Tyler Knockouts Announce Rusty Richards as Head Coach for 2027 Season

TYLER, TEXAS — OCTOBER 2026 — The Tyler Knockouts are proud to announce Rusty Richards as Head Coach for the 2027 summer season at historic Mike Carter Field.

Rusty brings years of baseball experience at the highest levels of the game. He played at the University of Texas at Austin and appeared in the College World Series in 1984 and 1985. Following his college career, he spent several years playing in the minor leagues before pitching for the Atlanta Braves in 1989 and 1990 as a right-handed pitcher.

Since his playing days, Rusty has coached at the high school and college level and worked with players of all ages, including coaching throughout the years as his three sons were growing up. His youngest son currently plays for The University of Texas at Tyler.

When asked about his coaching philosophy today, Rusty said, “These kids need to feel like they have a chance to get better. So my goal for them is to create a team atmosphere, knowing that they want to be the best they can be for their college team.”

Baseball is a team sport, but it is also highly individualized. Each player comes to Tyler with specific goals and areas of their game they want to improve during the summer. Rusty is committed to helping them identify those areas, develop a plan, and make the most of their time with the Knockouts.

“Whether they come here because they need thousands of ground balls, well, I'll be glad to hit them thousands of ground balls...  Or need to work on hitting the ball on the other way... I am going talk to each kid individually and find out what they think they need to get better at. And ask what does your college coach think you need to get better at? And let's make a plan” to help them achieve their goals and become the best players they can be.

Rusty will bring excitement and encouragement to the team, along with a steady foundation built on experience, discipline, and respect for the game. He understands that talent alone does not guarantee success, and he wants his players to recognize the importance of how they approach baseball.

“The game's not easy. If it was easy, everybody would do it. The game deserves respect. I saw so many guys playing pro ball that were so talented, but they couldn't quite make the big leagues. It wasn't because they weren't talented enough. Just 'cause their attitude wasn't right. They didn't understand that sometimes getting over the hump is just respecting the game. It's a hard game. It's a humbling game.”

When he's not coaching or working, Rusty enjoys spending time working on his golf game. But an even more exciting milestone is just around the corner: he's expecting his first grandchild in December. His son lives nearby, and Rusty and his wife Tricia can't wait to dote on baby Campbell.

Rusty is the second former MLB player to join the Knockouts' leadership team. The first being Zach Segovia, who currently serves as the team's general manager.

Team owner Rick Bailey is excited to bring Rusty and his passion for the game to the Knockouts. “I hate to lose,” Rick says, which is exactly why he wants Rusty on his side. Rick is building a strong leadership team dedicated to supporting and developing the talented players who will take the field in 2027.

Rusty will also bring back assistant coaches Jesse Nunez and Bret Butler, who helped lead the team through an exciting inaugural season in 2026. The Knockouts finished the season with a 22-9 record and captured the Northern District Championship in the Cowboy Collegiate League.

Knockouts baseball returns to Mike Carter Field at the end of May 2027. Tickets are $5 for children and $10 for adults. Follow the Tyler Knockouts on Facebook and Instagram to stay up to date on all things Knockouts.