By Jefferson Geiger
Andrew Bailey ’06 is a selfless Seahawk.
As the newest pitching coach for the Boston Red Sox, he says he’s simply trying to help people be the best versions of themselves. If it helps the Red Sox prevent runs, then that’s a bonus.
“There are three things in life that I want: To be a good father, a good husband, and work in baseball,” said the 39-year-old Wagner College Hall of Fame pitcher and former All-Star in the major leagues.
The journey to reach this point began in Vorhees, New Jersey. At age 4, Bailey picked up a bat, ball and gloves. When it came time to go to college, Joe Litterio, Wagner’s coach, offered him a spot.
Bailey embraced Wagner’s liberal arts education wholeheartedly. He majored in business administration and enjoyed school visits to Wall Street. He felt empowered by Wagner’s small class sizes, learning communities and other diverse offerings.
When he wasn’t hanging out at the Hawk’s Nest, Bailey could see Renaissance paintings he studied at a museum in New York. Wagner's classes also gave him public speaking confidence — a skill he still uses daily with players — and, as someone who struggled with standardized tests, he appreciated the institution’s test-taking accommodations.
“It’s such a unique school, with the world at its fingertips,” Bailey said. “That really helped me thrive.”
Bailey’s love for Wagner and his teammates was a factor in a critical early-career choice. An elbow injury during his junior year and the resulting Tommy John surgery meant he couldn’t play baseball the following season. Yet the Milwaukee Brewers drafted him in 2005 while he was recovering over the summer. Bailey could either go professional or finish his studies.
He chose Wagner.
“I remembered that I didn't really go to school for baseball,” Bailey said. “I went there to play and enjoy it, but my priority was graduating with my degree. Wagner gave me just space to expand my horizons as a person, athletically, academically and as a human individual.”
The decision to stay at Wagner led Bailey to a meeting with Seahawks lacrosse player Amanda Scalzo ’07, who is now his wife. The patience paid off professionally, too; the Oakland Athletics drafted Bailey in 2006.
Wagner Athletic Director Walter Hameline said Bailey, whose No. 17 is retired at Wagner, was an outstanding student-athlete.
“He’s never forgotten where he started,” Hameline said. “At the end of the day, all of this hard work and dedication couldn't have happened to a better guy.”
Bailey played Major League Baseball from 2009 — when the closer was named American League Rookie of the Year — through 2017 with the Oakland Athletics, Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies and Los Angeles Angels. He thought about returning to the world of finance when he retired, but the pull of baseball was too strong.
He was a pitching coach for the Angels in 2019 before joining the San Francisco Giants in 2020. The Wagner College Athletics Hall of Fame inducted Bailey in 2022 for his accomplishments on Grymes Hill and in the major leagues.
Outside of baseball, Bailey can be found enjoying freshly roasted coffee on his Seams and Beans Instagram account and — more importantly, Bailey said — working with charity. Bailey is the director of development for the Strike 3 Foundation, an agency that raises funds and awareness for pediatric cancer, started by Red Sox Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow.
Lately, however, Bailey has focused on supporting various organizations involved with cerebral palsy since his 11–year-old daughter, Theodore, has the disease.
“When you have a platform, like professional athletes do, I feel like it's our duty to serve and help others,” he said.
Regardless of where he’s playing or who he is coaching, Bailey is glad to have more family time.
“I'm excited for this season and future seasons, and to be able to spend a few extra nights a year at home with Amanda and the kids,” Bailey said. “That they can be a part of the team and the Red Sox family is amazing.”
