Nate Causey Joins Wildcat Baseball as Assistant Coach, Recruiting Coordinator
7/30/2026 11:00:00 AM | Baseball
ABILENE - Nate Causey joined the Abilene Christian baseball staff as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator, head coach Rick McCarty announced this week. Causey carries a successful track record of developing hitters after serving in the same position at Grand Canyon for the past three seasons.
In his first year in Phoenix, Causey fueled the Lopes to the 2024 Western Athletic Conference regular season title. Grand Canyon earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tucson Regional, where it took down host Arizona and Dallas Baptist en route to the program's first regional final. Causey served as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at New Mexico in 2023, his second of two stints with the Lobos.
A student-athlete at Arizona State before playing in the Colorado Rockies organization, Causey was a volunteer assistant at New Mexico from 2019-21 before joining Pima Community College as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator in 2022.
"Nate brings energy, experience and an ability to connect with players that we believe will be a great fit for our program," McCarty said. "His passion for recruiting has been evident everywhere he has been, and he has a unique ability to build relationships with players and their families. He has a proven track record of recruiting and developing high-level players throughout his career. I think his experience as a standout college player, as well as his experience in professional baseball, will give him a perspective that will resonate with our players and add tremendous value to our program."
Grand Canyon amassed 88 victories from 2024-26 with Causey on staff, including 26 versus power conference programs. Trevor Schmidt earned All-Mountain West First Team honors last season, hitting .380 with nine home runs in 25 conference matchups.
The Lopes won 31 games in 2025, including 13 power conference victories over the likes of Texas Tech, Oregon, Stanford, Arizona and Arizona State. Emilio Barreras and Eddy Pelc were tabbed All-WAC Second Team, while Barreras also landed on the WAC All-Defensive Team. Grand Canyon touted a .295 batting average with 65 home runs and a .456 slugging percentage.
Causey quickly left his mark on the Lopes' program in 2024. Grand Canyon sported the 14th-ranked batting average in the nation at .313, a 17-point improvement from the previous season. The Lopes went 23-7 in WAC play, crushing 75 long balls behind a .489 slugging percentage.
Causey mentored WAC Player of the Year Tyler Wilson, who landed on the All-WAC First Team with Beau Ankeney. Cade Verdusco received All-WAC Second Team accolades and was one of four Lopes named to the WAC All-Defensive Team.
Over the past three seasons, five Grand Canyon position players were drafted by or signed with a Major League franchise.
True to his Southwest roots, Causey served as hitting coach at New Mexico in 2023. The Lobos engineered the nation's third-ranked batting average at .329 and ranked fourth with a .560 slugging percentage. They banged out 87 home runs and picked up wins over the likes of Oregon State, Texas Tech and Minnesota. New Mexico had three student-athletes named All-Mountain West.
In 2022, Causey steered Pima Community College to a 38-18 mark, the program's most victories since 1991. The Aztecs sported a 27-4 record at home and went 23-15 in conference action. They batted .329 and slugged at a .479 clip. Five ballplayers were named All-ACCAC, and a pair were tabbed All-Region. Eleven Aztecs advanced to the Division I level, including seven position players.
Causey was a volunteer coach at New Mexico from 2019-21, working primarily with the program's catchers. Seven Lobos were named All-Mountain West under Causey, including three position players. Outfielder Kyler Castillo earned ABCA/Rawlings All-America Third Team honors.
Five ballplayers were drafted, and two others signed with Big League teams. After the 2021 campaign, backstop Jarrett Gonzales signed with the Washington Nationals.
A native of Gilbert, Ariz., Causey played first base and catcher at Arizona State from 2012-14. He started 112 games and capped his college career with First Team All-Pac-12 distinction. Causey was selected in the 19th round of the 2014 MLB Draft by the Rockies, with whom he played two professional seasons in the Minor Leagues.
Causey earned his Bachelor's degree in sociology from Arizona State.
In his first year in Phoenix, Causey fueled the Lopes to the 2024 Western Athletic Conference regular season title. Grand Canyon earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tucson Regional, where it took down host Arizona and Dallas Baptist en route to the program's first regional final. Causey served as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at New Mexico in 2023, his second of two stints with the Lobos.
A student-athlete at Arizona State before playing in the Colorado Rockies organization, Causey was a volunteer assistant at New Mexico from 2019-21 before joining Pima Community College as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator in 2022.
"Nate brings energy, experience and an ability to connect with players that we believe will be a great fit for our program," McCarty said. "His passion for recruiting has been evident everywhere he has been, and he has a unique ability to build relationships with players and their families. He has a proven track record of recruiting and developing high-level players throughout his career. I think his experience as a standout college player, as well as his experience in professional baseball, will give him a perspective that will resonate with our players and add tremendous value to our program."
Grand Canyon amassed 88 victories from 2024-26 with Causey on staff, including 26 versus power conference programs. Trevor Schmidt earned All-Mountain West First Team honors last season, hitting .380 with nine home runs in 25 conference matchups.
The Lopes won 31 games in 2025, including 13 power conference victories over the likes of Texas Tech, Oregon, Stanford, Arizona and Arizona State. Emilio Barreras and Eddy Pelc were tabbed All-WAC Second Team, while Barreras also landed on the WAC All-Defensive Team. Grand Canyon touted a .295 batting average with 65 home runs and a .456 slugging percentage.
Causey quickly left his mark on the Lopes' program in 2024. Grand Canyon sported the 14th-ranked batting average in the nation at .313, a 17-point improvement from the previous season. The Lopes went 23-7 in WAC play, crushing 75 long balls behind a .489 slugging percentage.
Causey mentored WAC Player of the Year Tyler Wilson, who landed on the All-WAC First Team with Beau Ankeney. Cade Verdusco received All-WAC Second Team accolades and was one of four Lopes named to the WAC All-Defensive Team.
Over the past three seasons, five Grand Canyon position players were drafted by or signed with a Major League franchise.
True to his Southwest roots, Causey served as hitting coach at New Mexico in 2023. The Lobos engineered the nation's third-ranked batting average at .329 and ranked fourth with a .560 slugging percentage. They banged out 87 home runs and picked up wins over the likes of Oregon State, Texas Tech and Minnesota. New Mexico had three student-athletes named All-Mountain West.
In 2022, Causey steered Pima Community College to a 38-18 mark, the program's most victories since 1991. The Aztecs sported a 27-4 record at home and went 23-15 in conference action. They batted .329 and slugged at a .479 clip. Five ballplayers were named All-ACCAC, and a pair were tabbed All-Region. Eleven Aztecs advanced to the Division I level, including seven position players.
Causey was a volunteer coach at New Mexico from 2019-21, working primarily with the program's catchers. Seven Lobos were named All-Mountain West under Causey, including three position players. Outfielder Kyler Castillo earned ABCA/Rawlings All-America Third Team honors.
Five ballplayers were drafted, and two others signed with Big League teams. After the 2021 campaign, backstop Jarrett Gonzales signed with the Washington Nationals.
A native of Gilbert, Ariz., Causey played first base and catcher at Arizona State from 2012-14. He started 112 games and capped his college career with First Team All-Pac-12 distinction. Causey was selected in the 19th round of the 2014 MLB Draft by the Rockies, with whom he played two professional seasons in the Minor Leagues.
Causey earned his Bachelor's degree in sociology from Arizona State.
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