Arkansas State head baseball coach Tommy Raffo announced Thursday the addition of Bryan Hodge to the Red Wolves’ staff as assistant coach as well as Austen Izzio (director of player development) and Jakob Frederick (director of analytics) to off-field roles.
Hodge joins Raffo’s staff after spending the 2023 season at Eastern Oklahoma State College in Wilburton, Okla. There, he served as recruiting coordinator and oversaw an offensive unit that led the nation in stolen bases per game. Under his watch, the Mountaineers set a program record in stolen bases, while five hitters signed to Division-I programs.
“We are thrilled that Bryan Hodge is joining our staff,” Raffo said. “He brings an enthusiastic personality, recruiting experience and a strong desire to teach. Bryan will work with our catching corps and assist Coach (Drew) LaBounty with our offense.”
The Thornton, Colo., native, who will primarily coach A-State’s catchers, spent the 2022 campaign at Penn State-Behrend. There, he helped coach five all-conference hitters in an offense that more than tripled its home run total from the previous season.
From 2020-21, Hodge mentored backstops at East Texas Baptist, helping to coach 10 all-league hitters and four all-region selections while helping the Tigers land a pair of Perfect Game top-30 recruiting classes. In 2021, ETBU’s staff earned Coaching Staff of the Year honors in both the American South Conference and Division III West Region.
Hodge also served a season as an assistant at his alma mater, Houghton College in New York. As a player, he was a four-year starter and earned All-Empire 8 Conference second team honors as a senior, along with being named team captain.
Izzio joins the staff as the Red Wolves’ director of player development after spending the 2022 season as an assistant at Southwest Mississippi Community College in Summit, Miss.
“Austen Izzio will be our Director of Player of Development,” Raffo said. “His background in college baseball and his passion to continue a career path with Arkansas State makes him a strong addition to our baseball staff”
Prior to his coaching career, the Carriere, Miss., native spent two seasons season as a standout at Pearl River Community College, leading the team in batting (.332). Izzio topped the MACJC with 73 hits en route to helping the Wildcats advance to the NJCAA Division II World Series as a sophomore.
After his stint at PRCC, Izzio spent the 2020 season at Southern Miss before capping his collegiate career at Charleston Southern (2021), where he drove in a team-high 42 RBIs and helped the Buccaneers to a conference championship game appearance.
Also joining the support staff will be former A-State hurler Jakob Frederick, who will serve as the team’s director of analytics. Frederick pitched for the Red Wolves in the 2022 and 2023 seasons, seeing the mound in 19 total contests with a pair of starts.
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