FROM CBB NEWS SOURCE
JONESBORO, Ark. (08/24/10) – Arkansas State head baseball coach Tommy Raffo announced Tuesday that Cliff Wren will join the Red Wolves’ coaching staff as a volunteer assistant coach for the 2011 baseball season.
A native of Hattiesburg, Miss., Wren joins the ASU staff after spending the last six years as owner and instructor of Wren Baseball and Softball Academy in Hattiesburg. Prior to that, he was an assistant coach at Petal (Miss.) High School, where he coached the school’s hitters to the highest team batting average in school history during the 2003-04 season. Following his time at Petal High School, Wren was the offensive manager and hitting coach for the Baton Rouge River Bats, an independent professional team in Baton Rouge, La.
Wren began his collegiate baseball career at Southern Mississippi, where he was named a freshman All-American following the 1996 season and first-team All-Conference USA following the 1997 season. He transferred to Mississippi State prior to his senior season and earned first-team All-SEC honors and third-team All-America honors as a first baseman following the 1999 season.
"We are very lucky to have a quality individual in Cliff to help ASU baseball on and off the field," said ASU head coach Tommy Raffo. "Cliff will be an important part of our program as he will work with our catching corps and assist with our offense. His knowledge and experience at the collegiate and professional ranks will help the Red Wolves baseball program compete at a high level."
Following his career at Mississippi State, Wren was drafted in the 33rd round by the Los Angeles Dodgers and spent three seasons in the Dodgers organization, playing for the Yakima Bears, the Vero Beach Dodgers and the Los Angeles Dodgers during 2001 spring training.
