Matt Tappe is in his second season as an assistant baseball coach under skipper TJ Oakes in 2025. His primary duties are serving as the team's mental skills coordinator and assisting Oakes with pitching development.
A native of St. Anthony, Minn., Tappe played four seasons for the Yellowjackets, beginning as a first baseman before transitioning to a starting pitcher in the 2021 season. He toed the rubber 38 times in his career, holding a 15-8 record and pitching 160.1 innings. His strongest season came in 2023, starting 11 games while holding opponents to a .267 batting average on his way to his second All-UMAC First Team selection. Tappe was 8-3 on the campaign and collected 69 strikeouts, tying for the team lead with UMAC Pitcher of the Year, Ryan Rodriguez.Â
Tappe spent a portion of the 2021 summer in the prestigious Northwoods League, appearing for the Minnesota Mud Puppies. Out of the bullpen, he logged 16 innings in 10 games.
Tappe brings a wealth of knowledge to the Yellowjacket coaching staff, having served as a coach for Great Lakes Baseball Academy in the Twin Cities.
After graduating from UW-Superior in 2023 with a Bachelor's Degree in business marketing, Tappe enrolled at Minnesota Duluth to study industrial-organizational psychology. Furthermore, he is a graduate intern at Good Leadership while contributing to Cadre, the social platform for better mental health.
Tappe resides in Duluth, Minn.
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