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Mendham Baseball Coaching Staff
MEET THE COACHES
Erik Dial
Coach Dial joined the Minutemen in 2021-22 as head varsity coach. He quickly led the team to becoming the 2023 NJAC National Division Champions for the first time in 23 years. Coach Dial looks forward to a 2024 campaign that features a move up to the NJAC American Division, where the Mendham squad will face some of the toughest competition in the state.
Prior to Mendham, Coach Dial served as head coach of Union Catholic High School and pitching coach at Ridge High School. He has worked with many players who went on to play college baseball, most notably JB Kole, who was drafted in the 8th round of the 2014 MLB Amateur Draft.
Surprisingly, Coach Dial did not start his college career on the diamond. He played football at Hofstra University for two years before transferring to Rutgers to play baseball - his true favorite sport. Dial pitched for Rutgers for two years before his career ended with an arm injury in the fall of 2004. Dial graduated from Ridge High School in 2000 after a stellar career as an All-State athlete in football, basketball and baseball. He was inducted into the Ridge High School Hall of Fame in 2011.
Coach Dial currently lives in Lebanon, NJ, with his wife, Ally and two sons, Todd and Brendan. He looks forward to continuing the rich history of Mendham Baseball and developing long lasting relationships with the Mendham Baseball players and their families.
Phil D'Apolito
Varsity Assistant Coach
Coach D’Apolito, known affectionately as Coach Daps, began coaching at Mendham in 2022, serving on the varsity coaching staff for the spring 2023 championship. Prior to joining the Minutemen, he coached at Union Catholic with Coach Dial. As a player and fan of baseball since childhood, he enjoys being around the game and being able to give back to developing players. He says that coaching baseball helps keep him on his toes! Coach D’Apolito currently teaches high school English; in his former life, he worked as an editor in sports publishing for over nine years.
John Sharpe
Varsity Assistant Coach
Coach Sharpe joined the varsity coaching staff in spring 2023 and helped lead the team to the conference championship. He has coached high school and college baseball since 1992 - at Christ College in Irvine, CA, Bergen Community College, Montclair Kimberly Academy, and Morristown HS. He played at Teaneck High School and Northeast Missouri State University. Off the field, Coach Sharpe works for BMW as an event manager. Baseball has been and always will be a passion - something that will always be part of his life.
Patrick Shanagan
JV Coach
Coach Shanagan joins the staff as the JV coach for the 2023-24 season. He played varsity baseball at Warren Hills Regional High School, and his passion for the game he has loved since childhood did not run out after his playing days ended. His goal as coach is to develop baseball players into their next step on their baseball journey while also helping them grow into responsible men off the field. Coach Shanagan graduated from Bellevue University with a bachelors in Sport Management, and he has a 3.5 year old son named Keegan.
Ryan Miller
Freshman Coach
Coach Miller has been the freshman coach for the Minutemen since 2017. Prior to coaching at Mendham, Coach Miller was a varsity assistant coach for Mount Olive High School. During his time there, Mount Olive won a sectional and North championship, finishing in the top 20 at the conclusion of the 2014 season. He also had a successful run as the junior varsity coach at Morris Catholic High School. Coach Miller’s coaching experience and his ability to provide high level leadership and instruction to the freshman players has been and continues to be, an integral part of the success of the Mendham Baseball program. He is currently a Health and Physical Education teacher in the Roxbury School District and holds a Master's Degree in Educational Administration.
