Jalen Borders enters his first season as the head coach of the Ocean State Waves, following his 2024 campaign as an assistant pitching coach. Prior to his coaching career, Borders took the mound at Old Mountain as a player in 2023. The left-handed pitcher made three appearances with the Waves before deactivating due to injury.
In his playing career, Borders spent five seasons with the Belmont Bruins as a pitcher, and played the 2023 summer season with the Waves. The Alexandria, Alabama native had a breakout year in 2022, earning Second-Team All-OVC honors following his 80.0 innings of work, boasting a 5-2 record with a 3.04 ERA, and 61 strikeouts through 15 starts.
Borders graduated from Belmont University in May of 2024, with a degree in Exercise Science, and is pursuing a graduate degree from the University of Louisville in Sports Administration and serving as a graduate assistant with the baseball program. He hopes to be a collegiate head coach one day, and credits his counterparts within the Waves organization for being excellent mentors and role models within the industry.
In his first season as a coach with the Waves, Borders worked alongside Pitching Development Director, Mason Feole, and head coach Matt Rienzi to gain a deep understanding of the roster management and development perspectives, and looks forward to another successful season in South County. Borders oversaw business initiatives and was the head coach for the Waves summer camp, as well as oversaw a high-school level tournament team with the Ocean State Makos in 2024.
“The transition from playing to coaching started with this organization, and I’ve been lucky enough to build incredible relationships here that are going to last a lifetime, and I am thrilled to give back to an organization that has given so much to me,” said Borders. “I am excited to take over as head coach, mainly because I have developed a passion for player development, and have been able to draw from my experiences and skills to better them on the field. But most importantly, I strive to help them develop as individuals outside of the sport, and prepare them for a successful future, whether that be as an athlete or not.”
