TJ Bruce - Baseball Coach

TJ Bruce

Title:
Associate Head Coach

TCU baseball head coach Kirk Saarloos has announced the hiring of T.J. Bruce as Associate Head Coach. Bruce joins the program after spending the last seven seasons as the head coach at Nevada. Bruce's main responsibilities include coaching the hitters and running the offense during games.

In just one season with the program, Bruce made an immediate impact, helping guide the squad to a Big 12 tournament championships, it's second NCAA road regional victory and a berth in the College World Series. Under his tutelage, the squad's .298 batting average was the highest since the 2016 campaign, while the 89 home runs hit were the second-most in program history. Brayden Taylor tied the single-season home run record with 23 and went on to be the No. 19 overall pick in the 2023 draft. On the base paths, the squad set a school record and ranked sixth nationally with 141 stolen bases in 164 attempts.

Hired in the summer of 2015, Bruce produced a 171-168 (.504) overall record in his time at Nevada, guiding the Wolf Pack to the 2018 and 2021 Mountain West Conference regular season titles. In both seasons, Bruce was voted the MW Coach of the Year. The team qualified for all five Mountain West Conference Tournaments held during his tenure in addition to an appearance in the 2021 NCAA Tournament.

Bruce produced 29 all-conference selections, including three Of The Year honorees. Nine members of the Wolf Pack have been drafted since 2016. On four occasions, Nevada ranked in the Top 20 nationally in batting average. In three of those seasons, the Wolf Pack ranked in the Top 10 (2016 – 9^th; 2021 – 6^th; 2022 – 7^th). In 2021, Dillan Shrum’s .468 average was second nationally.

Prior to his time at Nevada, Bruce was the top assistant at UCLA from 2011-15. The Bruins produced a 198-102-1 record, advancing to the NCAA Tournament four times and winning the 2013 National Championship. UCLA took home a trio of Pac-12 titles (2011, 2012 and 2015) and served as a Regional host four times and advanced to the College World Series twice (2012, 2013). The Bruins produced three first round draft picks and ultimately 13 Major Leaguers during his tenure.

Bruce made the move to UCLA after five seasons as an assistant coach at Long Beach State. He helped the 49ers to NCAA Regional appearances in 2005 as an undergraduate assistant coach. After a one year stint as an assistant coach at Cerritos College, Bruce returned to Long Beach State as a fulltime assistant coach in 2007. The 49ers made a trio of postseason appearances (2005, 2007 and 2008) in his time on staff.

While at Long Beach State, Bruce worked with the development of All-Big West Conference selections Troy Tulowitski (2003-05), Evan Longoria (2005-06), Danny Espinosa (2007), Matt Duffy (2010) and Devin Lohman (2010) while at LBSU. Tulowitski (Blue Jays), Longoria (Rays), Espinosa (Rays) and Duffy (Rays) went on to have Major League careers.

In his one season as assistant coach at Cerritos College in 2006, he helped the Falcons to the Southern California College playoffs. Cerritos finished the season 27-17 and tied for second in the South Coast Conference. Two of his players were selected in the 2006 MLB draft.

Bruce wrapped up his playing career in 2004 at Long Beach State where he helped lead the 49ers to the an NCAA Super Regional appearance. He transferred to Long Beach State after spending his junior year at Texas Tech in 2003. He started his collegiate career at Cerritos College where he earned All-South Coast Conference in 2001 and 2002. Cerritos advanced to the postseason both years.

Bruce and his wife, Heather, have two daughters; Rhowan and Harloe, and two sons, Jaxon and Nash.