On Tuesday afternoon, the news broke that Head Baseball Coach Tom Walter has completed the hiring of his coaching staff for the upcoming college baseball season. Walter, who enters his 16th season as Wake Forest’s head coach, is joined by Matt Morales and Ryan Hendricks.
Morales was hired as an assistant coach, while Hendricks joined the Demon Deacons as a coordinator of player development and baseball operations. Both Morales and Hendricks bring a plethora of baseball experience to Wake Forest’s baseball program.
Staff complete ✔️ pic.twitter.com/L93sOvGXeO
— Wake Forest Baseball (@WakeBaseball) August 26, 2025
After being drafted by the Cubs as a junior at Stetson, Morales returned to the college scene, working as a student assistant at Florida State. Before being hired at Wake Forest, Morales worked as the head coach at UAB before spending time as an MLB scout for the Texas Rangers and Chicago Cubs.
Hendricks began his baseball career at George Washington University and St. Andrews University before being drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in 1994. After spending four seasons in the Orioles organization, Hendricks earned a degree from the University of Baltimore before joining the United States Air Force. He retired from the Air Force as a Colonel this past July.
May 25, 2024; Charlotte, NC, USA; Wake Forest head coach Tom Walter watches the game agains Florida State during the ACC Baseball Tournament at Truist Field. Mandatory Credit: Cory Knowlton-Imagn Images / Cory Knowlton-Imagn Images
The additions of Morales and Hendricks mean something more than just a new face for the Deacons in 2026. For the past decade, Wake Forest has been a program at the forefront of college baseball. Often, programs can be separated into two categories in terms of what a coaching staff emphasizes.
There are baseball programs that focus on player development and programs that focus on winning as many games as possible in a given season. Wake Forest, under Tom Walter, has found a way to do both of these things simultaneously. With over 450 wins in 15 seasons, the Demon Deacons have become a consistent threat in both the ACC and the NCAA Tournament.
The hiring of Morales and Hendricks is a sign that Wake Forest is willing to constantly reevaluate and adapt to remain among the premier programs in college baseball. By bringing in experienced veterans in coaching and player evaluation, the Demon Deacons seem to be showing a commitment to immediate success and long-term stability.
As the 2026 season fast-approaches, the diverse perspectives from Morales and Hendricks could keep a solid Wake Forest program in that upper echelon of college baseball teams.
Follow Wake Forest On SI on X to stay up to date on all the latest Wake Forest baseball news!