Jovanny Zarzabal Returns to Coppin State Baseball Coaching Staff
By Brian Hradsky
Coppin State baseball is bringing back a familiar face as head coach Sherman Reed announced that Jovanny Zarzabal has returned to the Eagles as an assistant coach.
Zarzabal previously spent four seasons with Coppin State from 2020 through 2023, working primarily with the Eagles’ hitters and catchers. His first run in Baltimore included some of the most successful seasons in the program’s recent history.
The highlight came in 2022, when Coppin State captured the MEAC Tournament championship and earned the first NCAA Regional appearance in program history. The Eagles also posted a pair of 20-win seasons during Zarzabal’s first stint on the coaching staff.
Zarzabal Helped Build a Productive Coppin Offense
Coppin State produced impressive offensive numbers while Zarzabal worked with the hitters.
The Eagles hit .279 across his tenure, and in 2021 Coppin ranked 12th nationally in on-base percentage while finishing inside the top 50 nationally with a .288 batting average. Coppin followed that performance by hitting .282 in 2022 while ranking sixth nationally in triples and 34th in on-base percentage.
That 2022 club established single-season program records in runs, RBIs, triples and walks.
Zarzabal’s work also extended behind the plate. Coppin’s catchers helped guide a pitching staff that recorded a school-record 429 strikeouts in 2022, a staff led by MEAC Pitcher of the Year and John Olerud Award finalist Jordan Hamberg.
Reed emphasized Zarzabal’s familiarity with the program and the experience he brings back to Baltimore.
“We are excited to welcome Jovanny back to Coppin State,” Reed said in the university’s announcement, adding that Zarzabal’s knowledge of the program’s culture and expectations should be valuable moving forward.
Continued Development Away From Coppin
Zarzabal continued building his coaching résumé after leaving Coppin State.
He worked as a hitting instructor at R&D Baseball Academy in Northern Virginia, where he had the opportunity to work with players who became MLB Draft selections. He also served as associate head coach of the Covington Lumberjacks of the Valley Baseball League, helping coach a club that led the league in stolen bases.
The additional experience gives Coppin State a coach who not only understands Reed’s program but has continued developing players in different environments since his first stint with the Eagles.
Baseball Background Runs Deep
Before initially joining Coppin State, Zarzabal worked with the Towson University softball program as a student manager. His responsibilities included studying scouting reports and helping pitchers analyze opposing hitters and pitching sequences.
Zarzabal began his coaching career at Homestead Senior High School in Florida, serving as varsity pitching coach during the 2018 season. Three pitchers he worked with eventually advanced to play college baseball.
A Homestead, Florida, native, Zarzabal earned his bachelor’s degree in broadcasting from Florida Memorial University in 2018. He played three seasons for the Lions and primarily worked as a relief pitcher during his college career.
Baseball has also been a major part of Zarzabal’s family. His parents, Debbie and Luis, have operated a nonprofit baseball organization in his hometown for roughly two decades.
MSB Take
Bringing Zarzabal back makes plenty of sense for Coppin State.
He already knows the program, Reed and what it takes to win at Coppin State. More importantly, there are tangible results attached to his first tenure. The Eagles developed one of the stronger offenses in the country in several statistical categories and ultimately broke through with a MEAC championship and NCAA Regional berth in 2022.
Zarzabal now returns with additional player-development and summer collegiate coaching experience.
For a Coppin State program looking to build another championship-caliber roster, adding an assistant who has already helped the Eagles reach that level gives Reed an experienced and familiar piece for his coaching staff.
Source: Coppin State University Athletics
