Anthony Papio - Baseball Coach

9/27/23 MBA Practice

Photo by Robert Sutton

Photo by: Crimson Tide Photos / UA Athletics

Anthony Papio

Title:
Assistant Coach
Email:
apapio@ia.ua.edu
Phone:
205-963-5778

Personal Information

Hometown: Olney, Md.
Education: Maryland, 2015
Spouse: Ally
Birthday: November 5

Coaching Experience

2024-present: Alabama, Assistant Coach
2022-23: Maryland, Assistant Coach
2018-21: Maryland, Volunteer Assistant Coach
2017: Maryland, Student Assistant Coach

Playing Experience

2012-16: Maryland, Outfielder

Anthony Papio will begin his fourth season as an assistant coach on the Tide baseball staff, as the Maryland native works with the Alabama hitters and the offense as a collective while also lending a hand with recruiting efforts.

University of Alabama head baseball coach Rob Vaughn officially announced the hiring of Anthony Papio on Friday, June 23, 2023. Papio joined the Crimson Tide staff after spending the previous seven seasons at Maryland working in various roles, including the last two as an assistant coach. A former outfielder under Vaughn, Papio was involved in over 350 wins at Maryland between his playing and coaching career, the most successful stretch in program history.

Alabama - Assistant Coach/Hitting Coach (2024-Present)

Devised the offensive strategy for a Crimson Tide group that finished 42-21 in 2026 and earned its first trip to Omaha since 1999
As a unit, Alabama closed the 2026 campaign with a .256 average to go with a .373 on-base percentage and a .433 slugging mark
The Tide drew 293 walks in '26, tied for sixth-most in a single season in program history
Alabama also managed 105 hit-by-pitches, the second-most in team history and stole 87 bases, tied for the eighth-most in the Alabama record book
Worked with Justin Lebron for three seasons, the 18th overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft
Lebron contributed 42 stolen bases in 43 attempts, tied for fifth-most in the nation while leading the SEC
Lebron's 42 stolen bases were tied for third-most in a single season in Alabama history while his 66 career steals were also third-most in program history
Lebron led all Alabama players in home runs (16), total bases (127), hit-by-pitches (17) and stolen bases (42), standing as the only player in Division I to produce at least 16 home runs and 42 stolen bases
The electric shortstop became one of only eight players in program history with at least 46 career home runs
Lebron departed Tuscaloosa as a seven-time All-American and was the Tide's highest draft selection since Joe Vitiello in 1988 (7th overall)
Steered the breakout of Brady Neal, who was chosen in the 8th round of the 2026 MLB Draft
Neal excelled during his senior season to earn Second Team All-SEC honors in 2026 after being responsible for a .316 (66-209) average in 61 games, including 58 starts
Neal also contributed 15 doubles, one triple, 10 home runs, 51 RBI and 35 walks during his final collegiate season, leading all Tide players with a .429 on-base percentage and a .541 slugging percentage
Furthered the development of Bryce Fowler, who led the Tide in average (.320), hits (78), doubles (19), and triples (2) in '26
Fowler would later sign with the Minnesota Twins as an undrafted free agent
Assisted in the recruitment of nine top-500 players according to Perfect Game USA in Alabama's 2026 signing class, including Hudson DeVaughan (125th overall), Wyatt Williams (196th overall), Ray Lopez (209th overall), Brooks Berry (235th overall), Tate Troxell (236th overall), Bubba Coleman (252nd overall), Arian Vargas (302nd overall), Chandler Taylor (376th overall), and Jaser Arms (403rd overall), resulting in Alabama receiving PG USA's 19th-ranked recruiting class
Aided the Crimson Tide to a 41-18 mark in his second season at the Capstone
Developed a lineup that maintained a .278 average with 208 extra-base hits (106 doubles, 8 triples, 94 home runs)
The Tide's 94 home runs were the eighth-most in a single season in program history
Led the Crimson Tide's baserunning strategy, resulting in 52 stolen bases on 59 attempts
Oversaw the continued development of Justin Lebron, who earned Second Team All-American honors from ABCA/Rawlings in addition to Third Team accolades from the NCBWA and Perfect Game
Lebron was also named an ABCA/Rawlings First Team All-Southeast Region selection as well as a Second-Team All-SEC and SEC All-Defensive Team honoree
The second-year shortstop managed a .316 average (73-for-231) with 18 doubles, 1 triple, and 18 home runs to go with 72 RBI, 35 walks, 10 hit-by-pitch, 60 runs scored and 17 stolen bases in 18 tries
Lebron's 72 RBI were second-most in the SEC and 26th in Division I and were the most by a shortstop and sophomore player in program history
Three Alabama starters maintained a batting average over .300 under Papio's tutelage, including Kade Snell's team-leading .363 (77-for-212) mark
Snell displayed incredible contact skills at the plate, striking out in just 6.9 percent of his plate appearances (18 K/261 PA), the lowest strikeout rate among all SEC players
Also played a pivotal role in the development of Richie Bonomolo Jr., who posted a .311 average (65-for-209) with 17 doubles, eight home runs, and a team-high 40 bases on balls in his lone season of Division I competition
Both Snell (5th round, 151st overall - Chicago Cubs) and Bonomolo Jr. (7th round, 224th overall - New York Yankees) heard their names called during the 2025 MLB Draft
Assisted in the Tide's recruiting efforts, leading to Alabama producing the eighth-ranked 2025 recruiting class according to Perfect Game USA
Helped bring three top-100 players to campus according to PG, including Caleb Barnett (No. 35), Eric Hines (No. 43) and Myles Upchurch (No. 78)
Papio's efforts helped Alabama stand as one of only seven programs in the country to sign at least three top-100 players
Papio and the recruiting staff also secured commitments from top-350 prospects such as Chase Kroberger (No. 111), Evan Taylor (No. 196), Will Rhine (No. 269) and Joe Chiarodo (No. 304)
Alabama's No. 8 recruiting class according to Perfect Game USA is the highest ranking received by the Tide since the recruiting service began publishing class rankings in 2011
Helped the Crimson Tide to a 33-24 finish in his first season in Tuscaloosa
Played a role in Alabama clinching its 27th NCAA Regional appearance
Coordinated a lineup that produced a .302 average with 206 extra-base hits (105 doubles, 11 triples, 90 home runs)
Alabama's 90 home runs in 2024 were the eighth-most in a single season in program history at the time
The Crimson Tide's 31 sacrifice flies were the sixth-most in a single season in Alabama history
The Tide's .504 slugging percentage ranks as the 10th-highest mark in a single season in the Alabama record book
Guided freshman shortstop Justin Lebron to a sterling rookie season, managing a .338 average (73-216) with 21 extra-base hits, Lebron also added 37 RBI, 50 runs, 20 walks, 16 hit-by-pitch and seven stolen bases in as many chances
Under Papio's watch, Lebron earned First Team Freshman All-American distinction from D1Baseball.com, Perfect Game, and the NCBWA
The first-year shortstop also garnered First Team, All-Freshman, and All-Defensive SEC honors
Papio oversaw the breakout of infielder Gage Miller, who produced a .381 average (83-218) in 2024, the highest full season average by a Tide player since Taylor Dugas in 2010 (.395)
Miller, one of three Tide hitters selected in the 2024 MLB Draft, was eventually drafted by the Miami Marlins in the third round (92nd overall)
In addition to Miller, outfielder Ian Petrutz was chosen by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 12th round (351st overall) while outfielder TJ McCants was drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the 16th round (469th overall)

Maryland - Assistant Coach/Volunteer Assistant/Student Assistant (2017-23)

Served in three different roles across his time at Maryland
In all three positions, he worked with the outfielders and coordinated the run game while also assisting with hitters
Papio was also tasked with compiling scouting reports and coaching first base for UMD
Helped 15 Terps get drafted during his tenure while 10 players earned All-America accolades and 25 were selected to All-Big Ten teams
Coached back-to-back Big Ten Player of the Year honorees (Matt Shaw - 2023 | Chris Alleyne - 2022)
The Terps comped a 183-117 record and earned NCAA Tournament berths in 2017, 2021, 2022 and 2023 during his tenure
Spent the 2022-23 seasons as an assistant coach on Vaughn's staff
Under his guidance in 2023, Maryland finished as both regular season and tournament champions in the Big Ten while earning a spot in an NCAA Regional for a third consecutive year
Papio's efforts in '23 helped the Terps lead the Big Ten in nearly every major offensive statistic including average, hits, doubles, home runs, RBI, runs scored and walks along with on-base and slugging percentage
The 2023 group's success was highlighted by All-Americans Nick Lorusso, Shaw and Luke Shliger
By the end of the '23 campaign, the trio moved atop Maryland's career leaderboards in three separate categories with Lorusso setting the program mark for RBI, Shaw the home run record and Shliger becoming the runs leader
Lorusso led the conference with 26 home runs and 105 RBI while slugging .765, a total that was second in the Big Ten
Shaw, who was named Big Ten Player of the Year, ranked second behind Lorusso in homers (24) while also finishing second in the league for runs (80) and tying for third in RBI (69)
Shliger paced the conference in doubles (24), runs (93), walks (69) and on-base percentage (.523)
Papio's first season as a full-time assistant saw the Terps earn the No. 15 national seed and the right to host an NCAA Regional - both firsts for UMD - on the way to a program-best 48-14 record
The 2022 offense led the Big Ten in home runs, RBI, runs and walks along with slugging and on-base percentage
Chris Alleyne developed into the Big Ten Player of the Year under Papio's guidance, hitting a school-record 24 home runs and adding 79 RBI on the way to first team All-America honors
Alleyne was a part of three All-Americans and 10 all-conference honorees for Maryland in '22
Served as the volunteer assistant coach from 2018-21
Began his time on Vaughn's staff as a student assistant coach in 2017

Playing Career

Played collegiately at Maryland from 2012-16
Finished as the winningest player in Maryland baseball history, helping the Terps compile 174 victories over five seasons
Saw time in a school-record 230 games across his five seasons in College Park
Honored as the first 'captain' during Vaughn's tenure at Maryland, wearing the number '3' from 2015-16, a number that represents the three pillars of Vaughn's program
Split time between center and right field in 2016, making 50 starts overall and batting .261 with eight doubles, four homers and a team-best four triples
Papio's 2015 season featured 66 starts during Maryland's run to a second consecutive NCAA Super Regional
Earned NCAA Los Angeles Regional All-Tournament Team recognition in that '15 campaign for his clutch hitting and superb defense
Played in 43 games as a sophomore, helping the Terps advance to their first NCAA Regional since 1971
Redshirted his first season in College Park before appearing in 47 games with 39 starts as a freshman
Also a contributor off the field, he earned Big Ten All-Academic honors twice while being named Maryland's 'Outstanding Sportsmanship Award' winner for the conference