Former collegiate standout and minor league infielder Will Maddox will be in his second season on the Youngstown State baseball coaching staff in 2025-26. The Gainesville, Ga., native served as an assistant coach during the 2025 season before being elevated to Associate Head Coach prior to the 2026 campaign.
Maddox played three collegiate seasons at Tennessee before being selected by the Detroit Tigers in the 18th Round of the 2014 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft. Maddox and Head Coach Trevor Charpie were teammates with the Volunteers from 2013-14.
Maddox played six seasons in the minor leagues, finishing his MiLB career with a .301 batting average, 481 hits, 62 doubles, 13 triples, nine home runs and 148 RBIs. He played for the Erie SeaWolves, the Double-A affiliate of the Tigers, from 2017-19. Maddox also spent part of the 2019 season with the Richmond Flying Squirrels, the Double-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants.
In Maddox’s first season on YSU’s coaching staff, the Penguins set new single-season school records for home runs (76) and walks (306) while posting their highest marks in RBIs (348), runs scored (391) and runs per game (6.9) since 2010. The Penguins also set new school records for slugging percentage (.472) and extra-base hits (199) while recording their highest on-base percentage (.394) since 2001.
Maddox also helped coach senior infielder Cole Smith to Second-Team All-Horizon League honors in 2025. The UT Martin transfer batted .291 and slugged .487 with 21 doubles, six home runs and 41 RBIs over 56 games played. Smith batted .340 and slugged .575 with 10 doubles, five home runs and 26 RBIs over 30 games played in Horizon League action. In addition, redshirt senior infielder Tommy Rover batted .328 and slugged .598 with seven doubles, two triples, 12 home runs and 40 RBIs over 47 games played in 2025. He also recorded 46 runs scored, 30 walks, 104 total bases, a .475 on-base percentage and a 1.073 OPS. Rover ranked in the top 10 in the Horizon League in slugging percentage, on-base percentage, OPS and home runs.
Maddox also helped true freshman infielder Jay Wrona earn a spot on the Horizon League All-Freshman Team in 2025. Wrona batted .313 with seven doubles, one triple, 13 RBIs, 27 walks and 24 runs scored over 40 games played and 33 starts in his debut collegiate campaign. He set a new single-game school record with five walks in YSU's 20-14 win at Milwaukee on April 18, 2025.
Maddox played in 160 games and made 157 starts during his three-year playing career at Tennessee. For his career, he batted .309 with 190 hits and 60 stolen bases. As a junior in 2014, Maddox batted .297 with six doubles, two triples, three home runs and 21 RBIs over 54 games played and 52 starts as an infielder. He also added 38 runs scored, 29 walks and 24 stolen bases during his junior campaign.
Maddox played in 51 of 52 games for the Vols, starting 46 at third base, four in left field and one in center field, as a sophomore in 2013. He batted .333 with eight doubles, two triples and 20 RBIs while also recording 42 runs scored, 21 walks, a .425 on-base percentage and 22 stolen bases during his sophomore season. Maddox earned SEC All-Freshman Team honors in 2012 after becoming just the third freshman since 1980 to lead Tennessee in batting average. He batted .297 with eight doubles, one triple, two home runs and 19 RBIs while playing in all 55 games and making 54 starts at second base. Maddox was also a member of the 2013 USA Baseball Collegiate Team.
Maddox graduated from Gainesville High School in Gainesville, Ga., where he was coached by Jeremy Kemp. He was named to the 2011 Gainesville Times All-Area First Team, and he was a three-time All-Region 7-AAA selection from 2009-11. Maddox was honored as the Gainesville Times Co-Player of the Year and Gainesville High School MVP in 2010.
As a senior in 2011, he helped lead the Red Elephants to a 24-7 record while recording 10 home runs and 52 RBIs. As a junior in 2010, he batted .487 with 10 home runs and 52 RBIs to lead the Red Elephants to a 28-5 overall record and the Region 7-AAA championship. A two-sport athlete, Maddox also won a Region 7-AAA championship in basketball as a sophomore.
