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Contract details revealed for Mississippi State baseball coach Brian O’Connor
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Brian O’Connor will be one of the highest-paid coaches in college baseball next season.
The new Mississippi State head coach was introduced to fans and media at an event on Dudy Noble Field Thursday night. Reporters at the event were provided with contract details for O’Connor. According to the Commercial Dispatch, O’Connor will make $2.9 million in annual base compensation. Only Tennessee head coach Tony Vitello makes more.
There are also several performance-based bonuses that O’Connor can earn at MSU. He’ll receive a $50,000 bonus for winning the SEC regular-season title or the SEC Tournament. He’ll also receive a $50,000 bonus if he’s named the SEC Coach of the Year by league coaches or the National Coach of the Year.
There is also an escalating bonus structure tied to postseason performance. O’Connor will earn a maximum of $300,000 if Mississippi State advances to and wins the College World Series. He gets $50,000 for an NCAA Tournament Regional appearance, $100,000 for a Super Regional appearance, $150,000 for a CWS appearance, or $200,000 for a CWS Finals appearance.
O’Connor’s contract is for 4 years. According to the Clarion Ledger, O’Connor will make $1.55 million more than his predecessor, Chris Lemonis.
After 22 seasons with Virginia, O’Connor accepted the Mississippi State job last weekend. Under O’Connor’s stewardship, UVa made 18 NCAA Tournament appearances, including 9 Super Regionals and 7 CWS berths. Virginia won the national championship in 2015. He was a 5-time ACC Coach of the Year and a 3-time national coach of the year. He has 917 career wins.
O’Connor was awarded a contract extension in 2024 after leading the Cavaliers to a second consecutive CWS appearance. He was slated to make $1.4 million annually through 203, with a $500,000 buyout.
Derek Peterson does a bit of everything, not unlike Taysom Hill. He has covered Oklahoma, Nebraska, the Pac-12, and now delivers CFB-wide content.
