Caleb Thielbar enters his fourth season on the coaching staff at Augustana in 2023 as the Viking's pitching coach.
Under Thielbar's guidance, the pitching staff in 2021 was the most prolific strikeout team in Augustana history. The team achieved 500-plus strikeouts for the second time in school history (in just 49 games) and saw three pitchers earn all-conference honors. Junior lefty Tanner Brown also tossed the second perfect game in school history against Minot State in 2021.
Thielbar helped guide the 2020 Vikings to a 9-4 record in which the season was cut short due to COVID-19.
Thielbar is currently playing for the Minnesota Twins, returning in 2020 after playing there from 2013-2015 and has spent time with the Padres, Marlins, Tigers and Braves organizations for a total of 15 professional seasons.
Theilbar was drafted in the 18th round of the 2009 MLB Draft by the Milwaukee Brewers. In 2011 the Brewers released Thielbar and the Twins signed him shortly thereafter. On May 20, 2013 Thielbar was called up to the big leagues where he made his major league debut, pitching two innings and becoming the first SDSU baseball player to reach the major leagues. Thielbar proved to be an asset to the 2013 Twins bullpen as he appeared in 49 games, pitching 46 innings and posting an impressive 1.76 ERA.
Thielbar followed up his rookie season with an exceptional 2014 season. He appeared in 54 games and logged an ERA of 3.40 with 35 strikeouts. After six appearances for the Twins in 2015, the Padres claimed Thielbar off waivers on August 8, 2015. After the Padres, Thielbar spent time with the St. Paul Saints, Miami Marlins, Detroit Tigers, and finally, the Atlanta Braves. He concluded his big league career with a 2.74 ERA and only 80 hits allowed in 98 innings pitched.
Before the big leagues, Thielbar was excelling on the baseball field, not too far from Augustana University. After going 9-0 with a 0.69 ERA during his senior year at Randolph High School, Thielbar decided to play college baseball at South Dakota State University in Brookings, South Dakota. Thielbar enjoyed a great four year career at SDSU and left as the all time leader in starts (44) and innings pitched (274). He wound up fifth on the all-time strikeouts list and tied the school record with 100 as a senior.
Thielbar was born in Randolph, Minnesota on Jan. 31, 1987
