EP 8: Maryland Baseball Assistant Coach, Tommy Gardiner

In Episode 8 of the MPE Pod, we’re joined by Tommy Gardiner, Assistant Coach at Maryland Baseball and a key voice in the program’s defensive and offensive development.A former Terp infielder (2018–2021), Tommy helped lead Maryland back to a Regional as a player and has since helped guide the program to two Big Ten regular season championships and one Big Ten Tournament title as a coach. Under his tutelage, Maryland has produced seven All-Conference infielders since 2022, including 2023 Brooks Wallace Award winner Matt Shaw.Tommy was also the first coach outside of Coach Matt Swope to integrate Motor Preferences into daily practice, helping bridge traditional infield fundamentals with individualized movement-based development.In this episode, we discuss:• Tommy’s coaching journey and transition from player to coach• How he defines Motor Preferences• Applying MP to infield development• Building confident, consistent defenders• Structuring daily defensive work• Advice for young coaches and infieldersThis episode is a valuable listen for baseball coaches, infielders, and anyone interested in individualized player development and long-term growth.