Chris Bayer joined the New York University baseball team as an assistant coach prior to the 2015-16 season. His primary responsibility is working with the squad’s pitching staff.
The Violets got off to a 4-1 start in 2020 before the season abruptly ended due to the coronavirus pandemic. However, several players still received accolades for their performances. Senior outfielder Coltrane Tait and sophomore catcher Grant Berman earned University Athletic Association (UAA) Player of the Week honors, while both received All-UAA honors along with junior Gabe Golob, senior Ford Ladd and freshman Michael Santorum.
The Violets posted a 26-13 record in 2019, including a best-ever 8-8 mark in the UAA. The campaign included a six-game winning streak from April 13-21, with five of the victories coming against UAA opponents Washington University in St. Louis and Brandeis University.
Under Bayer’s tutelage, Ladd had a breakout season on the mound. Recognized as the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Pitcher of the Month in April, Ladd was selected First Team All-UAA and was a UAA Athlete of the Week honoree. He led the staff in wins (8), strikeouts (42), innings (66.2), and starts (13) while pitching to a 3.51 ERA.
In 2018, the team finished with a program-record 28 wins (28-12) and a 6-10 record in the UAA. The Violets went undefeated over its spring trip (7-0) and posted winning records both at home (13-7) and away (8-5). Bayer helped guide the NYU pitching staff to a 3.81 ERA and only 163 walks in 342.2 innings. Of the four pitchers that started more than one game during the season, all had winning records and three of the four had at least five wins. Cameron Serapilio-Frank was selected First Team All-UAA and D3baseball.com Third Team All-New York Region.
In 2017, the Violets finished with a 23-13 record and a 4-8 mark in the UAA. The teams won six of its last seven games and posted a 17-6 record at their home field, MCU Park in Coney Island.
In his first season at NYU in 2016, Bayer helped lead the Violets to an overall 20-22 record, including victories in six of their last seven games.
Prior to arriving at NYU, Bayer served as the pitching coach for the New York Red Birds of the North Atlantic Collegiate Baseball League during the 2014 season.
A 1985 draft pick of the Boston Red Sox, Bayer played professionally as a member of the Red Sox and New York Mets’ minor league systems for four seasons. Before being drafted, Bayer was a member of the Pace University baseball program from 1982-85.
Apart from baseball, Bayer worked as an interest rate option broker for Tullett Prebon Americas Corporation from 1992-2010 and then as a Senior Vice President at Vyapar Capital Markets Partners from 2010-13.
A 1991 graduate of Pace with a Bachelor of Science degree in computer science, Bayer is a native of West Islip, NY. He resides in Merrick, NY, with his wife Katherine, their daughters Sarah and Grace, and son Ryan.
