to making his return to the Pitt Baseball program, Negrych was a Northeast Area Scout for the St. Louis Cardinals.
