University of Rhode Island

Daniel Palka enters his first season with Rhode Island Baseball, having joined the program in the summer of 2025 as an assistant coach. He works primarily with the hitters, outfielders and first basemen. 

A former third-round pick by the Arizona Diamondbacks, Palka made his MLB debut in 2018 with the Chicago White Sox. In his first season, the outfielder finished fifth in the Rookie of the Year voting while belting out a team-best 27 home runs, the third-most by a first-year player in White Sox history. 

After wrapping up his time in the MLB, which also included stints with the Minnesota Twins, the Washington Nationals, the New York Mets and the Boston Red Sox, Palka went on to play professionally in both Korea and Mexico. 

One of the top sluggers in Georgia Tech history, Palka was inducted into the athletic department’s Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2024. In three years with the Yellow Jackets (2011-13), Palka played on as many NCAA Regional teams and helped the 2012 team win the ACC Championship. A First Team All-American as a junior, Palka was a two-time All-ACC pick and was a semifinalist for the Dick Howser Trophy in 2013. Over three seasons, Palka batted .314 with 41 home runs and 165 RBI. In his final two years at Tech, he doubled as a pitcher and made 13 appearances. 

Upon retiring from baseball, Palka re-joined the Yellow Jackets to complete his bachelor’s degree. He assisted with the baseball team for the 2024 season, coaching the outfielders and corner infielders while working with the program’s hitters.