Former collegiate and minor league pitcher Evan Johnson will be in his second season as an assistant coach for the Youngstown State baseball program in 2025-26.
Johnson, a native of Gilbert, Iowa, previously served as the pitching coach for the St. Cloud Rox in the Northwoods League from 2023-24. He played four years of professional baseball including three in the minor leagues after signing a free agent contract with Seattle Mariners in 2019. Johnson played for the Tacoma Rainiers, the AAA affiliate of the Mariners, during the 2021 season. He finished his MiLB career with a 7-5 record, four saves, a 4.50 ERA and 150 strikeouts in 122 innings pitched over 61 appearances.
Johnson coached senior right-hander Jacob Gehring to Second-Team All-Horizon League honors in 2025. Gehring ranked in the top 10 in the Horizon League in strikeouts, innings pitched, ERA and opponent batting average over 12 starts on the mound. Redshirt junior right-hander Brandon Mikos earned five wins on the mound in 2025 while recording career highs of 42 strikeouts and 58 innings pitched over 14 appearances and 11 starts. Mikos was named the Horizon League Pitcher of the Week on March 12, 2025.
Junior left-hander Braden Gebhardt was named to the Horizon League All-Academic Team and the 2025 College Sports Communicators Academic All-District® Baseball Team for his combined performance on the field and in the classroom. Gebhardt finished with a 3-5 record and two saves with 43 strikeouts in 44.2 innings pitched over 18 relief appearances and one start on the mound in 2025. In Horizon League play, he recorded 30 strikeouts in 29.2 innings pitched over 10 relief appearances and one start.
Redshirt senior right-hander and Kansas transfer JJ Tylicki led the Penguins and ranked fourth in the Horizon League with 68 strikeouts in 2025. Tylicki posted 11.85 strikeouts per nine innings, which ranks as the fifth highest mark in program history and the highest since Brad Hennessey recorded 12.79 K/9 in 2001.
Johnson played the final two years of his collegiate career at Creighton after a successful two-year stint at Iowa Central Community College. He made 30 appearances including 14 starts over his two seasons at Creighton, posting a combined 10-3 record and a 3.67 ERA in 90.2 innings pitched. As a senior in 2019, he finished with an 8-2 record and a 3.26 ERA in 77.1 innings pitched over 14 starts and three relief appearances to earn a spot on the All-Big East Second Team and help lead the Blue Jays to a Big East regular season and tournament titles.
Johnson played the first two years of his collegiate career at Iowa Central Community College, where he made a total of 27 appearances in 2016-17. He posted a 7-4 record and 61 strikeouts in 60.1 innings over his two seasons with Tritons. Johnson was a four-year letterwinner in baseball at Gilbert High School, and he was a second-team all-state selection as a senior.
Johnson is also the founder of Mavrik Baseball, a company which leads private instruction, creating tailored training programs for baseball players through mechanical, analytical and health evaluations. He directs and oversees a full team of coaches, developing standardized quality control for personalized instructional offerings. Mavrik Baseball provides both remote and in-person training for a diverse client base, including youth, amateur and professional players.
Johnson earned his Associate of Arts degree in design and applied arts from Iowa Central Community College, and he earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in graphic design and digital media from Creighton.
