Travis Buck Showalter Joins LMU As Head Baseball Coach

When Buck Showalter put on the New York Mets cap for the first time in December 2021, he brought to the role a drive to compete, an ability to connect with players and a willingness to adapt to a changing baseball landscape. Buck has coached, managed and scouted at esteemed baseball organizations, including Arizona State University and the Kansas City Royals. He also has extensive experience in the coaching and player development of hitting, outfield play and talent identification.

During his time as a player-manager with the Monarchs, Buck developed future big leaguers Ernie Banks and Lou Brock. He was later hired as a scout by the Chicago Cubs, and in 1962 became the first Black coach for a major league team. He continued to scout until he retired in 1988, and even after retirement he remained dedicated to the sport, becoming a consultant for the Royals.

He was a walking encyclopedia on the history of Negro Leagues baseball, and it’s a shame that his vast knowledge wasn’t appreciated and honored more — not just by the Royals, but by the whole game. He helped get other Negro Leaguers into the Hall of Fame, and he played a large part in the opening of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City.

Travis Buck has a deep appreciation for the importance of baseball as it relates to social justice, and looks forward to serving the LMU community on and off the field. His impressive journey through professional baseball and his coaching background uniquely position him to contribute to the University’s commitment to excellence on and off the diamond.