Ray Hayward - Director of MLB Relations - Staff Directory

Staff Directory

Ray Hayward

Title:
Director of MLB Relations
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Ray Hayward concluded his 13th season on staff at Texas Tech in 2025 and his eighth in the role of special assistant. Hayward was named assistant coach on June 26, 2012, as part of Tim Tadlock’s inaugural staff at Texas Tech, and served in that role for the first five years of his tenure.

Hayward’s experience helped Tech post consecutive 45-win seasons for four consecutive years from 2016-19, combining for 183 victories over that span which is the most for Tech since 1995-98. During his time in Lubbock, Tech has reached the College World Series for the first four times in program history and won three of the last six Big 12 Championships.

Since Hayward's arrival to Texas Tech, the Red Raiders have had 41 pitchers selected in the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft. Tech set a school record for pitchers selected in the MLB draft in 2015 with five, set another record in 2016 with six, and again in 2018 with seven. Sixteen Red Raider pitchers have been taken in the first eight rounds over the last seven years in Matt Withrow, Corey Taylor, Dominic Moreno, Ryan Moseley, Parker Mushinski, Steven Gingery, Caleb Kilian, Clayton Beeter, Bryce Bonnin, Mason Montogemery, Ryan Sublette, Hunter Dobbins, Patrick Monteverde, Andrew Morris, Brandon Birdsell and Chase Hampton.

Hayward was instrumental in the development of Taylor, who was selected in the seventh round by the New York Mets after leading the NCAA with a 0.31 earned-run average in 2015. His impressive year snapped both the Texas Tech and Big 12 records for ERA as he allowed just two earned runs over 57.1 innings.

Taylor garnered third team All-America honors by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association as his 0.31 ERA marked the sixth-lowest in NCAA history and the lowest for any Division-I pitcher since Al Holland (North Carolina A&T) compiled a 0.26 ERA in 1975. He was the first Tech pitcher to receive All-America honors since John Neely in 2011.

The Red Raiders closed the 2015 season with a 3.33 ERA, marking the second-straight year Tech has posted a team ERA of 3.40 or lower. Tech had not previously accomplished the feat since the 1970 and 1971 seasons. The Red Raiders allowed just 184 earned runs on the year, their fewest since surrendering 176 in 1994.

Hayward’s pitching staff helped lead the Red Raiders to their best season in school history in 2014 – Hayward’s second year at Texas Tech. The Red Raiders’ historic season included winning the NCAA Coral Gables Regional, NCAA Lubbock Super Regional and making Tech’s first-ever appearance at the College World Series in Omaha.

The Red Raiders won 45 games in 2014 – the fourth most wins in school history while Hayward’s pitching staff set numerous school records, including shutouts (9), ERA during the aluminum bat era (since 1974 - 3.11), times holding opponent to two runs or fewer (30), innings pitched (587.2) and ERA during Big 12 play (4.09).

Tech’s postseason run was centered on one of the most dynamic pitching efforts in recent memory. The Red Raiders posted a 0.76 ERA in eight NCAA Tournament games while recording 64 scoreless innings (72 total innings pitched) with 27-consecutive scoreless innings during three straight shutouts – one to clinch the Coral Gables Regional and back-to-back 1-0 shutouts over College of Charleston in the Lubbock Super Regional to advance to the CWS.

In fact, it marked the first time in NCAA history that a team shut out its opponents, 1-0, in back-to-back games in a Super Regional. Only once in the Super Regional era (since 1999) had a team advanced to Omaha with back-to-back shutouts (LSU – 2002).

In 2016, Tech added two Freshman All-Americans in Davis Martin and Steven Gingery, who put together strong debuts donning the scarlet & black. Martin recorded a 10-1 record, the first 10-win pitcher for the Red Raiders since Steve Rowe in 2002. His 10 victories were also the most ever by a Texas Tech freshman, led the Big 12 and tied for the most among freshman in the NCAA. His spotless 6-0 record in conference play and his 2.52 overall ERA helped him earn four Freshman All-America accolades. Martin’s 10^th win made history, coming at the College World Series in a 3-2 thriller, which marked Tech’s first-ever win at the CWS.

Gingery led the Red Raiders in 2016 with 63 strikeouts after notching a 4-2 record overall. In Big 12 play, Gingery went 3-0 with a tremendous 1.85 ERA, which led the conference. Tech finished the year with the third-most wins in school history at 47-20, while earning the school’s fifth conference title behind a 19-5 Big 12 record. The Red Raiders appearance in the College World Series marked the second berth in three years.

The 2017 campaign was even better for Gingery, who posted 10 wins and a 1.58 ERA in 15 starts. His performance on the mound helped him become the program’s first unanimous first team All-American, while earning him Big 12 & National Pitcher of the Year awards.

Tech posted a 45-17 record in 2017, with a 16-8 record en route to back-to-back Big 12 titles and No. 5 National Seeds for the NCAA Tournament. As a unit, the Red Raiders recorded a 3.73 ERA to go with 559 strikeouts and 22 saves, the most in a single season by a Tech squad.

The Red Raiders returned to Omaha for the third time in five years in 2018, as Tech finished 45-20 overall and 15-9 in Big 12 play, earning its third straight NCAA National Seed ranking at No. 9. The Red Raiders closed 2018 ranked as high as No. 5 in the nation with the pitching staff making up seven of the team’s school-record 11 MLB Draft picks.

Tech made it four College World Series appearances in six years and three Big 12 titles in four years in the 2019 campaign. The Red Raiders finished as one of the last four teams remaining with a 46-20 overall record and 16-8 Big 12 mark on their way to a No. 4 final ranking, which matched the highest final ranking in team history. Junior RHP Caleb Kilian, drafted in the 20th round in 2018, put together a 7-0 record in Big 12 play and was drafted in the eighth round of the 2019 MLB Draft in 2019.

The Red Raiders were poised for yet another run to Omaha in 2020 before the COVID-19 pandemic cut the season short in the middle of March. Tech started strong out of the gates and earned the program’s first No. 1 ranking since 1997 before finishing with a 16-3 record.

Tech’s 2021 season was one that saw a squad rally together and fight through a slow start and a season that plagued them with injuries. The Red Raiders won 14 in a row after its opening series. Tech finished 39-17, including 27 wins in the friendly confines of Rip Griffin Park. Texas Tech was rewarded with a No. 8 national seed in the NCAA tournament and hosted a regional for the fifth-straight year and qualified to host a Super Regional for the third time in the last five completed seasons. Tech’s loss to Stanford marked the first time the Red Raiders did not advance out of the Super Regional, having been 4-0 in such series previously.

The 2022 Red Raiders continued what it had been doing every year since 2016, competing in the NCAA Tournament, but it was new territory as the previous five regionals were hosted in Lubbock and this edition sent Texas Tech on the road. The Red Raiders advanced to a Regional Final for the sixth-straight year, with its run ending there in 2022 to CWS participant Notre Dame. Once the season came to a close, Texas Tech finished inside the Top 25 of all six national polls in the end-of-season rankings, extending a steak that also started in 2016. In July, the Red Raiders' primary weekend rotation in 2022 were each drafted in the MLB Draft as right-handers Andrew Morris (4th Rd., Twins), Brandon Birdsell (5th Rd., Cubs) and Chase Hampton (6th Rd., Yankees) were selected over three consecutive rounds. In total, four of the five Red Raiders drafted in 2022 were pitchers as Austin Becker was later taken in the 16th round by the Colorado Rockies. Birdsell was an All-American in 2022 and named the Big 12 Pitcher of the Year while Morris was a second-team All-Big 12 pick.

TEXAS TECH (2013-2015 SEASONS)
The Red Raiders secured a tie for third place in the 2015 conference standings, marking its highest finish since the 2004 season. It was also the second-straight season where Tech has finished among the top four teams in the Big 12, a first for the Red Raiders since 2001-02. The Red Raiders closed the 2015 season with a 3.33 ERA, marking the second-straight season Tech has posted a team ERA of 3.40 or lower. Tech had not previously accomplished the feat since the 1970 and 1971 seasons. The Red Raiders allowed just 184 earned runs on the year, their fewest since surrendering 176 in 1994. For the second-consecutive season, the Red Raiders also snapped the school record with a 3.21 team ERA during Big 12 play.

Taylor and Moreno led the way for the Tech pitching staff as the duo combined to allow just five earned runs while posting 0.55 and 1.09 ERAs against conference foes. Taylor and fellow senior Cameron Smith were both recognized following the season on the All-Big 12 first team while Moreno was a second team honoree. Smith's selection marked the first time a Tech starting pitcher had been named to the first team since Brandon Roberson in 2001. Taylor, meanwhile, was the first Red Raider reliever to garner first-team recognition since Steve Rowe in 2002. In all, Hayward has coached six Tech pitchers that have received all-Big 12 honors in his three seasons as Chris Sadberry was named to the second team in 2014 while Smith (2014), Jonny Drozd (2014) and Trey Masek (2013) have all been named honorable mention selections.

Smith completed his two seasons under Hayward with a 2.81 career ERA, seventh-lowest in Tech history, while Moreno ended his career eighth overall with a 2.97 ERA. Their two career ERAs rank fifth and sixth, respectively, in the aluminum bat era (since 1974), while Taylor is 10th in that category with a 3.30 career ERA. Hayward's pitching staff helped lead the Red Raiders to their best season in school history in 2014 -- Hayward's second year at Texas Tech. The Red Raiders' historic season included winning the NCAA Coral Gables Regional, NCAA Lubbock Super Regional and making Tech's first-ever appearance at the College World Series in Omaha. The Red Raiders won 45 games in 2014 -- the fourth most wins in school history while Hayward's pitching staff set numerous school records, including shutouts (9), ERA during the aluminum bat era (since 1974 - 3.11), times holding opponent to two runs or fewer (30), innings pitched (587.2) and ERA during Big 12 play (4.09).

Tech's postseason run was centered on one of the most dynamic pitching efforts in recent memory. The Red Raiders posted a 0.76 ERA in eight NCAA Tournament games while recording 64 scoreless innings (72 total innings pitched) with 27-consecutive scoreless innings during three straight shutouts -- one to clinch the Coral Gables Regional and back-to-back 1-0 shutouts over College of Charleston in the Lubbock Super Regional to advance to the CWS. In fact, it marked the first time in NCAA history that a team shut out its opponents, 1-0, in back-to-back games in a Super Regional. Only once in the Super Regional era (since 1999) had a team advanced to Omaha with back-to-back shutouts (LSU -- 2002). Tech tied an NCAA all-time record with four shutouts in the 2014 NCAA Tournament, a feat that had only previously been accomplished by Cal State Fullerton (2004), Pepperdine (1992), Arizona State (1972), Florida State (1970), St. John's (1968) and Wake Forest (1955). In addition, entering the 2014 postseason, the Red Raiders had played 33 games in the NCAA Tournament and had never posted a shutout. It marked the first time Tech had three consecutive shutouts since 1976. Tech's postseason was highlighted by recording the first shutout in school history in the NCAA Tournament while in the process handing Miami (Fla.) its first shutout in the postseason since 1995. During Tech's 3-0 shutout over the Hurricanes, left-handed pitcher Dylan Dusek became the first freshman in Tech history to make a start in the postseason. The following game, freshman Ryan Moseley pitched six scoreless innings in the second-straight start by a Red Raider freshman pitcher.

Under Hayward's guidance, the Red Raiders posted 19 shutouts in its first three seasons alone -- setting a new school record for shutouts in consecutive seasons. The previous record was 16 (1990-92). The Red Raiders experienced the biggest turnaround in school history in 2014 with 45 wins a year after winning 26 games. The turnaround marked the second biggest in Big 12 history. The Red Raiders posted a 40-win season for just the sixth time in school history in 2014 while going 14-10 in Big 12 play for a fourth-place finish. Tech's 14 conference wins marked its most since 2004. Tech won 12 games against nationally-ranked opponents in Hayward's second season -- the most by the Red Raiders since 1998. Tech was nationally ranked for 18 consecutive weeks -- ranked as high as No. 7 before finishing the year at No. 8, tying the school record for highest end of the year ranking. Tech finished the 2014 season tying a school record with 33 home wins. The Red Raiders finished the season breaking a school record with 16 straight home wins to finish a season -- the streak marked the longest active home win streak in the nation. Hayward's pitching staff ranked 14th in the nation in shutouts and finished third in the Big 12 in both ERA (3.11) and opponent batting average (.248). He had three pitchers that ranked among the top four in the league as Sadberry's 17 starts ranked second, Smith ranked fourth in shutouts (1) and also opponent batting average (.211) and Dusek broke a Big 12 freshman record with a 1.94 ERA which ranked fourth in the league among all pitchers. Dusek's successful season earned him Freshman All-America honors by Collegiate Baseball Magazine, making him the first left-handed pitcher in school history to receive the recognition. Two of Hayward's freshmen pitchers have recorded three saves during their debut collegiate season in back-to-back years as Johnathon Tripp (2013) and Ryan Moseley (2014) are tied for the Texas Tech freshman record for saves in a season.

Hayward mentored three pitchers that were drafted or signed free agent contracts in 2014 -- none of them had previously been drafted. Sadberry was drafted in the sixth round by the Miami Marlins, Moreno was selected in the 33rd round by the St. Louis Cardinals and Drozd signed a free agent contract with the New York Yankees.

PRIOR TO TECH
A former big league pitcher, scouting supervisor and one of the most respected pitching coaches in the country, Hayward came to the South Plains after spending eight years (2005-2012) at the professional ranks as the Midwest scouting supervisor for the Miami Marlins. During his first season back at the collegiate level, Hayward inherited one of the youngest pitching staff's in the country in 2013. Tech's pitching staff returned just three of 15 pitchers from the previous season that accounted for 20 percent of the team's innings pitched. In fact, Hayward's first pitching staff at Tech in 2013 included seven true freshmen and 10 total newcomers. Hayward's influence was felt immediately as all three returning Red Raider pitchers --Masek, left-handed pitcher Andre Wheeler and right-handed pitcher Jerad McCrummen -- were drafted following the 2013 season. Masek, who hadn't previously been drafted, was taken in the fifth round by the Chicago Cubs while Wheeler, who was drafted out of high school in 2010 as an outfielder, went in the 15th round to the Chicago White Sox.

McCrummen, who set a school record with 70 appearances by a three-year pitcher, was drafted for the first time with a 23rd round selection by the Colorado Rockies. Masek went 5-2 in 11 starts with a 1.82 ERA to rank fourth in the Big 12 Conference. He posted three complete games pitching 79.0 innings with 69 strikeouts and 22 walks allowed. Opponents tallied only 56 hits and a .206 batting average this season. Masek is one of five Tech pitchers since 1991 to lead the Red Raiders in wins, ERA, complete games, innings pitched and strikeouts in the same season. In addition, his 1.82 ERA is the lowest by a Red Raider starting pitcher during the aluminum bat era (since 1974). Masek was an All-Big 12 honorable mention pick and became just the second Red Raider to be named to the Golden Spikes Award list during the last 14 years. He was also named to the National Pitcher of the Year Award Watch List and was a semifinalist for the Gregg Olson Breakout Player of the Year Award (Nation's Top Breakout Player). The Red Raiders won their Big 12 Conference series opener in 2013 taking two of three games over Texas in Austin. It marked the first time Tech had won a series over the Longhorns in Austin since 2001 and was Tech's first series win over Texas since 2002. While with the Marlins organization, Hayward supervised scouting in a 19-state area that includes, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Arkansas, Iowa, Nebraska, Alabama, Michigan, Indiana, Mississippi, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, South Dakota, North Dakota and the west portion of Kentucky and Tennessee.

During his time as the Midwest scouting supervisor, the Marlins selected 32 players in the top-10 rounds of the MLB Draft from Hayward's area, including 21 pitchers and 11 position players. Hayward's scouting area produced four Marlins first-round picks while the organization selected seven players from within Hayward's area during the top-10 rounds in the 2012 MLB Draft. Hayward spent five seasons in the Big 12 Conference as the pitching coach at his alma mater, Oklahoma, from 2000-2004. Prior to beginning his coaching career, Hayward pitched three seasons in the big leagues with the San Diego Padres (1986-87) and the Texas Rangers (1988). He finished his playing career in the Rangers organization in 1991 before spending six years as an area scout with the Detroit Tigers (1994-99). He returned to Norman as the Sooners pitching coach and recruiting coordinator in 2000, where he helped guide Oklahoma to three NCAA Tournament appearances in five seasons. Hayward's arrival brought an immediate impact to the Sooners pitching staff as his pitchers set a school record with 21 saves in 2000 -- a mark that remains today as the program's most saves in a season. In fact, during his first season as pitching coach, Hayward helped drop Oklahoma's team earned run average from 6.25 in 1999 to 4.74 in 2000. He also mentored two Oklahoma pitchers in 2000 that earned All-America recognition -- an impressive accomplishment when considering just one OU pitcher had received All-America status during the previous 15 years to Hayward's arrival as pitching coach. In fact, Hayward's first All-American pitcher at Oklahoma, Jeff Bajenaru, tallied an Oklahoma and Big 12 all-time record 20 saves during the 2000 season. Bajenaru went on to earn All-America accolades from six national publications -- including first team recognition from the ABCA and NCBWA. Overall, five of Hayward's pitchers at Oklahoma continue to hold school records while three of his hurlers collected six All-America/Freshman All-America awards. In addition, Hayward mentored 10 pitchers at Oklahoma that received All-Big 12 honors. Hayward developed 13 pitchers at Oklahoma into Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft selections, including five that were taken in the top-10 rounds.

His final season at Oklahoma in 2004, Hayward had six pitchers selected in the top-30 rounds, including left-handed pitcher David Purcey who went 16th overall in the first round to the Toronto Blue Jays. It marked just the second time in school history (1985) that six pitchers had been selected in the top-30 rounds of the MLB Draft. Hayward first made his name known on the Oklahoma campus while being arguably the greatest all-around baseball player in Oklahoma history. He completed his four-year career at OU as the 10th overall pick of the 1983 MLB Draft by the San Diego Padres -- becoming the second highest drafted left-handed pitcher in school history (1976 -- LHP Bob Shirley, 8th overall -- San Diego Padres). He not only won 26 career games on the mound (ranks 4th all-time at OU), but he also recorded a .381 career batting average (ranked tied for 6th all-time at OU) while twice leading the team in batting as both a freshman and senior. Overall, Hayward remains in eight Oklahoma all-time record books while his 293 career strikeouts rank fourth and his 30 career complete games are a school record. In addition, Hayward's 30 career home runs remain in the OU record books tied for 10th all-time. Hayward was a two-time All-American, earning third team honors as a pitcher/first baseman in 1981 and receiving first team recognition in 1983 as a pitcher. In fact, Hayward was named All-Big Eight as a pitcher and position player in both 1981 and 1983. It marked the first time in league history that a player was named all-conference at two positions in the same year. Hayward's first time hearing his name called in the MLB Draft came in 1982 -- following his junior season at Oklahoma -- when the Pittsburgh Pirates selected him in the 12th round with the 295th overall pick. He completed his prep career at Enid (Okla.) High School where he was a standout Oklahoma All-State selection. Hayward and his wife, the former Jeannie Benoit of Las Vegas, Nevada, have three children: Jaynie, David and Braden. Hayward was born in Enid, Okla., on April 27, 1961.

THE HAYWARD FILE:
2013-Present - Texas Tech (Assistant Coach/Special Assistant)
2005-2012 - Miami Marlins (Midwest Scouting Supervisor)
2000-2004 - Oklahoma (Assistant Coach)
1994-1999 - Detroit Tigers (Area Scout)
1983-1991 - Professional Baseball Player
1988 - Texas Rangers (MLB Pitcher - LHP)
1986-1987 - San Diego Padres (MLB Pitcher - LHP)