Ryan Forrest Named Robert H.B. Baldwin ‘42 Head Coach of Princeton Baseball
7/20/2026
Ryan Forrest has been named Robert H.B. Baldwin ‘42 Head Coach of Princeton Baseball, Ford Family Director of Athletics John Mack ‘00 has announced. He is the 17th head coach in the history of Princeton Baseball, a program that dates back to 1864.
Forrest has spent the previous three seasons coaching inside the Atlantic Coast Conference, serving as Assistant Coach at Boston College where he was pitching coach for an Eagles program that qualified for the NCAA Tournament this past season.
“I am excited to welcome Ryan Forrest to Princeton as our next baseball head coach,” Mack said. “As we usher in a new era for Princeton Baseball and look forward to the opening of our new stadium in 2028, Ryan is the right leader at the right time for this program. He is a proven teacher of the game who year after year has developed his student-athletes into better versions of themselves on the field and off. Everywhere Ryan has coached, his teams have improved season to season, competing for championships at both the conference and national levels. I am confident that Princeton’s baseball program will experience tremendous growth in the coming years under his leadership.”
Over his 13 years as an assistant coach, Forrest has developed into one of the nation’s premier pitching coaches and he has worked with 11 hurlers who have moved on to professional careers including six MLB Draft selections. In addition, he has worked with seven position players who have moved on to professional baseball careers.
Among the players Forrest has worked with who have gone on to professional careers is No. 1 overall MLB Draft pick and 2025 Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes who Forrest recruited and worked with at Air Force for two seasons during Forrest’s six years on staff in Colorado Springs. While at Millersville, Forrest worked with Chas McCormick who would be drafted in 2017 by the Houston Astros and won the World Series in 2022 with Houston.
Forrest’s work has seen him named to d1baseball.com’s Top-100 Assistant Coaches list and he was one of 30 assistant coaches from around the country invited to the Surefire Baseball Forum in 2024.
“I am incredibly honored and excited to be named the Robert H.B. Baldwin ‘42 Head Coach of Princeton Baseball,” Forrest said. “I want to sincerely thank John Mack, Anthony Archbald and the entire hiring committee for their trust and confidence in me to take on this role. I am grateful for the opportunity to lead the baseball program in one of the most respected and prestigious departments in college athletics and to become part of such an extraordinary institution. Princeton is truly a special place, one that is committed to excellence in everything it does. That pursuit of excellence extends beyond the classroom and playing field, shaping leaders of character who are prepared to make an impact long after graduation. It is a privilege to join a community with such a rich tradition and a bold vision for the future. I am especially excited to serve our student-athletes. My commitment is to help them grow as players, students, and people while building a program that reflects the values of Princeton University. My family and I cannot wait to join the Princeton community. We are eager to work, build meaningful relationships, and continue the proud tradition of Princeton Baseball. The future is incredibly bright, and I am honored to be a part of it.”
Boston College improved each year during Forrest’s tenure going from 22 wins in 2024 to 28 victories the next year before raising the bar once again to 37 wins and a trip to the NCAA Tournament in 2026. B.C.’s 37 victories in 2026 were the second most in program history while the team’s 17 wins in ACC play were the most ever for the Eagles who spent a majority of the season ranked inside the Top-25.
Gavin Soares earned second team ABCA/Rawlings Northeast All-Region honors while A.J. Colarusso nabbed Third Team All-ACC honors on the mound. Colarusso would later sign a professional contract with the New York Mets.
Forrest’s work with the pitching staff was crucial to Boston College’s success as the staff’s ERA, walks issued, and batting average against decreased each season while strikeouts increased.
In his first season with the Eagles in 2024, Forrest coached John West who was named Third Team All-ACC and was drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Following a year at Mississippi College during the 2017 season which saw the team qualify for the conference tournament for the first time in 11 seasons, Forrest started at Air Force in 2018 where he immediately helped improve the program’s ERA by 1.34 points.
The following season saw Air Force set a program record with a 4.83 ERA during Mountain West play. Second-Team All-Mountain West selection Jake Gilbert recorded a 2.55 ERA as a starter after originally being a closer to start the season. Gilbert would eventually sign with the Cincinnati Reds.
In 2021, Forrest helped Air Force set a program-best MWC record of 18-16 en route to a 26-22 overall record. The Falcons knocked off two Top-15 teams in No. 7 LSU and No. 13 Arizona as part of a 10-7 record against teams that would qualify for the NCAA Tournament. Paul Skenes would earn consensus All-American honors as a freshman, also securing Collegiate Baseball News Co-Freshman of the Year honors and being named MWC Freshman of the Year. At the end of the season, Skenes was 1 of 25 players named a finalist for the Golden Spikes Award presented to the nation’s most outstanding player.
The following season saw Air Force win the Mountain West championship and play in its first NCAA Regional since 1969 led by Forrest’s staff setting the program record for single-season strikeouts with 455. That staff was bolstered by Mountain West Co-Pitcher of the Year Paul Skenes, who went 7-1 with a 2.40 ERA in 10 starts, earning First Team All-American status.
Forrest’s coaching career also included a stint at Millersville University where he spent three seasons from 2014-16. Forrest served as pitching coach and recruiting coordinator at Millersville during a period that saw his teams finish as national runner-up in 2016 and reach at the Division II NCAA Tournament all three seasons.
During the 2016 season, Millersville posted a 53-7 overall record en route to a PSAC East championship and the Atlantic Region championship. Pitcher Brandon Miller was a first-team All-American and fellow hurler Cordell Shannon was named PSAC Rookie of the Year and D2 Newcomer of the Year. Three of Forrest’s pitchers from that 2016 team saw their professional aspirations realized as Miller (6th Round; Seattle) and Reid Anderson (17th Round; Texas) were selected in the MLB Draft and Jim McDade (San Diego) signed a free agent contract. They joined Chris Murphy (24th Round in 2024; Houston) as Millersville players who advanced to pro ball after being coached by Forrest.
Forrest began his coaching career at his alma mater as an assistant at Maine during the 2012 and 2013 seasons. The Black Bears were 65-50 over his two seasons on staff and 31-20 in conference play. In 2013, Forrest worked with Tommy Lawrence who was named America East Pitcher of the Year.
Prior to coaching, Forrest was a pitcher at Maine and Creighton where he pitched in 31 games. He graduated from Maine in 2009 with a degree in journalism before earning a master’s degree in Sport Management from West Virginia in 2013.
What They Are Saying About Ryan Forrest
“Ryan is genuinely one of the best people in college baseball. His character, respect for players, and professionalism are his defining qualities. Princeton is getting a leader of young men who genuinely cares about the student-athletes and their experience. Ryan, Kim, and the boys will be missed at Birdball but we know they are headed to an amazing place to begin his head coaching career. I have no doubt Ryan will assemble a staff and a team who will consistently compete for Ivy League championships while providing a first-class experience for the student-athletes.”
Todd Interdonato – Boston College Baseball Coach
“I’ve known Ryan Forrest for 12 years and had the honor of coaching alongside him for seven. At the Air Force Academy, Coach Forrest played an important role in developing leaders of character who understood our Core Values of integrity, service, and excellence to serve in the greatest military in the world. The Air Force Academy benefited from Coach Forrest as he helped shape and mold our future officers, and I have no doubt Princeton University will benefit from his leadership as he continues to mentor and develop future leaders. Coach Forest leads with humility, discipline, and a mission-focused mindset while holding young men to the highest standards both on and off the field. Princeton is gaining an exceptional coach and leader who will prepare his players not only to compete at the highest level of baseball, but more importantly to serve others and lead with character throughout their lives.”
Mike Kazalausky – Air Force Academy Head Coach
“Ryan Forrest is a winner who always puts people first and foremost. His future players and staff, the alumni, the fans, the administration, and anyone connected with the Princeton Baseball program are going to love his ability to build authentic relationships. Princeton landed not only a tremendous leader and coach, but a fantastic man.”
Jon Shehan – Millersville Head Coach
“Princeton University and Princeton Baseball are getting a proven leader in Coach Forrest. During our three years together, he has earned the trust of his pitching staff by coaching with competitiveness, a care for each player, and a problem solving approach. I have no doubt his character and skills will transfer to make him a long-term winning head coach in the Ivy League.”
A.J. Colarusso – All-ACC Pitcher At Boston College; Free Agent Signing Of New York Mets In 2026
“Coach Forrest is a man of high character who cares deeply about his players and challenges them to become the best versions of themselves. His attention to detail, leadership, and genuine investment in those around him set him apart. He helps build winning cultures rooted in integrity on and off the field and has a tremendous eye for talent. I am grateful for the role he’s played in helping me become not only a better player, but a better person. Princeton is getting an outstanding leader.”
John West – All-ACC Pitcher At Boston College, 12th Round Draft Pick Of Arizona Diamondbacks In 2024.
