The 2025 season marks Patrick Baker’s 8th season coaching with the Wildcat baseball program and 16th season with Wildcat Athletics.
Baker’s coaching journey began after the conclusion of his four seasons playing for the Wildcats. He was the pitching coach for the Wildcats for three seasons from 2013-2015. In 2015 Baker was hired as the Director of Sports Information for the Wildcats, a position that he held for eight years. In the summer of 2019, Baker was named the third Head Baseball Coach in SUNY Poly History. His team’s first season was canceled due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. When the Wildcats returned to play in the 2021 season, his team made a playoff run in their first season in the NAC, ultimately falling in the semi-final round to Cobleskill in a three-game set.
In the winter of 2023, Baker was promoted to Assistant Athletic Director for Athletic Communications, stepping down as Head Baseball Coach. Baker returned to coaching at SUNY Poly in the 2024 season as an assistant coach after starting a new career as a Technical Operations Administrator in the SUNY Poly ITS Department. This is his second season on Coach Ludden’s Staff.
As a student-athlete, Baker was a four-year starter and a team captain for the Wildcats baseball team. He is the career strikeouts leader, is second all-time in career wins, and is tied for first in innings pitched. He was named Conference Pitcher of the Year in 2011, an All-Conference 1st Team selection in 2011, and an All-Conference 2nd Team selection in 2009 and 2012. Baker also is the only pitcher in the history of the program to have earned a win in a Conference Championship game. In 2012 Baker was awarded the Utica Kiwanis Clubs Student-Athlete of the Year Award. He also attended the NCAA Career in Sports Forum in 2012 which sparked his passion for coaching and college athletics.
A Long Island native, Baker grew up in Ronkonkoma, New York. He graduated from Connetquot High School in 2008. He currently resides in Utica, N.Y. with his wife Martha, their two children Patrick and Scarlett, and their dog Yogi.