Skip Johnson Officially Adds Tyler Johnson, Ken Guthrie to Oklahoma Coaching Staff

By OU Media Relations

University of Oklahoma head baseball coach Skip Johnson announced Wednesday the hiring of Tyler Johnson as assistant coach and scouting coordinator and Ken Guthrie as assistant director of scouting and player personnel to complete the coaching staff for the 2026 NCAA champions.

Johnson has spent the last eight years coaching in Texas, including the 2025-26 school year as recruiting coordinator and assistant coach at Dallas Baptist. Guthrie has spent the last 14 years as an area scouting supervisor with the Baltimore Orioles and the New York Mets.

Johnson previously served as head coach at McLennan College for three seasons and as an assistant coach at McLennan and Blinn College. In his seven seasons at McLennan, he helped guide the Highlanders to four NJCAA World Series appearances and the 2021 NJCAA national title.

“I’m extremely excited for the opportunity to coach with Tyler,” said Skip Johnson. “He was a successful junior college coach and went Division I and had success as a coach and recruiting coordinator.

“We recruited his players when he was at McLennan Junior College every year for the last five or six years. Some names that come to mind are Deiten Lachance, Jimmy Crooks, Brett Squires, Gavyn Jones and Kadyn Leon. We’re excited about Tyler’s ability to evaluate players as well as develop catchers, being a former catcher himself.”

With DBU in 2026, Johnson was part of a coaching staff that developed five All-Conference USA selections, including All-America outfielder Jake Bennett, and helped guide the Patriots to a program-record-tying 119 home runs.

As head coach at McLennan College, Johnson compiled a 131-55 overall record and led teams to NJCAA World Series appearances in 2024 and ’25. He was named the 2024 ABCA NJCAA Division I Southwest Region Coach of the Year after leading McLennan to a 43-19 record. In 2025, he coached the Highlanders to a 48-18 mark and the world series semifinals.

Before he was promoted to head coach, Johnson spent four seasons as an assistant coach at McLennan. In that role, he helped lead the program to a conference title in 2021, two regional championships and NJCAA World Series appearances and the 2021 national title, McLennan’s first in 37 years.

During Johnson’s time at McLennan, 44 players earned all-conference honors and seven were selected in the MLB Draft.

Johnson spent the 2018 season as an assistant coach at Blinn College, where he worked with catchers, outfielders and hitters while also serving as first base coach. He tutored catcher Brandon Ashly, who was selected to the 2018 NJCAA Division I Gold Glove Team.

“The No. 1 thing for me when coming to Oklahoma is that it’s a family,” said Tyler Johnson. “Not only because my dad is the head coach, but the whole athletics department, school and community of Norman make for a big family. That’s the big reason why I wanted to come here and be a part of it. I’ve been looking at it from the outside for a long time and I’ve seen the ins and outs of the program and now for me to have this opportunity, it’s super exciting to join and help to continue the rich history of Oklahoma Baseball.

“I’m excited to be a part of that history and carry the tradition of all the coaches who have come before us and what they’ve built. Now, for us, it’s trying to keep building and moving forward.”

A product of Corsicana, Texas, Tyler Johnson began his college career playing at Navarro College, where he was a two-time academic all-conference selection and team captain. He helped lead the Bulldogs to a conference championship in 2015. He later transferred to Concordia University, where he played two seasons and earned academic honors both years.

Johnson earned an associate degree from Navarro in 2015, graduating magna cum laude. He earned two degrees from Concordia. He received his bachelor’s degree in business administration and management in 2017, graduating summa cum laude, and his master’s degree in sports administration in 2020. Johnson and his wife Bailey married in 2019 and are expecting their first child this summer.

Guthrie comes to Oklahoma from the New York Mets organization, where he has served as an area scouting supervisor since October 2024. He spent the previous 11 years in the same position with the Baltimore Orioles organization. He oversaw scouting operations in Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas.

“With Ken Guthrie, we’re taking a new approach to recruiting and adding someone in Ken who has experience in professional scouting,” said Skip Johnson. “He fits nicely into our staff, and it aligns with our vision as we transition into more of a player acquisition model, a current trend in college baseball. It’s going to be beneficial to have somebody of his expertise in evaluating and negotiating.”

As a professional scout, Guthrie evaluated amateur baseball talent, identifying and projecting players with Major League potential through in-person scouting and performance analysis. He prepared comprehensive scouting reports to support player acquisition and draft decisions. In his role as a supervisor, Guthrie coordinated scouting schedules and coverage plans for the scouting director and crosscheckers to ensure efficient evaluation of priority prospects.

Guthrie participated in draft strategy meetings, providing player evaluations and recommendations that influenced organizational draft decisions. Collaborating with regional and national scouting staff to assess player performance, verify evaluations and align organizational priorities, he recruited and signed drafted players, guiding them through the signing process and the transition into the organization’s minor league system.

“When Skip called me with this opportunity, it was a no-brainer for me just because the person Skip is, the people he’s surrounded himself with and the staff he’s built,” said Guthrie. “I’ve known Skip for 30 years and played with him, believe it or not. The last 15 years covering his teams as a scout and watching the success they had at the College World Series, just how they handle their business as a staff, it’s an exciting time to be a part of Oklahoma Baseball.

“For me, it’s all about the people and relationships, and everyone knows that’s what Skip believes in, too. I’m excited to be on the recruiting trail and to be in the dugout again. But the most important thing for me is to be around Skip, learn from him and just serve the program and our players.”

Selected in the 12th round of the 1997 Major League Baseball Draft by the Milwaukee Brewers, Guthrie played two seasons in the Brewers organization. He then spent the 1999-01 seasons as the Texas Rangers’ bullpen catcher.

A product of Northridge, Calif., Guthrie played baseball at Northwood University in Cedar Hill, Texas, where he was a two-year team captain. He received his bachelor’s degree in business management in 1997.

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