This article is featured in the 2025 Freshman Special Issue.
Pitching coach Blake McFadden has been elevated to interim head coach of Dartmouth baseball for the 2025-26 season, following the retirement of longtime head coach Bob Whalen. Since joining the coaching staff in the fall of 2018, McFadden has been an integral asset to the Big Green, serving as the bullpen coach and working with standout pitchers Eddie Albert ’26 and Nate Isler ’27.
Prior to his time at Dartmouth, McFadden had an impressive career both as a player and a coach. In 2012, he was selected as Missouri State High School Player of the Year, Gatorade Player of the Year, Louisville Slugger All-America and a 32nd-round draft pick for the Detroit Tigers. McFadden went on to pitch for Kansas State University during a successful 2013 season in which the Wildcats won the Big 12 conference title and progressed to the NCAA Super Regional. Named to the Big 12 All-Rookie team, he posted a 6-3 record with 58.0 innings as a freshman starter. McFadden began his collegiate coaching career with the Missouri Western Griffons, helping four pitchers achieve All-MIAA honors. In his first year, the Griffons reached the NCAA Division II Central regional. McFadden met with The Dartmouth to discuss his plans to lead Big Green baseball in the coming season.
Could you tell me more about your experience as a standout pitcher in both high school and college?
BM: One of the biggest things for me growing up was I had exceptional coaches, and I had exceptional parents that pushed me to be the best that I could be. It led me to a great opportunity at Kansas State where I was able to earn a starting role. I would say the biggest thing that I took away was our team conference championship — nothing was more fun than that. The individual accolades of being a Missouri Gatorade Player of the Year, of being drafted out of high school — those don’t even match what it was to win a Big 12 championship.
What originally brought you to coach at Dartmouth?
BM: The biggest thing that brought me to Dartmouth was Coach Whalen. The opportunity to work with a legendary coach and learn from him was one of my biggest deciding factors in coming up to Dartmouth. I don’t second guess my decision by any means. It was one of the best decisions I’ve made in my life.
How did working with Whalen influence your own coaching style?
BM: One thing that he influenced [in] my own career and my own coaching style is the individual relationships, and I think that’s something that Coach Whalen did great. He wasn’t just about the product on the field … he was about growing them personally. Seeing him take an investment in the individual growth of each young man really influenced my coaching style … because I want to be able to make an impact on these young men’s lives on and off the field.
Last year, Dartmouth baseball saw great improvements, compared to recent seasons. How do you plan to build on that turn around?
BM: Through the players, the credit goes to them. They worked really hard last year and I expect the same thing this year. I’m going to challenge the players again this year to get ourselves to that point again. The improvements that you saw, that credit goes to players, because they were really determined to make that push and make a better effort.
Your background is largely focused around pitching. What will you do to lead the Dartmouth offense?
BM: One of the biggest things is hiring good assistants to help facilitate a lot of these things. We’re in the process of that and we’re trying to get the right fit for our players, to not only challenge them on the field, but also challenge them personally. As far as our offense goes, we’re going to suffocate the opponent. We’re going to look at putting a lot of pressure on the opponent and make them play the game.
What are you most excited about in your new position as head coach of the Big Green?
BM: I would say the overall development of the players. It’s going to allow me to invest more time into them off the field and develop the relationships. As an assistant, my focus was to continue to develop the pitchers, whereas now I’m going to be able to have all 32 of them. That’s the thing that I’m most excited about: Just continuing to get to work with these young men and make them better baseball players, but also make them better people off the field.
This article has been edited for clarity and length.
