Thomas (TJ) Merritt begins his second season with the Indiana State University baseball program but his first year as a full-time assistant coach. Merritt served as a voluntary coach during the 2008 season, bringing a wealth of experience as a coach and as a player to the Sycamores.
Merritt played two years at Mesa College in San Diego, Calif., where he was a two-time all-league player, hitting .390 overall and .455 in league games. He also played in the Junior College All-Star Game. In 2004 and 2005, he played at the University of San Diego under Division 1 Head Coach Rich Hill.
A 2005 graduate of University of San Diego, Merritt coached at Mesa College in San Diego, Calif., in 2006, working with the outfielders, base runners, and hitters. In 2007, he moved to Cal State-San Marcos where he worked as the recruiting coordinator along with the outfielders and hitters. Merritt also played a major role in fundraising at Cal State-San Marcos. Also in 2007, he worked for the San Diego Padres as an associate scout to locate potential prospects. In the summer, Merritt worked at various camps across the country.
Merritt was born in San Diego, Calif., the son of Tom and Pam Merritt.
