Dylan Olsonawski’s Rise in D-backs Pitching Development
Olsonawski joined the D-backs following the 2021 season and transitioned into coaching in 2024. In his short time in the organization, he's played a critical role in how they develop pitching.
SCOTTSDALE – Dylan Olsonawski is one of many pitching coaches in the Arizona Diamondbacks' organization. Olsonawski joined the D-backs following the 2021 season and transitioned into coaching in 2024. In his short time in the organization, he's played a critical role in how they develop pitching.
Dylan Olsonawski's Journey Into Coaching
Olsonawski was a pitcher for Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota. After graduating in 2020, he became a graduate assistant at Arizona State University. There, he worked under Tracy Smith, who is now the head coach of the Michigan baseball program.
"Worked a lot," said Olsonawski. "Worked a lot with our pitchers. Kind of more on the behind-the-scenes stuff. A lot of the advanced scouting."
While doing his graduate assistant work, Olsonawski completed a Master's Degree in Sports Law.
The D-backs hired Olsonawski after the 2021 season, spending two seasons as part of their player development department. He handled a lot of video stuff for the organization, specifically with the organization's Triple-A affiliate in Reno.
After the 2023 season, he got an opportunity to be a pitching coach for Charros De Jaliscos in the Mexican Winter League. It was there he built a relationship with then D-backs pitching coach Brent Strom. Olsonawski said "Strom really kind of helped cultivate my career from there on". The following season, he moved from player development into coaching.
Dylan Olsonawski's Coaching Resume
Olsonawski's responsibilities within the organization extend beyond his job title as a pitching coach at the complex. He focuses on pitch design and developing individual plans for the major league pitchers. Much of it comes from his background in video work from his days in player development.
"On the video side, understanding a lot of the pitch metrics, how we can kind of lean into our pitcher strengths. That led to the opportunity to get to help out with our big league player plans a couple years ago now."
Some of the notable pitchers that Olsonawski coached in 2025 include Daury Vasquez, Chung-Hsiang Huang, and Jaitoine Kelly. All three pitchers spent most of 2025 pitching in the complex, but finished the year strong with Low-A Visalia.
Under him, Vasquez and Kelly both saw notable fastball velocity gains in 2025.
- Jaitoine Kelly (Age 18): 88.3 MPH -> 92.6 MPH
- Daury Vasquez (Age 19): 92.2 MPH -> 95.0 MPH
"I think a lot of it is those guys at that young age, they're naturally just going to grow into their body more. A lot of it is get them on the right nutrition, get them in the weight room, gaining strength the right way, and then understanding how they move and just kind of leaning into that. I think the big thing with those two is just having confidence. They have all the stuff in the world, but it's unlocking the confidence for them."
Vasquez has quickly vaulted himself into top prospect status. At the end of the season, he ranked as Arizona's No. 25 prospect according to MLB. The D-backs have significantly bolstered their prospect pitching depth at the deadline. However, none of the acquired starters average 95 MPH with their fastballs.
Arizona Fall League Opportunity
Olsonawski is one of the two main pitching coaches on the Salt River Rafters coaching staff. He's working with Rockies pitching coordinator Flint Wallace.
In his time in Arizona, he's worked with pitchers at the top and bottom of the organization ladder. In the Arizona Fall League, he's working with pitchers from five different organizations at various levels in the minors, a unique experience for him.
"Going from for two years working with Triple-A/big league guys, coming down into the ACL, Fall League, and stuff, it gives you a different perspective.
"I think the big thing, second year of ACL this last year, they kind of had to open up the toolbook on how to coach these guys. Certain things are going to work for guys that are at the higher levels isn't going to work."
"Now it's kind of coming into the Fall League. Similar situation where I had to fill in for [Tyler] Mark and a lot of that was getting to know these guys, getting to know their names that first week here."
In the fall league, Olsonawski will be working with David Hagaman, Kyle Amendt, Yordin Chalas, and Drey Jameson. All four pitchers will play a significant role for the big league club in the near future. Jameson, Amendt, and Chalas could all factor into the organization's bullpen mix as early as next season. Hagaman is still a couple of seasons away from getting a longer runway in the D-backs rotation.
"All those guys, they all have their unique strengths. All we're trying to do is lean in, get them to understand those strengths, and build that confidence going into next season."
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Michael McDermott
