Brian Whatley begins his 2nd season at Delta College as an Assistant Coach. His responsibilities will include working with the catcher’s, hitters and the mental game. In 2019 Brian saw 3 of his catchers, two that were freshman, move on to top tier D1 programs. During his first year his catchers averaged a CS% of .54 N/C and .72 in league play. Over the course of the year his catchers combined for 38% stolen strikes and Deltas pitching staff ranked #1 overall in strikeouts with two of their pitchers ranking #1 and #2 in K’s. Brian brings over 35 years of combined experience as both a player and a coach that includes, Junior College, Division 1 and the Professional level. Prior to joining the Delta College staff, Brian owned and operated “The Yard” Baseball Facility in Stockton CA, which he still maintains and runs his DNA Baseball Catching Academy. DNA Catching has provided both a live and online platform for those seeking instruction and development throughout the US. Brian currently has students from multiple states throughout the country. DNA Catching has serviced some of the premier Club and Scout Teams in the US that include, NorCal Baseball, The Show CA, CBA and the Toronto Blue Jays Scout Teams. Brian is also a catching consultant and advisor for IMA Player and SportsForce, two of the top current college recruiting services. Along with consulting Brian has been a guest speaker and instructor at some of the premier catching events over the last few years including the Los Angeles Dodgers and ABCA Barnstormers events.

Brian graduated from Mira Loma High School in Sacramento CA in 1989, where he was a 4 year Varsity letterman as a switch hitting catcher and a 3 year 1st Team All-League selection. Upon graduation he was offered a scholarship to play for Cal State Fullerton in The Big West Conference. Later that year Brian decided to head home to play for Sacramento City College to learn under current Colorado Rockies catching instructor and Hall of Fame coach Jerry Weinstein. In 1991 Brian received a scholarship to head back to the Big West Conference to play for another Hall of Fame coach in Dave Snow as a Dirtbag for Cal State Long Beach. In his first full D1 season Brian finished with a .369 batting avg and just shy of a 40% caught stealing percentage as a catcher. During his senior year in 1992-93 Brian was named captain and lead Cal State Long Beach to the Big West Title, Southeast Regional Championship and a trip to the 1993 College World Series while finishing 3rd in Nation.

Following his collegiate career, Brian was selected in the 18th round of the 1993 MLB Draft by the Oakland A’s. After a shoulder injury sidelined his career Brian was signed as a free agent in 1994 with the California Angels. Unable to escape the injuries, Brian bounced around the Independent Professional Baseball circuit with stops in Tri-City Washington and Brandon Canada.

Brian earned a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology with an athletic training/sports medicine track from California State University Long Beach. While attending the university he was awarded the Athletic Academic Excellence Award. He also received an Associate Arts degree in 1991.

Brian and his wife Mandy have a daughter Kaci (10) and a son Cooper (8). Both continue to follow in their dad’s footsteps as catcher’s in softball and baseball. Brian enjoys growing his online catching and development platform @dnacatching, along with his Non Profit “The Yard” (“Y”outh “A”cademy for “R”ecreational “D”evelopment) and helping under privilege kids in the City of Lodi and Stockton with the game of baseball.