Frank Catalanotto named Hofstra’s new baseball coach
HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. — Former Major League Baseball player Frank Catalanotto has been named the new baseball coach of the Hofstra Pride.
A native of Smithtown, Long Island, Catalanotto has had a storied MLB career. After being drafted in the 10th round of the 1997 MLB Draft by the Detroit Tigers, Catalanotto went on to play 14-years in the major leagues including stints with the Texas Rangers, Toronto Blue Jays, Milwaukee Brewers, and, in his final year, the New York Mets.
The New York native had a career batting average of .291, with 84 home runs, and 457 runs batted in. Catalanotto was also known for his defensive versatility, playing almost every position on the field during his career except for shortstop and center field. For his achievements, Catalanotto was voted into the Suffolk County Sports Hall of Fame in 2010.
Following his retirement in 2011, Catalanotto focused on his pursuits outside of baseball. He founded the Frank Catalanotto Foundation, which brings awareness to vascular birthmarks. Catalanotto also authored a book titled “Heart and Hustle” and started a career as the business owner of Proven4 Sports Supplements.
In 2019, Catalanotto was hired as the head coach of the New York Tech Bears college baseball team. During the first year of his tenure, Catalanotto led the Bears to a 37-16 record, the second-best in the Eastern Conference, and eventually, a playoff berth. The Bears made an appearance in the NCAA Division II College World Series, the 1st in the program’s history.
In 2020, following the COVID-19 pandemic, NYIT agreed to suspend its athletics program for two years, which led to Catalanotto leaving the Bears for the Hofstra Pride.
The reception from the Hofstra community of Catalanotto’s hiring has been very positive so far, as voiced by Hofstra Vice President and Director of Athletics Rick Cole Jr.
“Today is a very exciting day for the Hofstra University baseball program,” Cole Jr said. “It is not every day that you can hire someone with the track record of Frank Catalanotto to lead your program. Frank has proven to be a success in everything he has done in the baseball world and we look forward to that carrying over into our program as well.”
