A former Cardinal student-athlete, Lamar University associate head coach, hitting coach and recruiting coordinator Scott Hatten has become one of the program’s most successful assistants during his 26 years on staff.
Hatten, who played at Lamar in 1992 and 1993, works primarily with the hitters and outfielders. He was named recruiting coordinator in 2016 and promoted to associate head coach in 2024 after helping lead the Cardinals to one of the best seasons in program history. Lamar finished 44-15 (.746), captured the Southland Conference regular-season title — its first since 2021 — and was ranked in the top 25 in three national polls.
During his tenure, Hatten has overseen one of the program’s most consistent offenses. Lamar has averaged at least six runs per game in most seasons and has never fallen below 3.9. The Cardinals have eclipsed seven runs per game five times, including a program-record 7.3 in 2003, the first of back-to-back conference championship seasons. Since becoming recruiting coordinator, Hatten has helped produce multiple top 100 recruiting classes, including four consecutive JUCO transfer classes ranked among the nation’s top 14, with two in the top 10.
During a historic 2026 campaign, Lamar averaged 5.5 runs per game en route to its first Southland Conference tournament title since 2010 and a berth in the NCAA College Station Regional. The Cardinals produced four All-Southland Conference selections, including first-team shortstop A.J. Taylor (72 hits, seven home runs, 36 RBIs) and second-team outfielder Tab Tracy (.336, 76 hits, 32 RBIs).
Lamar also placed eight players on the All-Tournament team, its most since 2004, highlighted by catcher Jake Wagoner, who batted .520 with 13 hits. The Cardinals hit .321 with 75 hits and 32 RBIs in seven games during the tournament. Lamar’s transfer portal class ranked 23rd nationally, according to 64 Analytics, with 20 additions in 2026.
Hatten continued his track record of developing elite hitters in 2025, guiding Damian Ruiz to a record-breaking season. Ruiz set single-season program records for runs scored and longest hitting streak while earning first-team All-Southland Conference honors and league Hitter of the Year recognition. He batted .388 with a conference-leading 83 hits, 22 doubles, 76 runs and a .511 on-base percentage. Lamar led the conference in hits (586), RBIs (398), runs (443), walks (334) and on-base percentage (.416).
Among Hatten’s notable signees was JC Correa, the younger brother of MLB All-Star Carlos Correa. Correa led the team with a .332 batting average, 74 hits, 14 doubles, 10 home runs and 44 RBIs. He posted a .529 slugging percentage and .381 on-base percentage, totaling 17 walks and 26 strikeouts in 223 at-bats.
In Southland Conference play, Correa ranked 11th in batting (.359), sixth in total bases (73), 11th in slugging (.557), first in hits (47), fourth in RBIs (28), tied for sixth in home runs (six), fourth in plate appearances (142) and first in at-bats (131). He was selected by the Houston Astros in both the 2018 and 2019 MLB Drafts.
Correa is one of several standout players under Hatten, including 2023 Southland Conference Player of the Year Ryan Snell. A former walk-on, Snell developed into one of the nation’s top players. The catcher batted .317 with a .412 on-base percentage and ranked second in the conference with 17 home runs, one shy of the program record. He also finished second in doubles (17), RBIs (59), total bases (138), walks (33) and OPS (1.066).
Snell earned third-team All-America honors and first-team ABCA All-Region recognition in 2023, becoming the first player in program history named a finalist for the Buster Posey Award. He was selected in the seventh round of the 2023 MLB Draft by the Washington Nationals, becoming the 89th Cardinal drafted and the 16th hitter under Hatten.
Hatten has also helped develop All-Americans Jordan Foster, Michael Ambort, Sam Bumpers and Reid Russell, as well as record-holder Robin Adames. Foster earned All-America honors from Collegiate Baseball, ABCA and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association in 2003 after batting .417 with seven home runs and 71 RBIs.
Adames ranks second in program history with 252 career hits and holds records for at-bats (835), games played (215), games started (209) and hit-by-pitch (39). He also ranks among the program’s top performers in home runs, RBIs and doubles.
Foster finished his career as Lamar’s all-time leader in batting average (.374), hits (256) and doubles (63). He was part of teams that set program records in batting average (.318 in 2003), hits (643 in 2003) and doubles (152 in 2001).
Ambort earned All-America honors from Baseball America and the ABCA in 2005 after batting .336 with 18 home runs and 65 RBIs. The Southland Conference Hitter of the Year that season, he set a league record with four grand slams and remains Lamar’s career home run leader with 38.
Bumpers earned All-America honors in 2014 after batting .361 with six home runs and 37 RBIs. He was named Southland Conference Newcomer of the Year in 2013 and Hitter of the Year in 2014. His seven-hit game against McNeese State on March 28, 2014, tied a conference record.
Russell was named Southland Conference Hitter of the Year in 2016 after tying a school record with 18 home runs, ranking 13th nationally in just 54 games. He batted .354 and ranked among the conference leaders before being selected in the 33rd round of the 2017 MLB Draft by the Houston Astros.
Those players are among 17 Cardinals to earn ABCA South Central All-Region honors during Hatten’s tenure, most recently Damian Ruiz in 2025. Foster and Ambort each earned the honor twice.
Collin DeLome was also named Southland Conference Hitter of the Year in 2006, the same season he earned Player of the Year honors after batting .376 with 11 home runs and 56 RBIs.
Under Hatten, Lamar has advanced to five NCAA Regionals, captured four Southland Conference regular-season titles (2003, 2004, 2021, 2024) and won three conference tournament championships (2002, 2010, 2026). The Cardinals have also earned five national rankings and been part of 35 school records.
Hatten has coached 101 All-Southland Conference selections, 34 All-Tournament picks and two tournament MVPs (Jordan Foster in 2004 and Anthony Moore in 2010). The Cardinals have led the conference in batting average three times during his tenure (.314 in 2006, .298 in 2008, .300 in 2013).
He began his coaching career at New York Tech, where he spent five seasons after playing collegiately and batting .329 with 29 RBIs.
As a player at Lamar, Hatten helped lead the Cardinals to the 1993 Sun Belt Conference championship and an NCAA Regional appearance. He finished his career with a .263 batting average, 56 runs, 36 RBIs and 30 stolen bases.
Hatten is married to the former Kim Jones. The couple has one daughter, Kaitlyn.
