Baseball Hires Friedman as Strength & Conditioning Coach
Jan 12, 2026 | Baseball
BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION – Texas A&M baseball head coach Michael Earley made one last addition to finalize his staff before the 2026 season, announcing Nate Friedman as the Aggies' new strength and conditioning coach Monday.
Friedman joins the staff in Aggieland after serving with the Arizona Diamondbacks organization as a minor league strength and conditioning coach since 2018. He filled the role of Arizona's minor league rehab strength and conditioning coordinator the last two seasons.
"We conducted an extensive search with a strong focus on identifying the best strength and conditioning coaches in professional baseball, and Nate's name continued to surface at the highest levels of Major League Baseball," Earley said upon the hiring of Friedman. "What separated Nate was his elite ability to communicate and connect with players, along with his understanding of how to build strength while prioritizing durability and injury prevention. Most importantly, Nate aligned with the standards and culture of Texas A&M and had a genuine desire to be a part of this program and the daily work required to compete at the highest level."
Friedman began working in baseball-specific strength and conditioning in 2017 as a personal training intern under Eric Cressey, a highly respected name in the strength world whose work extends to over 100 professional baseball players who train in his program during the offseason. After spending a year at Cressey Sports Performance, Friedman earned his first position in professional baseball with the Diamondbacks, working at various levels of Arizona's minor league system.
During the 2018 and 2019 seasons, Friedman worked with the Missoula Osprey, the former rookie league affiliate of the Diamondbacks, as head strength coach. He was honored as Pioneer League Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year in back-to-back to seasons.
Friedman was elevated to strength and conditioning operations at the Salt River Fields spring training complex in 2020 for the pandemic shortened season. Following the 2020 campaign, he spent 2021 with the Hillsboro Hops, Arizona's High-A affiliate, as head strength coach. He climbed again in 2022, earning the position of head strength and conditioning coach of the Triple-A Reno Aces. Friedman's efforts translated to the field during the 2022 campaign, as the Aces claimed the Pacific Coast League championship.
Before the 2024 season, Friedman was promoted as Arizona's minor league rehab strength and conditioning coordinator. Throughout his eight years in the Diamondbacks organization, he gained extensive experience supporting the recovery and performance progression of top prospects within Arizona's farm system, including Corbin Carroll, Brandon Pfaadt and Jake McCarthy.
A native of Longmeadow, Mass., Friedman graduated from Temple University in 2014 with a bachelor's degree in kinesiology and later earned his master's degree in sport and exercise psychology in 2016. He worked for the Temple football team in various capacities from 2011-2016, beginning as a student assistant for video and later becoming an assistant video coordinator in 2014. During his time at Temple, Friedman developed a passion for strength and conditioning and earned his first position in that realm in 2016, serving as a strength and conditioning assistant for Temple's 2016 American Conference championship team.
"I am extremely excited and grateful to join such a prestigious program," Friedman said. "I cannot wait to get to work and start our pursuit of a championship in 2026."
Follow the Aggies
Visit for more information on Texas A&M baseball. Fans can keep up to date with the A&M baseball team on Facebook, Instagram and X by following @aggiebaseball.
Friedman joins the staff in Aggieland after serving with the Arizona Diamondbacks organization as a minor league strength and conditioning coach since 2018. He filled the role of Arizona's minor league rehab strength and conditioning coordinator the last two seasons.
"We conducted an extensive search with a strong focus on identifying the best strength and conditioning coaches in professional baseball, and Nate's name continued to surface at the highest levels of Major League Baseball," Earley said upon the hiring of Friedman. "What separated Nate was his elite ability to communicate and connect with players, along with his understanding of how to build strength while prioritizing durability and injury prevention. Most importantly, Nate aligned with the standards and culture of Texas A&M and had a genuine desire to be a part of this program and the daily work required to compete at the highest level."
Friedman began working in baseball-specific strength and conditioning in 2017 as a personal training intern under Eric Cressey, a highly respected name in the strength world whose work extends to over 100 professional baseball players who train in his program during the offseason. After spending a year at Cressey Sports Performance, Friedman earned his first position in professional baseball with the Diamondbacks, working at various levels of Arizona's minor league system.
During the 2018 and 2019 seasons, Friedman worked with the Missoula Osprey, the former rookie league affiliate of the Diamondbacks, as head strength coach. He was honored as Pioneer League Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year in back-to-back to seasons.
Friedman was elevated to strength and conditioning operations at the Salt River Fields spring training complex in 2020 for the pandemic shortened season. Following the 2020 campaign, he spent 2021 with the Hillsboro Hops, Arizona's High-A affiliate, as head strength coach. He climbed again in 2022, earning the position of head strength and conditioning coach of the Triple-A Reno Aces. Friedman's efforts translated to the field during the 2022 campaign, as the Aces claimed the Pacific Coast League championship.
Before the 2024 season, Friedman was promoted as Arizona's minor league rehab strength and conditioning coordinator. Throughout his eight years in the Diamondbacks organization, he gained extensive experience supporting the recovery and performance progression of top prospects within Arizona's farm system, including Corbin Carroll, Brandon Pfaadt and Jake McCarthy.
A native of Longmeadow, Mass., Friedman graduated from Temple University in 2014 with a bachelor's degree in kinesiology and later earned his master's degree in sport and exercise psychology in 2016. He worked for the Temple football team in various capacities from 2011-2016, beginning as a student assistant for video and later becoming an assistant video coordinator in 2014. During his time at Temple, Friedman developed a passion for strength and conditioning and earned his first position in that realm in 2016, serving as a strength and conditioning assistant for Temple's 2016 American Conference championship team.
"I am extremely excited and grateful to join such a prestigious program," Friedman said. "I cannot wait to get to work and start our pursuit of a championship in 2026."
Follow the Aggies
Visit for more information on Texas A&M baseball. Fans can keep up to date with the A&M baseball team on Facebook, Instagram and X by following @aggiebaseball.
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