Paul Janish - Baseball Coach - Rice University Athletics

NCAA Baseball 2018: Texas A&M Aggies at the Rice University Owls on OCT 26

Photo by: Maria Lysaker-Rice Athletics

Paul Janish

Title:
Assistant Coach
Email:
prjanish@rice.edu
Phone:
348-8859
Uniform No.:
11

Former major leaguer and 2003 Rice National Champion Paul Janish has been a member of the Rice baseball staff since August of 2017.

In their return to a full season of action in 2021, Janish’s infielders posted a combined .975 fielding percentage, the highest team total by the Owls since they fielded at a .977 clip in 2014.

Janish's third season at Rice came to an abrupt end in March due to the worldwide pandemic. Despite playing only 16 games, the Detroit Tigers made it very clear the organization liked how Trei Cruz, had improved during his time on South Main under Janish’s tutelage. After just a little more than two seasons on South Main, Cruz (.328 avg, .500 SLG%) developed into a third-round MLB draft pick as the 73rd player selected overall.

Under Janish’s daily influence the 2019 Rice infield that included Trei Cruz, Braden Comeaux, and ‘newcomer’ Cade Edwards quickly emerged as one of the most respected units in Conference USA. The trio combined to hit a steady .304 with 18 home runs, 43 doubles, 101 RBI, 126 runs scored, and 16 steals. On the defensive side, the Owls turned a total of 41 double plays and one triple play.

In Janish's coaching debut in 2018, his work with a new and young Rice infield helped the players earn a host of individual accolades. Janish trained shortstop Ford Proctor into becoming a third-round pick in the Major League Draft. After high school signee, Trei Cruz worked with Janish for the first time the Rice rookie was named a 2018 Freshman All-American. Comeaux (the Owls’ new third baseman who had just finished working with Janish for the first time), became one of the must-have players in the prestigious Cape Cod League.

Janish returned to South Main after playing professionally for 13 years, including nine seasons in the major leagues (most recently in 2017 with the Baltimore Orioles). After maintaining a .313 collegiate batting average in more than 185 career games at Rice, Janish earned all-league honors playing in the Western Athletic Conference. He was a fifth-round major-league draft pick by the Cincinnati Reds in 2004. The native of Cypress, Texas, made his MLB debut with the Reds in 2008 and went on to play in the majors for the Braves and Orioles.

On Rice game days Janish coaches at third base. Not only has he proven to have a keen eye for recruiting, but the current Owl players also benefit from working with former Rice student-athletes who reached both lofty goals of having a Rice degree and a major league career.

Janish is married to Rice graduate and former Owl soccer record-holder Maria Fadool. The couple lives near the Rice campus with their three children: Luke (12), Cole (10), and Riley (7).