Baylor School has named Butch Chaffin as its new head baseball coach, tapping a veteran whose career spans more than four decades of mentorship, player development and championship success.
A legacy of championships
Chaffin’s résumé includes 552 victories at Cookeville High School, a tenure that earned him a place in the Tennessee Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame and a reputation for turning modest programs into perennial contenders.
Reviving a storied program
The Bears have enjoyed periods of dominance, capturing nine straight region titles and three state crowns between 2018 and 2021, but the past three appearances at the Spring Fling have yielded just a single win, a slump that the administration hopes Chaffin can reverse.
A global scouting network
Since 2006 Chaffin has served with USA Baseball, guiding the 12U national team to a gold medal in Taiwan in 2017 and contributing to the 18U squad in 2010 and 2023. His eye for talent has also been honed during stints as a special assignment scout for the Kansas City Royals and as an instructor at MLB draft combines.
Beyond the diamond, he has directed over 200 camps across 24 states and six countries, helping 126 players secure college scholarships and, in some cases, professional contracts.
A pipeline to the next level
The program’s recent draft success illustrates the potential upside. Nick Kurtz, a 2021 graduate, was selected fourth overall in the 2024 MLB draft and earned American League Rookie of the Year honors in 2025, joining a list that includes former Bears such as Mark Price, Bobby Witt Jr. and Michael Cuddyer.
Former head coaches Mike Kinney and Greg Elie have collectively produced more than 40 collegiate athletes and ten professionals in the last decade, a foundation that Chaffin is expected to build upon.
Looking forward
With a philosophy centered on player development and alignment with Baylor’s traditions, Chaffin inherits a roster brimming with committed recruits. The hope is that his extensive network and championship pedigree will restore the Bears to their former prominence and extend their influence beyond state borders.