Paul Menhart

Paul Gerard Menhart (born March 25, 1969) is an American baseball pitching coach for the West Virginia Power of the Atlantic League and former Major League Baseball player. He attended Western Carolina University and was a pitcher for three teams in Major League Baseball.

Early life

Menhart was born in St. Louis, Missouri, on March 25, 1969, and grew up in Mystic, Connecticut. He attended Robert E. Fitch High School in Groton, Connecticut, where he played baseball, basketball, and soccer. He also played American Legion Baseball in New London, Connecticut. as the 231st pick overall. He then was promoted to the Myrtle Beach Blue Jays of the Class A South Atlantic League, where he pitched to a 3–0 record and a 0.59 ERA in innings over four starts – one of them a complete game – and one relief appearance, striking out 18 and walking five. and late in 1993, while playing winter baseball in Puerto Rico during the 1993–1994 offseason, felt something snap in his elbow. He underwent ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction,

1995

In 1995, Menhart returned to action and made the Blue Jays′ 25-man major-league roster for Opening Day. He struck out the two batters he faced, Oakland first baseman Mark McGwire and right fielder Andy Tomberlin, to end the game. Toronto sent him down to Syracuse, where he remained until the Blue Jays recalled him in late July. Mussina, however, shut out the Blue Jays with a complete-game four-hitter, and Toronto lost the game 1–0, He instead made the team as a reliever. and again later in the season. He spent the 2001 season with the Steelheads, serving as their manager and pitching coach as well as pitching for them. He completed his playing career with 41 major-league appearances – 23 as a starter and 18 in relief – over three seasons in which he pitched innings, with a record of 5–9, an ERA of 5.47, one complete game, 90 strikeouts, and 85 walks.

In 2006, the Washington Nationals hired him, His assignments included stints as pitching coach for the Class A Savannah Sand Gnats of the South Atlantic League in 2006,

In 2015, Menhart became the Washington Nationals′ minor-league pitching coordinator, Paul Menhart was released from the West Virginia Power in September 2021.

Honors and awards

Menhart is a member of the Robert E. Fitch High School Athletic Hall of Fame.