Kevin Higgins

Kevin Higgins is one of most influential baseball coaches and mentors in Las Vegas’ proud heritage on the diamond. Since 2010, he has guided the UNLV Baseball program, first as an assistant coach to oversee the team’s hitters, infielders and catchers and currently as the associate head coach.

Higgins continues to bring his expertise to the Rebels, with 28 Major League Baseball draftees from the roster over the past ten seasons. Since 2011, the program also had 21 student-athletes named to the All-Mountain West Team a total of 23 times with 16 first-team honorees.

Prior to joining the Rebels, Higgins served as an assistant coach at the College of Southern Nevada, where he helped lead the Coyotes to the 2010 Region XVIII and Western District Championships as well as a third-place finish at the JUCO World Series. During that season, he helped mentor the team's catcher, Bryce Harper, who was the first overall draft pick in the 2010 MLB Draft.

Before his stint with CSN, Higgins had coaching stops at both the high school and collegiate level, including spending two years as first base coach with the Las Vegas 51s, the then Triple-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Higgins also served as the 51s' color analyst for two seasons.

An outstanding player in his own right, Higgins was a two-time All-Pac 10 First Team selection at second base, tri-captain and recipient of the Mr. Sun Devil Award for Leadership at Arizona State University.

Following the 1988 season in which Higgins batted .361 with 108 hits, including 34 for extra bases in addition to 68 RBI and 11 stolen bases, he was named First-Team All-America by Baseball America. The following season, Higgins helped ASU to a national runner-up finish at the College World Series in addition to being selected a First Team All-Region second baseman and named to the All-Decade Team (1980-89) at second base.

In 1989 he was drafted in the 12th round by the San Diego Padres and spent five seasons in the organization, earning several notable honors in that span. A Double-A batting champion in the Texas League in 1990, he was called up to the Padres three years later on May 28, 1993, finishing the season as the San Diego's starting catcher and also playing a variety of other positions.