Kassidy Gaines begins his second year as Head Coach in the 2024-2025 season, and holds an overall record of 32-18 as a head coach. Prior to leading the Tigers, he spent multiple season as an associate head coach and pitching coordinator alongside former Salem Head Coach JT Heenan.
In 2023, the Tigers pitching staff was among the best in all of Division 2 as well as the best pitching staff in program history. In 2023, the Tigers were among top 20 in D2 in strikeouts (487), K’s per 9 (9.7), and shutouts (6) Additionally, the Tigers pitching staff set program records including results above and Team ERA (4.53), HA/9 (8.8), WHIP (1.45), K/BB (2.26), and complete complete games (6). With the help of Gaines’ mentorship, the pitching staff also saw two All-NSAC honorees (Lund, Schmitt). Despite the 2020 season being shortened by COVID-19, Gaines' staff again ranked as one of the top pitching staffs in the Central Region. SCSU ranked top-five in the NSIC in ERA, strikeout rate, opponent on-base percentage and FIP. The Huskies led the Northern Sun in shutouts for the second straight season with three, and their 24.4% strikeout rate ranked second in the conference. In his first season as Pitching Coach in 2019, the SCSU pitching staff posted one of their best seasons ever. The Huskies led the NSIC in ERA (3.24), shutouts (10), strikeouts (500), strikeout rate (26.1%) and FIP (2.80). SCSU's arms combined to deliver the NSIC's lowest walk rate (6.7%), opponent average (.240), opponent OBP (.307) and opponent OPS (.639). Under Gaines' guidance, St. Cloud State's staff recorded their lowest FIP (Fielding Independent Pitching) in the Dolan era with a stellar 2.80 mark. The Huskies' pitching staff only allowed 163 earned runs in 453.0 innings pitched, held opponents to the second-lowest slugging percentage in the NSIC (.332) and recorded four more shutouts than any other team in the conference. Gaines' pitching staff included five All-Americans, including 2020 honoree Dominic Austing, Sheldon Miks (2015-16), Cal Giese (2018), Blake Flint (2018-NJCAA) and Zach Walz (2017-NJCAA). This pitching staff also included Matt Osterberg, who is currently one of the top performers/prospects for the Philadelphia Phillies after being drafted in the 15th round in 2021. Gaines joined the Huskies after serving as the pitching coach for two seasons with fellow NSIC member Bemidji State University. In his first year as a volunteer in 2017, The BSU pitching staff earned the lowest team ERA (5.87), most wins (19) most team K’s (282), and lowest amount of walks (155), since the 2014 season.
In 2016, Gaines finished a full season of professional baseball with the Utica Unicorns of the USPBL. He was among a league leader in several categories including finishing second in innings pitched (60.2) and second in wins (5), and he helped defeat the Birmingham-Bloomfield Beavers 5-0 to claim the USPBL championship. Gaines also had a short stint with the Lincoln Saltdogs of the American Association in 2015 and with the Florence Freedom of the Frontier League prior to his season in the USPBL. Gaines served as an as assistant coach for the Aberdeen, S.D., American Legion team in 2015, taking over the responsibilities of renovating the pitching staff for the Smitty’s, which included a significant drop in a team ERA from 9.60 in the prior season to a 6.12 ERA in the summer of 2015 season, and the first appearance at the South Dakota State American Legion State tournament since winning the championship in 2009.
In the spring of 2015, Gaines graduated from Northern State University with a degree in marketing. He played three years for the Wolves via junior college transfer after his freshman year at Grays Harbor College in Aberdeen, Wash. Gaines spent the majority of his career as one of the starters in the Wolves' rotation while also seeing innings from the bullpen as a setup/closer role. He also played for two summer leagues during his college career, the Kitsap BlueJackets of the West Coast League in 2011 and the SoCal Outlaws of the Southern California Collegiate League in 2013. Gaines completed his MS in Educational Administration and Leadership while serving as the Pitching Coach at Saint Cloud State University. Gaines lives with his wife, Hope, in Salem.
