Tracy Smith’s team-first mentality is exactly what Michigan needs

June 24, 2024

About 70 players rotate through the Michigan baseball locker room every four years. They all have different backgrounds, skills and experiences that shape the traits they bring to the Wolverines. Each year, the team has a similar goal – to play solid baseball and proudly represent the “M” block, which includes more than just the current team, but also those who come before and after.

And while the team in the clubhouse evolves each season, the captain of the ship remains strong. For Michigan, their captain is Tracy Smith.

Smith just finished his second season with the Wolverines. And for the second year in a row, the Wolverines were at home during the NCAA Tournament watching others compete for the ultimate title. In his two seasons at Michigan, Smith has coached the Wolverines to two seasons just above .500, lost a multitude of athletes to the transfer portal and ushered in the only two seasons in the last six years in which Michigan failed to make the NCAA Regionals – not exactly the mark of a masterful head coach.

But progress isn’t just evident in the numbers. To succeed with the Wolverines, Smith focused on developing a culture where players are committed to him and his team.

And in 2024, this culture flourished.

“When I think back to that group of guys that represented Michigan baseball this year, it always puts a smile on my face,” Smith said on May 25 after the final game of the season. “It’s going to be hard to keep up with them, that was just a good group.”

During his college career, Smith was an all-around player at Miami of Ohio, switching between different positions, often playing in the infield or throwing on the mound. Playing all over the field in the position his team needed most, Smith had to look beyond his own desires – the foundation of the team dynamic he tries to foster in his Ann Arbor clubhouse.

In his short tenure in Ann Arbor, Smith has built a veritable arsenal of mentors on the Michigan staff, each bringing a unique perspective and skill set to reinforce the integrity of the program. Associate head coach Jake Valentine has built an expert infield that finished the season as the nation’s leader in double plays. Pitching coach Brock Huntzinger has taken on the brunt of developing the young bullpen, and student assistant coaches Jack Van Remortel and Zach Putnam have returned to the staff after their playing days to support the culture Smith built.

But this group only works because Smith is the glue that holds it together. At heart, Smith is a collaborator, and his goal is ultimately to succeed with a team that works together and is united beyond the diamond.

But Smith and his coaching staff aren’t the only arbiters who hold authority, as he has created an environment where his athletes can take on important roles within the roster. From athletes who set impressive examples on the field, like second-year all-arounder Mitch Voit, to quiet giants like shortstop Kyle Dernedde, the Wolverines’ bench is filled with individuals willing to put it all on the line for their team. Smith creates an environment where players are not only expected to make sacrifices for each other, but want to do so.

“We wouldn’t be in this position if those guys hadn’t done what they did,” Smith said on May 25. “The guilty part of me is thinking, ‘Gosh, we’re asking a lot of these guys. … You just have to keep putting pressure on these guys and they don’t say no, they just keep saying, ‘Give me the ball,’ and ‘Sure, I’ll do it.'”

That determination is nothing new for Michigan. The Wolverines’ 2024 season was defined by the ability to win as a unit. In Smith’s first season at Michigan, he was handed a program that had been crafted by the previous administration. While the group was undoubtedly talented, it relied on only a few star players who got the most playing time – players recruited and developed by another head coach. And Smith was successful with that group. The Wolverines made it to the semifinals of the Big Ten Tournament, a surprising feat after finishing 6th in the conference during the regular season.

Last season, however, Smith employed that group mentality, often emptying the bench in a single game to secure a true team victory. Instead of relying on a few key players Smith acquired, the squad played as a unit and they fought together for every win.

And the 2024 Big Ten Tournament was no different. After a second-round loss to Penn State, Michigan faced No. 1 seed Illinois in an intense elimination game that ultimately earned the Wolverines a spot in the semifinals. On paper, the two Big Ten tournaments led by Smith look eerily similar. But the biggest difference was how Michigan found a way to win: by playing as a team and losing by a whisker. The Wolverines won and lost as a group, showing the resilience that defined their 2024 season.

Michigan was able to do this because of the individual players on the team – the teams were carefully selected by Smith. He knows the college system very well and knows how to put together a group that works well together. He has more than proven his ability in a career that has been marked by accolades such as National Coach of the Year in 2013 after leading his Indiana team to the College World Series.

Smith has adapted to the modern coaching system and expertly uses the transfer portal to find players he believes will fit well into his system. Whether it’s players he’s worked with before, like junior catcher Will Rogers, who followed Smith from Arizona State, or athletes who aspired to be part of the Michigan team from a young age, like junior third baseman Cole Caruso, Smith personally selected players he believes will improve the culture he worked hard to create. Dernedde proved to be just one of those athletes. By not only making a strong impact on the infield defense, Dernedde also showed tremendous leadership that was immediately recognized by his teammates.

“It’s incredible how quickly our culture came together,” Smith said on Feb. 14. “And I attribute all of that to the Dylan Stantons and the (Trevor Kilinskis) and the (Jacob Denners) and the Chase Allens. And interestingly, Kyle Dernedde, an Oregon State graduate, came here and within four months was voted one of the captains. So it’s a tight locker room.”

From the beginning of the season, Smith’s goal was to win weekends while taking time to build his group. And while the season had its ups and downs as part of that plan, Smith stuck to his strategy until the end, even when it didn’t produce the desired result.

And on the biggest stage of the Big Ten Tournament, Smith did the same. Given one last chance in the bottom of the tenth inning against Penn State, Smith decided to insert freshman Cooper Mullens as a pinch hitter for freshman catcher Brock Leitgeb. Mullens struck out with a flourish, and three at-bats later, the Wolverines were eliminated from the tournament, losing 7-6 to the Nittany Lions.

Smith’s decision to use Mullens as a pinch hitter for Leitgeb was controversial, with many fans wondering why Smith chose Mullens over the more experienced junior designated hitter Joe Longo. When asked, Smith simply stated that he did what any head coach can do and made the best decision he thought possible. Not once did he blame his players or contradict his decision. Just as he has done in every game this season, he stood by his strategy and his team.

“It’s just the nature of college sports, sometimes you lose,” Smith said on May 25. “But I’ll say it again: I’m extremely proud of this group, this team and how they presented themselves on the field. I thought they did it with tremendous class, but it just didn’t happen for us. But we will be back.”

Michigan doesn’t have the historic success of baseball powerhouses like Vanderbilt or Texas. It just doesn’t have the pedigree needed to attract top-tier talent from around the country. But what it does have is Tracy Smith. Smith is building a program that’s built to last by focusing on clubhouse culture so his influence lasts long after his tenure – a culture that can help Michigan compete with top-tier programs without the raw, top-tier talent. Whether it’s recruiting versatile players or hiring talented coaches, Smith is doing everything he can to build a versatile Wolverine team.

Change doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time and commitment, and every small decision has ramifications that will be seen over multiple seasons. In Division One, the third year is like the first for a head coach, as it takes time to build a system and program. Smith enters his third season at Michigan, his legacy is just beginning to blossom, and he is building a foundation that will be hard to shake.

Smith has made gradual progress in the two seasons he has spent at Michigan, and only time will tell if that success continues. But while players continue to move through the Wolverine roster, Smith’s culture remains constant.

And with Smith at the helm, Michigan will likely make waves in the coming years.