Johnson Names Lessler as Head Baseball Coach

(Story provided by Johnson Athletic Communications)

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - Johnson University is proud to announce the hiring of Damon Lessler as its new head baseball coach. Lessler arrives at Johnson following a distinguished, nearly fifteen-year coaching career that has seen him coach at some of the top programs in collegiate baseball.

"We are excited to have Damon here at Johnson," said Director of Athletics Brandon Perry. "Obviously, we're coming off a tremendous year lead by Coach Serrano and we believe that Damon is only going to build on what has already been built over the last three years. We know he is going to continue to lead our program well, not just athletically but also what is happening off the field as well."

Lessler joins the Royals after spending the 2025 and 2026 seasons as an Assistant Coach and the Director of Player Development on Eddie Smith's staff at the University of Washington in the Big Ten Conference. Over the course of his career, Lessler has coached or successfully recruited more than 85 players who have gone on to be drafted or signed by MLB-affiliated organizations, and to date, 22 or more players that Lessler has coached have reached the Major Leagues.

Prior to Washington, Lessler spent the 2023 and 2024 seasons at Ohio State as the Buckeyes' Director of Operations/Recruiting & Player Development, where he managed a wide range of behind-the-scenes responsibilities, including recruiting, scheduling, budget management, and many alumni-related items, under then-head coach Bill Mosiello.

In 2022, Lessler served as the hitting coach at Charleston Southern University, helping guide the Buccaneers to a .285 team batting average and a berth in the Big South Championship Game, one win shy of an NCAA Regional appearance. While at Charleston Southern, Lessler was able to mentor current Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Ryan Waldschmidt.

Before that, Lessler enjoyed a three-and-a-half-year run at the University of California, Berkeley, where he served as the third base coach and worked with the Golden Bears' infielders, catchers, baserunning and the offense. During his tenure at Cal, Lessler helped coach 28 MLB Draft picks, including first-round selections Andrew Vaughn (No. 3 overall, Chicago White Sox) and Korey Lee (No. 32 overall, Houston Astros), as well as outfielder Dylan Beavers, a Competitive Balance Round A pick (No. 33 overall) by the Baltimore Orioles in 2022. Vaughn, Lee, and Beavers have all reached the Major Leagues.

Vaughn's development under Lessler's and staff culminated in the 2018 Golden Spikes Award, given annually to the top amateur player in the nation. Vaughn returned as a finalist in 2019, finishing runner-up to Oregon State's Adley Rutschman, the eventual No. 1 overall pick in the MLB Draft. Vaughn, currently the first baseman for the Milwaukee Brewers, made his MLB debut in 2021 with the Chicago White Sox, and Lee debuted in 2022 with the Houston Astros.

Earlier in his career, Lessler held coaching positions at Cal Poly, San Jose State, Southern Miss, Chico State, and Oakland University (Mich.), and served as associate head coach of the Bellingham Bells of the West Coast Collegiate Baseball League during the summer of 2012, where he coached and mentored current Cleveland Guardians Hitting Coach, Grant Fink.

As a player, Lessler competed professionally in the Northern League, the American Association, and the Frontier League, and played in five different countries abroad, where he also helped develop youth baseball programs. He played infield collegiately at Mesa Community College, Sonoma State, and Mississippi Valley State before enrolling as a graduate student at Southern Miss.

Lessler holds a master's degree in sports administration from the University of Southern Mississippi and a bachelor's degree in mass communications from Mississippi Valley State, where he graduated as valedictorian of the university.

Lessler takes over a Johnson program coming off its most successful season in school history, having reached the 2026 NAIA World Series under outgoing head coach Dave Serrano.

"I am beyond excited and flattered to be the next head coach at Johnson University," said Lessler. "I feel honored to have the opportunity to continue to build upon the strong foundation that Coach Serrano, the players, and the administration have built here. I look forward to embracing the Knoxville community and the chance to represent such an incredible university."

Lessler and his staff will begin preparations for the upcoming season immediately.