Ty Van Burkleo, who has spent many years in professional baseball after a distinguished prep career as a first baseman at Chatsworth High, is the batting coach for the Houston Astros.
Van Burkleo was an All-West Valley League selection in 1980 and went on to play in parts of two major league seasons with the California Angels and Colorado Rockies. He played with Seibu in the Japan professional league from 1987 to 1990 and was the player of the year in the league when he batted .268 with 38 home runs and 90 runs batted in to lead the club to the championship.
Van Burkleo was the Seattle Mariners' bench coach in 2009 and 2010, and the Oakland Athletics' hitting coach in 2007 and 2008. He spent 2011 as Houston's roving hitting instructor and started the 2012 season as the club's minor league hitting coordinator.
