In his first year overseeing the pitching staff, the Knight’s overall team ERA was 4.20, tallying 486 strikeouts and a batting average of .260.
Through Otte’s guidance, three of the Knights pitchers are currently in the MiLB. Jordan Spicer was drafted by the Colorado Rockies, Garrett Westburg was drafted by the Seattle Mariners and Andy Rohloff was drafted by the San Francisco Giants. All three players are assigned to the Single-A Short team.
Otte has guided 17 draft picks over his 15-year coaching career. In 2017, pitcher Zac Lowther became the highest draft pick in Xavier history as the 74th selection in Compensatory Round B. Otte has five top-10 round draft picks to his credit.
Otte arrived in Orlando after spending nine seasons on staff at Xavier, where he served as the pitching coach and recruiting coordinator. He was promoted to associate head coach prior to the 2018 campaign. The Musketeers were three-time Big East champions and reached the NCAA Tournament 2014, 2016, 2017.
During his tenure with the Musketeers, Otte shepherded some of the best pitching staffs in program history. Xavier posted six of its ten best staff ERAs during his time in Cincinnati, Ohio. The 2012 season featured the third lowest ERA in school history at 3.87. Other top marks came in 2013 (3.95), 2011 (4.25), 2014 (4.47), 2017 (4.50) and 2016 (4.57).
The Muskateers set the single-season school record for strikeouts with 461 in 2017, led by Zac Lowther's school record 123 punchouts in 83 1/3 innings.
Prior to joining Xavier, Otte spent three seasons on staff at Miami in charge of the outfielders, as well as implementing a strength and power program for the pitching staff. He spent two seasons Georgetown College (2005-2006), after getting his coaching start at IPFW from 2003 to 2004.
During the summers of 2002 and 2004, Otte was a head coach and pitching instructor at IMG Academies in Bradenton, Fla.
Otte was a four-year letterman at Indiana. When he wrapped up his illustrious career with the Hoosiers, he was ranked in the top-10 with 17 career wins, and single-season victories with eight in 1999 and 2001.
Otte graduated from Indiana in 2002 with a B.S. in public health education and a minor in human development and family studies.
He and his wife, Erin, reside in Orlando with their daughters, Anna and Paige.