New Baseball Coach Pitched in Majors

Brian Cooper – who pitched in the major leagues for the Angels, Blue Jays and Giants and served as a pitching coach for the Giants organization – will coach Webb School of California’s varsity baseball team in 2021-22.

Cooper is a Southern California native, attending Glendora High, Citrus College and USC. He holds an A.A. degree from Citrus, a Bachelor of Arts in sociology from Arizona State University and a master’s degree in psychology from the University of Phoenix.

He hopes to be a positive influence on Webb athletes.

“I have been lucky enough to fulfill my dream of playing major league baseball and I am now ready for my next stage in life. While coaching professional baseball has its many benefits, I believe that my expertise is best suited for today’s amateur athlete,” Cooper said.

Cooper was drafted in 1995 by the then-Anaheim Angels during his first year at USC. He played for the Angels until 2002, when he moved to the Toronto Blue Jays for a year. In 2004 and 2005, he played for the San Francisco Giants.

After retiring from playing, he served as a pitching coach for several of the Giants’ minor league teams. In 2011, his last year, he was named California League Coach of the Year for guiding the San Jose Giants to a league-best 3.55 ERA, 14 shutouts and the best record in the league.

He is currently vice president of sales for Legend Packaging Group, Inc., in La Verne.