Dan Skirka, the longtime head coach of the Murray State Racers baseball program, has been appointed to the USA Baseball 15U task force, a group charged with shaping the roster for the upcoming 16U National Team training camp.
National Exposure for a Local Program
The selection marks the fourth time Skirka has contributed to USA Baseball, following stints in the MLB‑USA Baseball Prospect Development Pipeline League in 2019 and 2023, as well as the 16U/17U National Team Development Program in 2022.
Skirka’s reputation grew after he led Murray State to its first appearance in the College World Series in 2025, a breakthrough that earned him the NCBWA Mike Martin National Coach of the Year award and cemented his status as a rising star in collegiate baseball.
Through his USA Baseball involvement, he has already worked with future major‑league talent, including Tyler Soderstrom of the Athletics and pitcher Mick Abel, now with the Minnesota Twins, as well as first‑round draft picks Slade Caldwell, chosen by the Arizona Diamondbacks, and Derek Curiel, the fifth overall pick of the 2024 draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Reflecting on the new assignment, Skirka expressed excitement about the chance to mentor the nation’s most promising youngsters, to collaborate with former MLB players and high school coaches, and to wear the USA uniform on the international stage.
His ninth season at Murray State, set to begin in 2027, will now be intertwined with a national platform that could influence the next generation of baseball stars.