Wake Forest Baseball Camps
Register NowWake Forest Baseball has become one of the most consistent programs in the country — four straight NCAA Tournament appearances, a program-record 54-win season, and coaches who have developed seven first-round picks since 2020. These camps are run by that same staff, teaching the same way they coach. If you're serious about getting better, this is the right place to do it.
Camp & Clinic Registration
Youth
Camps
Hitting, fielding, baserunning, and pitching fundamentals taught by WFU Baseball staff in a positive, high-energy environment on campus.
Register →Prospect
Camps
High-level evaluation events for high school prospects looking to compete and be seen by Wake Forest Baseball coaches and staff.
Register →Staff
Tom Walter
Head CoachA proven program builder and player developer, Tom Walter completed his 15th season as the head coach of Wake Forest baseball in 2024. Walter was named the 2023 Atlantic Coast Conference Coach of the Year — becoming the third Demon Deacon skipper to receive that honor — after leading the 2023 ballclub to a historic season.
With 458 wins as the Demon Deacon skipper, he sits as the second-winningest coach in program history, trailing only George Greer. Walter is also one of just three active head coaches in the country to lead three different programs to the NCAA Division I Tournament, becoming just the seventh coach all-time to do so.
Walter has helped 58 players get drafted or sign pro contracts over the last 11 years, including 12 Deacs drafted among the top 50 picks and seven first rounders since 2020: Chase Burns (2024), Nick Kurtz (2024), Seaver King (2024), Rhett Lowder (2023), Brock Wilken (2023), Ryan Cusick (2021), and Jared Shuster (2020).
Eric Niesen
Pitching CoachA former standout pitcher for the Deacs and one of the most respected minds in professional baseball development, Niesen returns to Winston-Salem after a successful run with the Houston Astros, where he most recently served as the organization's Director of Pitching. He was part of the 2022 World Series Championship and the 2024 Triple-A National Title with the Sugar Land Space Cowboys.
Niesen helped develop MLB talent including Hunter Brown, Spencer Arrighetti, Colton Gordon, and Ryan Gusto. Prior to the Astros, he served as Pitching Coach at Georgetown University, where he led the program to a school-record four MLB Draft picks in a single year.
"Eric Niesen is one of the most respected pitching minds at any level of baseball and we are fortunate to have him."
Dan Hennigan
Assistant Coach — HittingHennigan arrives in Winston-Salem after serving as the Director of Hitting and Offensive Coordinator for the Houston Astros, where he played an integral role in the organization's player development system and worked with some of professional baseball's top prospects.
Widely regarded as one of the game's leading hitting instructors, Hennigan combines biomechanics, technology and analytics to help players maximize their offensive potential.
Hennigan has developed a comprehensive hitting curriculum centered on six core principles that integrate swing mechanics, approach, adjustability, mental performance and physical development. His player-centered philosophy blends advanced motion capture, biomechanics, performance analytics and individualized development plans to create a complete offensive framework.
Prior to joining the Astros, Hennigan built a reputation as one of baseball's premier private instructors, working with players at every level of the game, from high school prospects to collegiate standouts and Major League Baseball players.
A former standout infielder, Hennigan starred at Franklin Pierce University, earning All-Conference, All-Region and All-America honors while batting better than .330 during his collegiate career. He went on to play professionally with the Somerset Patriots, Camden Riversharks and Lincoln Saltdogs, while also spending time in the Los Angeles Dodgers organization with the Great Lakes Loons.
Tyler Dawson
Assistant CoachTyler Dawson joins Wake Forest after spending the past four seasons on the Air Force coaching staff, where he worked primarily with hitters and infielders. During his tenure, Dawson helped guide the Falcons to a Mountain West regular-season championship, multiple All-Conference selections and the development of several professional prospects.
Most recently, Dawson helped lead Air Force to hit .307 as a team with an .897 OPS, ranking among the nation's top 25 in batting average, doubles (127), runs (478), runs per game (8.7) and stolen bases (157).
Prior to joining the Air Force staff, Dawson served as the head coach at Cleveland Community College from 2022-23. He helped build the foundation of the start-up program, leading the Yetis to a 31-23 record and a runner-up finish in the Region 10 Division II Tournament in 2022.
In addition to his head coaching responsibilities, Dawson oversaw strength and conditioning for the baseball and softball programs while handling hitter and infielder development, recruiting, scheduling and sports information duties.
His coaching experience also includes stops with the Edenton Steamers of the Coastal Plain League, where he served as hitting coach and assisted with outfield development in 2019, and Blacksburg High School in Virginia, where he served as head baseball coach. From 2016-17, Dawson was a member of the Virginia Tech softball staff, working primarily in strength and conditioning.
Dawson began his collegiate playing career at Bridgewater College, where he competed in both baseball and football. He earned a bachelor's degree in exercise science in 2016 and recently completed a master's degree in sports administration with an emphasis in kinesiology from Southeastern Oklahoma State University.
A native of Amherst, Va., Dawson is a certified strength and conditioning specialist through the National Strength and Conditioning Association and also holds certifications from USA Weightlifting and USA Baseball.
Ryan Hendricks
Coordinator, Player Development & OperationsThe son of longtime Baltimore Orioles player and coach Elrod Hendricks, Ryan Hendricks played collegiately at George Washington University and St. Andrews Presbyterian College before being drafted by the Baltimore Orioles, playing four seasons of Minor League Baseball within the organization.
After his playing career, Hendricks earned his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Baltimore and became a licensed attorney in Maryland. He then accepted a commission as an officer in the United States Air Force, retiring as a Colonel on July 31, 2025 before joining the Wake Forest Baseball staff.
Wake Forest Baseball
Wake Forest Baseball has quietly become one of the most consistent programs in the country. Four straight NCAA Tournament appearances. A program-record 54 wins in 2023 as the nation's top seed. A home record at The Couch that other programs would build a recruiting pitch around. Coach Tom Walter has built something real here in Winston-Salem — a culture that develops players, wins games, and sends guys to the next level. The coaches running these camps are the same ones doing all of that.
Visit GoDeacs.com (opens in new tab) →Program Accomplishments
David F. Couch Ballpark
Formerly known as Ernie Shore Field, the park was home to Winston-Salem's Carolina League minor league team for more than 40 years. Wake Forest took control of the facility after the team, now known as the Winston-Salem Dash, moved into a new downtown ballpark.
Located in the shadow of BB&T Field and adjacent to the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Gene Hooks Field at David F. Couch Ballpark has undergone extensive and continuous renovations since the Deacons moved in.
In February 2016, the park was named David F. Couch Ballpark in honor of former baseball player David Couch ('84), whose lead gift funded the new $14 million Player Development Center, which opened in February 2017. The 41,000-square-foot facility includes a team locker room, lounge, training room, equipment room, full kitchen, pitching laboratory with 18 high-speed cameras, and a relocated home dugout and bullpen.
The Deacons play on AstroTurf GameDay 3D52H Grass and have access to a Trackman Pro video system tracking 27 data points — from pitch velocity to spin rate to launch angle.
“Dedicated to providing a baseball camp that is both instructional and informational — while creating a great atmosphere to learn.”
The coaching staff at Wake Forest prides itself on teaching the game of baseball to players of all ages and ability levels. Our camps range from two-day instructional specialty camps to five-week hitting sessions. All camps are taught by our coaching staff and players using the same mechanics and drills used with our college players. We are determined to provide the best possible learning experience for every camper.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Who should I contact if I have any questions?
- Ryan Hendricks — hendrir@wfu.edu
- Who can register/participate in Wake Forest Prospect camps?
- Wake Forest Prospect camps are open to any and all athletes between the ages of rising 9th grade students through rising 12th grade students.
- Do you offer refunds?
- We do not offer refunds. A 3-year camp credit will be applied should you need to cancel.
- Can you purchase camp insurance in case of a cancellation for a full refund?
- Yes. Camp insurance is $25 and will allow you to receive a full refund minus processing fees up to 2 weeks prior to the camp date.
Contact Us
Ryan HendricksCoordinator, Player Development & Baseball Operations
Wake Forest University Baseball
hendrir@wfu.edu