Former big leaguer Everett Teaford recently completed his first season as Auburn baseball's pitching coach after being named to the role on June 30, 2023.
Teaford, who pitched in the big leagues with the Kansas City Royals from 2011-13 and Tampa Bay Rays in 2015, spent the six previous seasons with the Chicago White Sox, including four years as the minor league pitching coordinator.
In his first season on the Plains, Teaford led a pitching staff that featured three MLB Draft picks in Chase Allsup (fourth round), Tanner Bauman (ninth round) and Will Cannon (12th round), marking the second time in the last three draft the Tigers had multiple pitchers taken in the top 10 rounds. Teaford also assisted recruiting coorindator Karl Nonemaker in getting the No. 2 signing class for 2024 to campus.
Prior to assuming his role as minor league pitching coordinator with the White Sox, Teaford served as a minor league quality control coach for the organization in 2018 and assistant pitching coordinator in 2019. He also served as a scout for the Houston Astros from 2016-17.
During his time with the White Sox, Teaford most notably worked with top pitching prospects Dylan Cease, who finished second in Cy Young Award voting in 2022, Michael Kopech, Dane Dunning and Garrett Crochet, among others. The quartet has made a combined 346 MLB appearances, including 227 starts, since 2019.
Teaford pitched collegiately at Georgia Southern from 2004-06. A two-time All-Southern Conference performer, he turned in a 26-13 career record with a 4.00 ERA and struck out 353 batters in 348.1.
Teaford’s 353 career strikeouts are the second most in Georgia Southern history and fifth most in the history of the SoCon. He led the league with 122 strikeouts in 2006 and logged the most innings pitched in back-to-back seasons in 2005 and 2006.
Following his college career in Statesboro, Georgia, Teaford was selected by the Kansas City Royals in the 12th round of the 2006 Major League Baseball Draft and spent eight seasons with the organization. He made his MLB debut on May 17, 2011, and ultimately made 49 career appearances with the Royals and Rays in four seasons from 2011-15. Teaford also played for the LG Twins of the Korean Baseball League in 2014.
Originally from Atlanta, Georgia, Teaford and his wife, Natalie, have two daughters, Hailey (six) and Harper (five), and one son, Nolan (one).