MIAMI (Aug. 18, 2023) – FIU baseball head coach Rich Witten announced the hiring of Frankie Navarrete as the program's newest assistant coach on Thursday.
 
Navarrete, a Miami native, joins the Panthers after spending last season with Alabama-Birmingham as a volunteer assistant coach.
 
"We are very excited to welcome Frankie back home to Miami," said Witten. "He is a young coach with valuable experience in C-USA. He has a great baseball mind and our players will love the knowledge and energy he brings every day."

As an assistant coach, Navarrete will work directly with the team's infielders, assist with hitters and act as the program's camp coordinator.
 
"I am very excited to be joining FIU," said Navarrete. "It is great to be home and be a part of what Coach Witten and the boys are building."
 
At Alabama-Birmingham, Navarrete help the Blazers infield become one of the best defensive units in the country, finish the season ranked 31st in the nation in fielding percentage.
 
Navarrete was a standout middle infielder at Samford University. He played four seasons for the Bulldogs, finishing with a .285 batting average and Southern Conference All-Tournament team honors in 2016.
 
After graduating from Samford, he returned to Miami and was named the head coach at Downtown Doral Charter Academy before joining the UAB staff.
 
Navarrete was also a standout player for Christopher Columbus High School.

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