Former Youngstown State student-athlete Jacob Gehring has joined the YSU baseball coaching staff as a graduate assistant, Head Coach Trevor Charpie announced on Thursday.
Gehring, a native of nearby Canfield, Ohio, played the final two seasons of his collegiate career for his hometown team after spending two years at Ohio State. The right-hander made 27 starts on the mound for the Penguins over two seasons while twice collecting All-Horizon League honors.
"We are thrilled to have Jake become a part of our coaching staff," said Charpie. "After his senior season was cut short, he took on a leadership and coaching role as a player, and it became clear that he was made for this profession. Jake brings unbelievable energy and attitude to player development and coaching. He has already been a huge asset to this team, and we are blessed to have him. He is a person we all enjoy seeing in the office every day, the players enjoy working with every day and a person that embodies the grit of YSU baseball."
As a senior in 2025, Gehring was voted to the All-Horizon League Second Team and the Horizon League All-Academic Team while also earning College Sports Communicators Academic All-District® recognition. He registered 56 strikeouts in a team-high 61.1 innings pitched over 12 starts while ranking in the top 10 in the Horizon League in strikeouts, innings pitched, ERA and opponent batting average despite having his season cut short due to injury.
Gehring was named to the All-Horizon League First Team as a junior in 2024 after matching the single-season school record with 15 games started on the mound. He finished with four victories and two complete games while leading the Penguins with 57 strikeouts and 79.1 innings pitched. Gehring was twice named the Horizon League Pitcher of the Week during the 2024 campaign.
Gehring played the first two seasons of his career at Ohio State. He made five relief appearances and four starts for the Buckeyes as a freshman in 2022, finishing with 16 strikeouts in 25 innings pitched. Gehring allowed one run and struck out five batters in a three-inning start vs. YSU in Columbus on April 5, 2022. He made 20 relief appearances and one start as a sophomore in 2023, finishing with one win and 21 strikeouts in 19.2 innings pitched.
Gehring was a standout pitcher at South Range High School, posting a career ERA of 0.98 with 191 career strikeouts, a 16-2 career record and one perfect game during his high school career. He helped lead the Raiders to the Ohio Division III state championship in 2018, and he was named the 2019 NE8 Player of the Year. Gehring helped lead South Range to a school record 24 wins in 2019, finishing an 8-0 record on the mound and setting a new single-season school record with 100 strikeouts.
Gehring graduated from Youngstown State with a bachelor's degree in psychology in 2025. He is currently pursuing his master's degree in clinical mental health counseling.
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