Oregon’s pitching coach and recruiting coordinator, Andrew Checketts’, is regarded as one of the best pitching coaches not only on the west coast, but also the nation.

Known as a diligent worker with an attention for detail, Checketts’ work with his young pitching staff during the 2009 season helped an unmarked group mature for the program’s first season of Division I baseball in 28 years.

In 2009, Checketts had three pitchers from his staff selected in the 2009 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft, and two were elected as Pac-10 Conference honorable mention picks. One of those all-conference selections was the staff’s ace, right-hander Erik Stavert. The junior earned a third of the team’s wins on the mound last season, and finished his year a 3.04 ERA and 82 strikeouts, before being drafted in the seventh round of the MLB draft by the Colorado Rockies.

After taking over in a closer role for Oregon, Drew Gagnier finished the year with seven saves, a 1-0 record and a 2.70 ERA. He was also selected in the 14th round (423 overall) by the Oakland Athletics in the 2009 MLB Draft, but chose to return to Oregon to further improve his stock while working with Checketts. Most recently, Gagnier was named to the NCBWA Preseason Stopper of the Year Watch List.

Checketts had an additional pitcher selected in the 2009 draft when left-hander Bennett Whitmore was chosen by the Seattle Mariners in the 32nd round.

Checketts has also played a large role in the recruiting scene for Oregon. For two consecutive years Oregon’s recruiting classes have earned top-25 accolades. The Ducks’  2009 class, brought in for the program’s first season in 28 years, was ranked No. 2 in the nation by Collegiate Baseball’s annual evaluation, and was also ranked 10th in the nation by Baseball America’s evaluation. The Ducks’ second class, set to begin its first season on Feb. 19, 2010, received the No. 24 ranking in the nation from Baseball America in the fall of 2009.

Of Oregon’s 12 signees for 2011, six rank among the top-200 high school prospects for the 2010 graduating class, including three of the country’s top-50 ranked prospects, according to PerfectGame Crosschecker.

Checketts began his campaign with the Ducks when he was hired on Sept. 5, 2007, by University of Oregon coach George Horton to complete the inaugural staff.

Checketts, was an Oregon native, but was also well-known to Horton as a young and up-and-coming coach at UC Riverside, a Big West Conference rival of Horton’s former home - Cal State Fullerton.

In 2007, UC Riverside was the Big West Champion and was ranked as high as 13th in the country during the season. It marked the first time in 20 years that a Division I program in the UC system won its outright conference championship.

In Checketts’ coaching career he has had a total of 24 pitchers drafted or sign pro contracts, and in 2007 had seven pitchers drafted or sign pro contracts, including three drafted in the top 10 rounds.

Upon his arrival at UC Riverside, the West Linn High School product made an immediate impact as the staff earned run average improved by almost three runs and the team broke the school record for strikeouts in his first year. During his first three seasons at UCR, the team ERA improved every year.

Checketts also played a key role in recruiting for the Highlanders. UCR’s 2007 class received national recognition with a top-25 ranking from Baseball America.

In his final season, UCR’s pitching staff ranked among the nation’s best in ERA (3.68) and strikeouts per game (8.0).

Checketts began his coaching career at Riverside Community College, where he served as pitching coach under Dennis Rodgers and helped the team to their second consecutive California State Championship in 2001. While he was at RCC, the pitching staff set the school record for ERA.

A former draft pick of the Boston Red Sox, Checketts played one season at Florida and three at Oregon State. As a senior in 1998 he posted an 11-1 record and 3.77 ERA in 13 starts, striking out 73 batters in 86 innings, earning Pac-10 North Player of the Year, Collegiate Baseball Magazine Second Team All-American, National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Second Team All-American and All-West Region Second Team honors. He was also named Pac-10 North All-Conference in 1997 and 1998, finishing his collegiate career with a 30-12 record.

Checketts graduated from Oregon State with a degree in Business Administration, Finance. He was drafted by Boston in the 21st round of the 1998 MLB draft.

Checketts graduated from West Linn High School in 1994, and that season was named the Oregon High School State Player of the Year.  

He and his wife Michelle have one daughter, 6-month-old Amelia Anne.