RIVERSIDE, Calif. – Gregg Wallis, head baseball coach at the University of California, Riverside, announced the full coaching staff for the UC Riverside Highlanders men’s baseball team for the 2026-27 season.
The new staff includes pitching coach Kade Mechals, infield coach and recruiting coordinator Chaneng Varela, catching coach and assistant recruiting coordinator Chris Jimenez, and director of operations and assistant hitting coach Chad De La Guerra.
Mechals is a former standout right-handed pitcher at Western Oregon, Skagit Valley College and Grand Canyon University. He earned First-Team All-WAC honors in 2019 and was selected by the Chicago White Sox in the fourth round of the 2020 MLB Draft. After his playing career, he coached at Phoenix College and Grand Canyon University.
Varela returns to UC Riverside after previously serving on the coaching staff. He played at Orange Coast College, where he was part of back-to-back 3C2A state title teams in 2014 and 2015, and at Lamar University, earning academic honors as well.
Jimenez, a former four-year starting catcher at Long Beach State, received All-Big West honors in 2018 and 2019. He has coaching experience at the University of Hawai’i and Yavapai College.
De La Guerra played at College of the Canyons and Grand Canyon University. He was drafted by the Boston Red Sox in 2015 and is recognized for his hitting ability. He will assist with hitting and serve as director of operations.
Wallis expressed enthusiasm about his staff’s qualifications and commitment, saying, “I am excited to announce the coaching staff that will lead this program into a new era. They are all filled with passion for their craft and for the holistic development of our student-athletes.”
CSB Take
The announcement of Gregg Wallis’s inaugural coaching staff marks a pivotal moment for the UC Riverside Highlanders baseball program as it enters a new phase in the highly competitive Big West Conference. By assembling a staff with proven playing and coaching experience, Wallis has laid a solid foundation focused on player development and recruiting. This blend of talent and passion positions the Highlanders to build a strong culture and competitive presence in the seasons ahead.
Source: Original report
