Baseball
Vance, Jonathan
Jonathan Vance
- Title:
- Director of Pitching Performance
- Email:
- vance3j@cmich.edu
Jonathan Vance is in his first year on coach Jake Sabol’s Central Michigan baseball staff, serving as the director of pitching performance, working directly with pitching coach Aaron Hilt and the pitching staff.
Before joining the Chippewas, Vance spent two seasons at Northwood where he worked under Sabol.
In 2023, Vance served as the pitching coach when the Timberwolves won the Great Midwest Athletic Conference regular season and tournament championships and qualified for the NCAA Division II Tournament. Northwood led the conference in earned run average, strikeouts, walks allowed, and innings pitched. Six Northwood pitchers earned all-conference honors including All-American left-hander Derek Clark.
In 2024, the Timberwolves again qualified for the NCAA Tournament and placed three pitchers on the all-conference team and two earned all All-Midwest Region honors. Closer Jake Jekielek was drafted in the 10th round of the 2024 Major League Baseball draft.
Just before joining the Northwood staff, Vance served in 2022 as the pitching coach of the Royal Oak Leprechauns of the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League; he was promoted to head coach of the Leprechauns in 2023 season and then led them in their inaugural season (2024) in the Northwoods League.
He also worked with the Detroit Tigers and Cincinnati Reds organizations coaching in their respective summer youth development camps.
A native of Claremont, Calif., Vance played at East Los Angeles College and Valley City (N.D.) State. He pitched for three seasons in independent professional baseball in the Frontier League, the American Association, and the Atlantic League.
Vance resides in Mount Pleasant.
Before joining the Chippewas, Vance spent two seasons at Northwood where he worked under Sabol.
In 2023, Vance served as the pitching coach when the Timberwolves won the Great Midwest Athletic Conference regular season and tournament championships and qualified for the NCAA Division II Tournament. Northwood led the conference in earned run average, strikeouts, walks allowed, and innings pitched. Six Northwood pitchers earned all-conference honors including All-American left-hander Derek Clark.
In 2024, the Timberwolves again qualified for the NCAA Tournament and placed three pitchers on the all-conference team and two earned all All-Midwest Region honors. Closer Jake Jekielek was drafted in the 10th round of the 2024 Major League Baseball draft.
Just before joining the Northwood staff, Vance served in 2022 as the pitching coach of the Royal Oak Leprechauns of the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League; he was promoted to head coach of the Leprechauns in 2023 season and then led them in their inaugural season (2024) in the Northwoods League.
He also worked with the Detroit Tigers and Cincinnati Reds organizations coaching in their respective summer youth development camps.
A native of Claremont, Calif., Vance played at East Los Angeles College and Valley City (N.D.) State. He pitched for three seasons in independent professional baseball in the Frontier League, the American Association, and the Atlantic League.
Vance resides in Mount Pleasant.
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