MARION, Ind. - Former Director of Player Development for Indiana Wesleyan baseball, Chase Gerbrick, will join the New York Yankees organization as a Minor League Defensive and Base Running Coach. Gerbrick will become the youngest coach in professional baseball at only 20 years old. He joined the Wildcats in the fall of 2023 serving as the Director of Player Development and helping coach infielders under first year Head Coach Ian Macdonald. 
 
    "I want to start out by thanking my parents, who have made every sacrifice in the book to get me where I am today, and my older brother for leading by example and being a fantastic role model for me day in and day out," said Gerbrick. "Faith and family are the two constants in this life, and I am so grateful to be able to lean on those two rocks every single day."
 
    Gerbrick began his collegiate career at Division I Lipscomb University but suffered multiple arm injuries that put his playing career in doubt. After entering the transfer portal during the summer looking to extend his playing career, Gerbrick held several offers to continue playing at the Division I level, but then Macdonald reached out offering Gerbrick an opportunity to jump into coaching. "While I was 19 years old with several opportunities to continue playing at the Division I level, Ian offered me a coaching role at Indiana Wesleyan where I would oversee all infield development that took place," said Gerbrick. With the uncertainty surrounding his arm Gerbrick couldn't pass up the opportunity to begin his dream of coaching and at 19 Gerbrick became the youngest coach in collegiate baseball history. "Ian MacDonald deserves all of the credit in the world. Ian is someone I look up to tremendously as a human being and is someone I consider to be one of the best baseball minds in the country. I will forever remember and appreciate not only what he has done for me at Indiana Wesleyan, but for the belief he had in me to come in at 19 and lead a dominant program on the defensive side of the ball." Looking to develop a defense that helped lead the Wildcats to an NAIA World Series appearance last season, Gerbrick quickly earned a reputation in the program as someone who excelled in player and skill development. "Chase's level of care, attention to detail, work ethic, communication skills, & creativity had a noticeable impact on our players & program in the short time he was here," said Head Coach Ian Macdonald. "We are extremely excited for Chase as he pursues what the Lord has in store for him; individually & in his career". Though he was with the program for only a short time Gerbrick's impact was felt throughout the team.
 
    "I cannot thank Ian Macdonald enough for the overwhelming belief, trust, and commitment he had in me as both an individual and coach. I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason, and my time at Indiana Wesleyan really did change my life. I would not have wanted to start my coaching career anywhere else having such overwhelming support from my colleagues Coach Steve Friend, Eric George, Lucas Goodin, and Dalton Miller. I also want to thank all the players for welcoming me in with open arms and pushing me to be better every single day. The staff and the players are what makes this wheel spin, and I am extremely blessed to have been surrounded and molded by just a tremendous, hardworking bunch. I also want to thank the athletic department for welcoming me in with open arms, and the administration for continuing to mold me into a Christian servant leader. This is an extremely special institution that will always have a place in my heart, and it all started with Ian Macdonald who believed and saw something in me that nobody else did at the time. I believe everything happens for a reason, and I am so fortunate to have ended up at Indiana Wesleyan."