Frank Craska was named Head Baseball Coach at Caltech in August 2025 and enters his second season as head coach and third year overall with the Beavers in 2027.
Craska has played an instrumental role in the continued growth of Caltech Baseball, particularly with the program’s pitching staff. In his first season leading the Beavers, Caltech set program records for team ERA and strikeouts. Under Craska’s guidance, Brendan Flaherty earned Second Team All-SCIAC honors in 2025 after finishing third in the conference with 91 strikeouts. The Beavers also recorded three complete-game efforts from multiple pitchers, highlighted by Flaherty’s performances against Occidental and Redlands and Joray Pieper’s complete game against Whittier.
Caltech tied the program record for SCIAC victories in a season during Craska’s first year on staff, highlighted by a series victory over Occidental. The Beavers also earned victories over Redlands and Whittier and defeated No. 11 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps for the first time in program history.
Craska originally joined the Caltech coaching staff in 2024 and has contributed to the program in a variety of roles beyond baseball, including athletics communications, broadcasting, social media, and facilities initiatives. His versatility throughout the Caltech Athletics department has allowed him to work closely with student-athletes and staff across multiple programs while helping strengthen the overall student-athlete experience.
A native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Craska graduated from Mars Area High School before beginning his collegiate playing career at Lafayette College. From 2019 to 2022, he competed for the Leopards in the Patriot League, recording five saves as a freshman in 2019 and totaling 50 innings pitched during his Lafayette career.
After graduating from Lafayette in 2022 with a degree in Government & Law, Craska continued his playing career at Quinnipiac University. In two seasons with the Bobcats, he posted a 4-2 record out of the bullpen while pitching 30 innings in the MAAC. He earned his master's degree in Sports Journalism from Quinnipiac in 2024.
Craska comes from a baseball family. His father, Frank, played baseball at the University of Pittsburgh, while his mother, Margaret, attended the College of the Holy Cross. Craska is the oldest of five siblings, including younger brothers Joey and Petey. Petey currently plays baseball at the University of North Alabama, while his younger sisters Laura and Caroline play softball. Laura competes at the University of Maine.
“I am thrilled to continue leading Caltech Baseball as head coach. This opportunity would not have been possible without Kevin Whitehead and his tireless efforts for the program during his tenure. I am incredibly grateful to Kevin and our department for believing in me as a coach and allowing me to continue building on the foundation he established.”
“Caltech is a special place where our student-athletes put tremendous effort into both the classroom and on the field. Our goal is to continue building a program that develops our student-athletes as players, students, and people while competing at the highest level in the SCIAC. I could not be more excited about the direction of this program and what is ahead for Caltech Baseball.”
