Bachelor’s Degree - Concordia University-Texas ’10 (Sport Management)
Master’s Degree – Sam Houston State ’11 (Sport Management)
Philip Middleton joined Texas A&M University-Kingsville in the fall of 2013 as an assistant baseball coach and recruiting coordinator before becoming the pitching coach as of the fall of 2016.
Since joining the Javelinas, Middleton has coached a team that won two Lone Star Conference championships, an LSC Tournament title, appeared in three NCAA South Central Regionals and claimed the South Central Regional Championship in 2018 to reach the Division II Baseball Championships.
In 2020, the spring season was shortened due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic as the Javelinas finished the campaign 12-10. Due to the shortened season, no postseason awards were handed out by the Lone Star Conference.
In 2019, the Javelinas finished 30-20 for their fourth straight season with at least 30 wins and a 10th consecutive trip to the LSC Championships. Middleton's efforts with the pitching staff saw Zach Boyett named to the All-LSC first team after finishing the year with a 6-4 record and a 2.63 ERA in 61.2 innings pitched alongside 49 strikeouts. Newcomer Eric Sandoz was named Second Team All-LSC after anchoring the closer role for the Hogs and led the team with a 2.35 ERA and three saves to go with a 4-1 record and 48 strikeouts in 46 innings on the hill. Two more pitchers graced the All-LSC honorable mention squad in Preston Plovanich and Garrett Alexander, while Plovanich was also named LSC All-Academic.
The 2018 season saw the Javelinas claim the South Central Regional Championship for the first time in program history, featuring a slew of stellar pitching performances. Tyler Flores was named the LSC Freshman of the Year as he went on to finish with a 7-1 record, a 2.91 ERA and 79 strikeouts in 65 innings pitched en route to a spot on the All-LSC second team. He was joined by Kyle Craft on the second team, while Joshua Valdez was named All-LSC honorable mention as Preston Plovanich rounded out the honors on the LSC All-Academic squad.
Facing elimination in the 2018 South Central Regional in Canyon, Texas, against host school West Texas A&M, Flores turned in a nine-inning, one-run performance that kept the season alive as he struck out 12 before the Javelinas walked off the Buffs in the bottom of the 10th with a pair of throwing errors following a stolen base. Not to be outdone, Craft turned in a complete-game win over Colorado Mines later that same day with 10 strikeouts for a 5-2 win to move to the Sunday finale of the bracket. The outing was the highlight of the season for Craft who went on to finish with a 6-1 record, a 2.91 ERA and 34 strikeouts in 52.2 innings pitched.
Flores upped the ante once the Javelinas reached Cary, N.C., for the Division II Championships as he secured the program's first win at the USA NTC with eight strikeouts in six innings on the hill.
The 2017 season saw TAMUK finish 31-18 and another trip to the LSC Championships. Seth Hubert was named All-LSC second team after finishing with a 7-4 record and 3.79 ERA in 71.1 innings pitched alongside 51 strikeouts. Jako Kelm landed on the All-LSC honorable mention squad as he led the team with four saves to go with a 3.95 ERA and 27 strikeouts as Preston Plovanich was named LSC All-Academic.
In 2016, the Javelinas collected 11 LSC postseason awards despite overhauling the pitching staff and the everyday lineup. Freshmen Pablo Hernandez (regular season home run king with eight; finished season with nine) and Ruben Almaguer appeared on the first season and freshman southpaw Preston Plovanich was a second team selection and named LSC Freshman of the Year as the ace of the staff. Joining Hernandez and Almaguer on the first team were first year backstop Christian Caudle, who spent the 2015 campaign backing up All-LSC first team selection Clint Wallace, redshirt junior Jimmy Roche, the league’s leader in hitting Dalton Perry and Hayden Vesely (utility). Plovanich, Vesely (pitcher) and Lance Elling received second team recognition while Elling and Zach Smith were on the LSC All-Academic Team.
Perry also appeared on the Division II Conference Commissioner’s Association first team All-South Central Region, NCBWA All-South Central Region first team and ABCA/Rawlings All-South Central Region second team. The senior hit .389 with seven home runs, 16 doubles, 40 RBI and 10 stolen bases. He spent the majority of the season atop the conference leaderboards in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage and OPS. Tallying a .470 on-base percentage, Perry reached base safely in 28 consecutive contests. In LSC play, the Lake Jackson, Texas native hit .452 with four home runs, 29 RBI and 11 doubles.
Vesley was named second team NCBWA and D2CCA All-South Central Region. Almaguer was a second team NCBWA all-region selection.
After falling in the opening round of the 2016 NCAA South Central Regional Tournament in Grand Junction, Colo., the Javelinas upset top seed No. 9/6 Colorado Mesa University to advance to the second day of the regional tourney.
The 2015 team returned a veteran core that went on to win its second consecutive conference title. Gonzo was named co-LSC Coach of the Year and pitchers Ryan Benitez, Matt Terrones and Ryan Scott received first team honors. Seniors Clint Wallace and Cline Andrews were also on the first team with center fielder Brayton Carlson appearing on the second team and Hayden Vesely receiving honorable mention. Andrews was NCBWA all-region honorable mention after hitting .353 with five triples and 37 RBI. He was a two-time LSC Hitter of the Week.
Vesely was named to the all-tournament team in his first season as a Javelina.
In his first season (2014), newcomer Derrick Walls led the conference in hitting (.394) and on-base percentage (.508) en route to earning LSC Player of the Year honors. Walls finished the season with 57 runs scored, 82 hits, 44 walks and 29 stolen bases and also earned All-South Central Regional and All-LSC Tournament first-team selections. In conference play, Walls hit .358 and was 17-for-18 in stolen base attempts.
Taylor Taska and Brian Frazier also earned All-South Central Region tournament honors.
Academically, two players were named to the LSC All-Academic team as Dallas Ponder joined LSC Baseball Academic Player of the Year Denver Diefenbach. Eleven players appeared on the all-LSC squad.
Before coming to Kingsville, Middleton was the recruiting coordinator, hitting coach, outfield coach and first base coach for Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas. Previously, he also served as an assistant coach at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor and Sam Houston State University.
Middleton also served as an associate scout for the Miami Marlins.
He received his bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology from Concordia University Texas in 2010 and earned his master’s degree in Sport Management from Sam Houston State in 2011.
Middleton, a College Station native, began his collegiate career as a player at Midland College and concluded his collegiate career at Concordia University Texas.
In January of 2012, he married the former Sara Tullos of Austin. In 2016, Philip and Sara Middleton welcomed a baby girl Sally, who can be seen cheering on the Hogs near the Javelina dugout. They currently reside in Kingsville.
