Arizona has promoted Owen Cuffe to director of pitching development and recruiting.
Cuffe joined the UA staff last year as pitching strategist, working under Kevin Vance and John DeRouin.
Arizona baseball pitching strategist Owen Cuffe saunters toward the dugout before a game against Utah on May 9, 2025, at Hi Corbett Field. Cuffe has been promoted to director of pitching development and recruiting.
After Vance left to become the head coach at San Diego State, DeRouin was named his successor.
Cuffe slides into DeRouin’s former role as the top aide to the pitching coach.
In addition to his previous duties, in his new role Cuffe will aid in player acquisition, developing systems to assess high school players, evaluate junior college and portal players, and organize the program’s recruiting efforts.
Cuffe pitched for Abilene Christian and Saint Mary’s before transitioning to coaching.
Wildcats head coach Chip Hale has praised Cuffe for his knowledge of analytics.
“Owen was a vital part of our success on the mound last season,” Hale said. “With Owen and pitching coach John DeRouin leading our pitching staff I am incredibly confident in our ability to build one of the most competitive groups in the nation.”
Cuffe also ran bullpen operations during the 2025 season, in which the Wildcats bullpen led the country in FIP and boasted the 2025 NCBWA Stopper of the Year in Tony Pluta.
Cuffe has a bachelor’s degree in biology and a master’s in management and technology, per his LinkedIn profile.
