Bio

CCBC Essex Baseball Head Coach Sean O’Connor named Tim O’Brien as the Knights’ pitching coach in August 2019. O’Brien is a former Major League Baseball associate scout for the Florida Marlins (1993-2002) and Baltimore Orioles (2004-2007).

He spent nine years (2001-2009) as a pitching coach, Junior National Program site supervisor (Florida), and Junior National Trials team coach for U.S.A. Baseball. Under his leadership, the Women’s National Team earned a bronze medal at the 2010 International Baseball Federation World Cup, and the Champion’s Program captured gold at the 2007 Pan American Games.

From 2009-2017, O’Brien was an assistant coach for University of Maryland Baltimore County. During his time at UMBC (which also included the 1992 season), the Retrievers’ team earned run average decreased, and in 2011 no one on the pitching staff missed time to injury thanks in part to O’Brien’s tutelage and rigorous fitness program. Under his coordination, Retriever’s baseball student athletes also supported Cardboard 2 Leather, a donation drive organized by the Baltimore Oriole Advocates that aims to collect new and slightly used baseball equipment for those in less fortunate situations around the world.

Prior to UMBC, O’Brien was the head coach and general manager of the Columbia Reds 16u baseball team (1999-2008). His teams advanced the National Amateur Baseball Federation (NABF) World Series in 2005 and 2006, earning a finalist appearance during the latter season. In 2006, O’Brien was also an assistant coach for the Maryland Bombers of the Cal Ripken Sr. Collegiate Summer League.

O’Brien spent 16 years as head baseball coach for Wilde Lake (1992-1993), Oakland Mills (1994-1996), and Long Reach (1997-2008) high schools. He earned numerous awards, including American Baseball Coaches Association Regional Coach of the Year (2005) and The Baltimore Sun and The Washington Post Howard County Coach of the Year (2002).

O’Brien, a former Maryland State Association of Baseball Coaches president and athletic director at The Cardinal Gibbons High School, earned his bachelor’s degree in education at Niagara University (New York) and his Master of Education in administration and supervision from Loyola College Maryland. He has been an educator for over 40 years, and currently teaches American Government, Advanced Placement Government and Politics, and Leadership for Long Reach High School.

O’Brien lives with his wife, Mary Beth, in Columbia, Md. They have two sons, Robbie and Kevin, both of whom played collegiate baseball.