Baseball
- Title:
- Volunteer Assistant
John DiLaura joined the coaching staff in the fall of 2018, serving as the volunteer assistant coach. He was promoted to assistant coach/recruiting coordinator in the summer of 2021. Along with leading the recruiting efforts, his responsibilities include assisting with practice, coaching the catchers and outfielders and serving as the first base coach in games.
TCU has been one of the top teams in the Big 12 since his arrival on campus. The Horned Frogs have won two regular season titles in addition to a pair of Big 12 tournament championships. TCU has appeared in four of five NCAA Tournaments since his arrival and advanced to the 2023 College World Series.
In his first full campaign as the recruiting coordinator, DiLaura made a mark on the recruiting scene. The incoming freshman class was ranked No. 6 by D1Baseball.com. The addition of junior college and four year transfers landed the Horned Frogs the No. 9 ranked recruiting class. He backed up that success with another Top 10 class as the 2024 group also ranked No. 9.
The TCU catching corps has flourished under his tutelage. He has produced three all-conference performers in Zach Humphreys (2021), Kyrtis Byrne (2022) and Karson Bowen (2023). Bowen was also named a 2023 Freshman All-American, throwing out 13 would-be base stealers and allowing just two passed balls. At the conclusion of the abbreviated 2020 campaign due to the COVID-19 pandemic, TCU had allowed the second-fewest (5) stolen bases in the Big 12. The tandem of Humphreys and Byrne boasted a 1.000 fielding percentage and had surrendered just four passed balls.
In his first season on campus, DiLaura’s impact was felt on the diamond. TCU allowed just the second-fewest stolen bases in the Big 12, surrendering just 35 in 54 attempts. Both catchers were drafted at the conclusion of the season with Humphreys getting selected in the 26th round and Alex Isola in 29th round.
DiLaura, a 2013 alum of the University of Michigan, spent the past season as the volunteer assistant at his alma mater. While at Michigan, he worked with the Wolverine’s catchers and assisted with the hitters. Michigan posted a 33-21 record in 2018. This past fall he served as an assistant coach at Xavier where he worked with the hitters and the infielders.
Prior to returning to Michigan, DiLaura spent two years with the Chipola College baseball program, where he worked with the outfielders and pitchers and assisted with the hitters. DiLaura also assisted with the daily organization and management of the program, and helped lead the Indians’ recruiting efforts during his two-year tenure.
In his final season with Chipola (2017), the Indians captured the NJCAA World Series title and compiled an overall record of 51-9. Following the 2017 season, the Indians had 10 players selected in the MLB Draft, which ranked second in the country. In 2016, DiLaura helped lead the Indians to a Region VIII runner-up finish and a 43-16 record as well as a Panhandle Conference title.
DiLaura spent the 2014 and 2015 seasons at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan, where he was responsible for working with the infielders and outfielders as well as assisting with the recruiting efforts for the Warriors and helping with the day-to-day operations of the program.
He helped coach the Warriors to GLIAC Tournament berths in 2015 and 2014, and the program’s 34 regular-season victories in 2014 set a program record. The Warriors also finished the 2014 season with the most wins in a season in program history (36), the second-best winning percentage in program history, and its fourth NCAA Tournament appearance in five years.
A three-year baseball letter-winner at the University of Michigan, DiLaura graduated in the spring of 2013 with a General Studies degree with an emphasis in business and history. He completed his Master’s Degree in Sports Administration from Wayne State University in the summer of 2016.
