Wichita State reaches settlement agreement with former Shocker baseball coach Eric Wedge

A mutual separation between Wichita State University and former head baseball coach Eric Wedge has been finalized with a financial settlement, The Eagle has learned.

The 14-page separation agreement, obtained Wednesday by The Eagle through a Kansas Open Records request and signed by WSU athletic director Kevin Saal and Wedge on Feb. 14, stipulates WSU will pay Wedge a total of $675,000 — or approximately half of the remaining money on his contract — in equal installments over the next 10 months.

Wedge signed a 2-year contract extension in the fall of 2021 to keep him at WSU through the 2026 season, but the coach took a leave of absence from the program to “focus on personal health-related matters” last October. Less than six weeks later, WSU announced Wedge would not return as head coach on Dec. 8. WSU promoted Loren Hibbs, who had been Wedge’s director of operations, as interim coach for the 2023 season.

It was a mysterious ending for Wedge, a Shocker legend from the school’s 1989 national championship team with MLB coaching success who had returned to his alma mater to restore the program to its past glory. The splashy hire made by former WSU athletic director Darron Boatright in the spring of 2019 finished with a 65-61 record in three years.

On the heels of the separation agreement becoming public, WSU and Wedge released a joint statement to The Eagle about the amicable split.

“Wichita State is appreciative of Wedge’s contributions to its baseball program - both as an athlete and a coach - and looks forward to his future career in baseball,” the statement reads. “Wedge, 2007 Manager of the Year as head coach of the Cleveland Indians, has indicated he is healthy and feeling well and he anticipates returning to professional baseball. Wichita State wishes him well.”

After a three-year stint as manager of the Seattle Mariners from 2011-13, Wedge transitioned to a player development advisor role with the Toronto Blue Jays where he could work remotely.

In a text message to The Eagle, Wedge, 55, said he plans to return to Major League Baseball in some capacity.

“I am looking forward to having the opportunity to return to professional baseball,” Wedge wrote. “I don’t have anything specific firmed up right now, but I am passionate about the game and it is something I always want to be a part of moving forward.”

The extent of the “health concerns” that led to Wedge’s abrupt exit from the program last fall were never publicized and won’t be, at least by Wedge or WSU after they agreed on the standard array of non-disclosure, confidentiality and non-disparagement clauses.

“Wedge agrees the discussions between the parties leading to the agreement and the events that resulted in Wedge’s separation from (WSU) are strictly, and shall forever remain, confidential,” section 10, paragraph B reads.

By accepting the financial consideration from WSU, Wedge agreed to release any claims he had against the university and give up the right to pursue further financial compensation. The agreement also states that WSU’s financial package is in no way an admission of liability and if Wedge breaches the terms of the agreement, the coach must immediately return 60% (or $405,000) of the financial consideration received.

Under the agreement, Wedge can never work for WSU again and has to dissociate himself as a coach from the university, which includes dissolving the Eric Wedge Wichita State Baseball Academy within 30 days.

Another Kansas Open Records request also revealed the employment agreement between WSU and Hibbs since he became interim head coach. Hibbs, who had a salary of $80,000 as director of operations, will receive an additional $87,500 serving as the interim head coach, bringing his salary to $167,500.

Performance incentives include $5,000 for a winning record in American Athletic Conference play, $10,000 for at least 37 wins and $10,000 for a conference tournament championship or NCAA Regional berth. A Super Regional appearance would net Hibbs an additional $10,000, a World Series appearance would net another $25,000, a CWS championship appearance would be another $25,000 and a College World Series championship would be another $50,000. Hibbs’ incentive compensation is capped at $75,000 total.

The WSU baseball team is off to a 1-2 start to the season with a 4-game series at Utah Tech this week.