prospects baseball travel team

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Nebraska Prospects 2024 Commits

Nebraska prospects 2025 commits, nebraska prospects 2026 commits, nebraska prospects information.

The Nebraska Prospects are represented by players from over 45 different high schools from Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota and Arkansas. The Prospects mission is to maximize player exposure through showcase tournaments, pro-days, and recruitment sessions. Our goal is to help as many players as possible in achieving their dream of playing baseball at the collegiate level.

The Prospects Organizational Director of Recruitment Roland Kenny, has now coached and or helped over 800 players over the past 18 years find a place to play at the collegiate level including places such as Creighton, Kansas, Kansas State, Texas A&M, Pittsburgh State, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Arkansas State, Oral Roberts, USC-Upstate, Lipscomb, UALR, UCA, Vanderbilt, Nebraska, Nebraska Omaha, Wichita State, Richmond University, Wayne State College, Ft. Hayes St., NW Missouri St, Iowa Western CC, Johnson County CC, Barton CC, Pratt CC, Hutchinson CC, Crowder CC, Seminole, Cloud CC, Eastern Oklahoma State, DMACC, Kansas City CC, Ft. Scott CC, SECC, Doane University, Benedictine, Hastings College, Concordia, William Jewel, Mars Hill, Ottawa, Mt. Mercy and many more.

When playing for the Prospects, parents and player will sit through recruitment sessions that help your family identify schools as well as giving you information to help you find a school that fits your player. We will also make videos for your players as well as help them increase their presence on social media. The Prospects are also having a professional evaluation service come do a Pro day this fall to help the players increase exposure and to help them gauge the level of their ability.

The Prospects practice two days a week at multiple high schools during the fall season. The teams will be coached by current and former pro players as well as former D1 college players. They will also be coached by some of the excellent local area high school coaches who have similar goals of helping players reach the next level.

The typical Prospect fall roster will consist of 2 Catchers; 11-12 Position Players; & multiple Pitcher Only players. The fall is equal play time

The Prospects travel to tournaments in the fall that are located at different colleges and universities as well as multiple PBR & Perfect Game Tournaments. 2023-2026s will play in 6 tournaments. 2027s & 2028s will play in 4 tournaments. Places we have traveled to in the past as well as some of the places we will travel to this year are: KU, K-State, Arkansas, Wichita State, Iowa, PG-Kernels Classic, PBR-Iowa, Central Missouri State, Ft Scott, Johnson County as well as others. We will also have options for your player to travel to the WWBA Senior, Underclass, Sophomore & Freshman Championships in Florida as well, but these are not mandatory.

Rollie Kenny

Nebraska Prospects

Phone: 501-952-8668

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WNY Prospects

Elite travel baseball in buffalo ny, prospects organization.

The Western NY Prospects Baseball Organization has multiple teams from 9-18U including its Showcase team which sends players to the  collegiate level  each year. Our teams play a very competitive schedule including the top tournaments in the country. We participate in some the best local leagues including CEBA Collegiate, Boys of Summer, and Premier Travel Baseball league.

Our Mission

Our mission is to provide the opportunity for baseball players of all ages to develop their skills through  year round training . We offer the highest quality of instruction along with top notch coaches on  staff . Our mission is to produce a family friendly environment in which all players can learn, develop, and compete at a high level each time they take the field.

• Train and develop players so they compete against the highest competition in the US and Canada.
• Teach our players in game knowledge to compete at a high level.
• Allow players to experience valuable lessons such as being part of team, how to accept winning and defeat.
• Create valuable friendships and lifelong memories for the players, staff, and families directly involved.
• Help every single player reach his fullest potential and achieve the dream to play at the highest level possible.

Prospects FAQ's

Tryouts are held in late July and early August every year. If you are unable to make a tryout date, please contact us to schedule an alternate time.

We expect to field teams from 9U division through Showcase. At some age groups we will field multiple teams based on the amount of players interested in participating.

While specific schedule details will vary from team to team, here is a general sense of the time commitment for our baseball teams:

Spring – Teams will have Indoor Winter Workouts from November through March. We transition to outdoor practices in early April for the rest of the season.

Summer – For non-high school players the season begins in late April and runs into July. For high level players, the season starts after high school ball is complete in late June and runs through early August. Teams can expect to have multiple weeknights of games and/or practices each week, along with some weekend doubleheaders.

Fall – For players that want to participate in our Fall Ball program , teams will begin practices and games after Labor Day, and continue through mid October (weather permitting). Games are again primarily in the format of weekend doubleheaders.

We understand that many players have busy schedules not limited to just baseball, and we do not mandate 100% attendance at practices/games to maintain your roster spot. As a general philosophy, we offer two practices a week during Spring/Fall seasons in the hope that every player can make at least one session to ensure they are getting enough baseball development.

The Prospects participate in multiple tournaments around the WNY area each summer. For Showcase level players, we also travel to several out of town tournaments including Diamond Nation, Buckeye Elite, and others with an eye towards college recruiting activities.

New players will receive a Prospects jersey top, hat, and socks. We do not provide pants – players should supply their own. Players will need to have both white and grey pants. 

Creating a Culture of Success

West Coast Prospects is a high school and college preparatory, travel baseball program dedicated to helping young athletes develop and grow into advanced baseball players. 

Tryouts   Dates July 15th, 22nd, 29th Aug 5th   Location Villa Parke, Pasadena   Time/Age Group 4:00pm-5:30pm (9U-12U) 5:45pm-7:30pm (13U-14U)

About our Coaches

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Travel Baseball: The Ultimate Guide for Parents and Players

Table of Contents

What is travel baseball, what to look for in a travel baseball team, travel baseball vs. little league, travel baseball pros and cons , criticisms and controversy, is travel baseball worth it.

For many families, the transition from Little League to travel baseball comes with stress, anxiety and questions about what to look for in a team and what to expect from the experience — not to mention the question of whether making the switch from a more laid-back rec ball program to a more competitive (and expensive) travel club is the right decision in the first place.

In this post, we’re going to go over everything you need to know about getting started with youth travel baseball. We’ll help you answer the questions above and determine whether travel baseball is a good fit for your son or daughter. 

If you have a softball player in the family, you may also want to check out our article “ What to Look For in a Travel Softball Team ,” which covers some of the same information from a softball perspective and dives deep into my personal experience as an elite-level amateur player and college recruiting prospect.

Table of Contents :

• How to Choose a Travel Baseball Team
• Travel Baseball Pros and Cons
• Is Travel Baseball Worth It?  

First, it’s important to understand what a travel baseball team is and how travel baseball is organized. 

There are tens of thousands of travel baseball teams around the country, and their popularity has exploded over the past two decades. As recently as the 1990s, travel baseball was a niche experience limited mostly to elite players in baseball-rich areas like Texas and California. Today, participation is seen by many as a near necessity for talented players to develop their skills and hone their game against the best competition they can find. 

Whereas Little League is the dominant organization when it comes to recreational youth baseball, there are multiple organizations throughout the country that host hundreds of travel tournaments each year. Some of the biggest and most popular are USSSA (United States Speciality Sports Association), AAU (Amateur Athletic Union), Triple Crown Sports , and Perfect Game . Travel baseball teams often participate in tournaments organized by more than one of those organizations. 

A team can be started by anyone. Many are formed by parents, but many others are formed by high school and former college coaches. Depending on their organizational goals, some programs have just one team that participates in one age bracket (such as 10 and under), while some are run like businesses and have teams that compete in every age group. 

Some huge organizations, such as California Baseball Academy (CBA), even have multiple teams within the same age group, located in multiple cities. CBA has teams not only in California, but also in Nevada, Texas, Utah and the southeast. High-level programs like that are often known for attracting top talent, for training recruits into elite players, and for feeding those players into nearby colleges and universities. 

Travel Baseball Competition Structure

Virtually all travel baseball games are played on weekends in a tournament format. Those tournaments can theoretically be held anywhere, but are frequently held at multi-field facilities in easily-accessible travel hubs. For example, many Florida tournaments are held in Orlando because it’s in the relative center of the state, it has plenty of hotel rooms, and it’s home to many great baseball facilities. The farther you live away from such a hub, the more you should expect to travel. 

Most tournaments begin with pool play, meaning that teams are guaranteed a number of games before heading into single elimination. A team can expect to play anywhere from three to eight games over the course of a two-day or three-day tournament, depending on how they perform.

There is no set number of tournaments a team must participate in. Each team decides which tournaments to enter on a case-by-case basis, taking into consideration factors such as age level, skill level, and cost. In general, two tournaments per month can be seen as about average, although higher-level teams may play more frequently. 

Most organizations run regional and national championships, which are invite-only. For example, USSSA hosts “qualifier” tournaments, where the winner of the championship game (and sometimes the runner up) can earn a bid to the USSSA national tournament.

Additionally, beginning at age 14, some teams start participating in “college exposure tournaments,” where college scouts come from across the country to watch and evaluate prospects. These tournaments are typically more expensive than regular tournaments, and are often farther away.

How to Join a Travel Baseball Team

If you’ve decided to join a travel baseball team and aren’t sure where to find one, there are a number of resources available. 

It may go without saying, but word-of-mouth can be a valuable first reference point. If you’re thinking about switching to travel baseball, chances are that you already know someone in your area who has made the jump. If so, don’t be afraid to ask them questions about the team and their experience. It’s a big commitment — both in terms of time and finances — so it’s important to make sure you find the right club for your son or daughter.

In addition to word of mouth, many organizations offer a list of active teams on their website. For example, USSSA has a tool that lets you filter teams by age level, skill level, and location . There are also many state-based forums and Facebook groups where coaches post their team’s tryouts (and positions needed). As an example, here are Facebook groups for travel baseball teams in Florida and Michigan ⁠— you can find similar groups for every state. 

Another good option is FieldLevel.com , which (like the USSSA site) allows you to filter teams by state and level. While not every team is listed on that website, it does include over 4,000 clubs.

Here are eight things to think about when evaluating teams. These factors will make a big difference when it comes to your overall experience, so take the time to think about them, and don’t be afraid to ask questions of parents and coaches.

1. Coaching  

A coaching staff can make or break a team. How coaches manage players, keep the game fun, instill the fundamentals, and focus on development — not only as athletes, but as young men and women — is extremely important. 

Some travel baseball teams have parents or grandparents serving as the head coach. While that can be fine, it’s important to make sure those coaches don’t make keeping their own child on the field a priority. Before committing to a team, spend some time researching it by watching a practice and talking to current and/or former players and parents. 

What’s the coaching style? Do they have high expectations but still encourage and love their players? Or, on the other hand, are they screaming at players when they make a mistake? 

Additionally, are players treated equitably, or do some get preferential treatment based on their relationship to the coach or their financial contribution to the team?

Ideally, your child will be a part of that team and organization for consecutive years, rather than bouncing from team to team. As such, determining whether the coaching staff is a good fit is a crucial first step.

2. Cost  

For many parents, this is the most terrifying aspect of travel baseball.

Just how much of a toll is this going to take on your bank account? The specific answer varies, but the typical range of cost for participating in travel baseball is between $500 and $2,500 per year. 

That said, you can end up spending a lot more than that. Back in 2011, CBS News reported that one Georgia family paid $4,000 per year for their 9-year-old son’s travel team. You can imagine that older players in elite programs that travel all over the country can spend even more over the course of a season.

Typically, the more intensely focused a program is on developing its players for college baseball, the more money the program is going to cost. On the other hand, teams that are playing more for the fun of it — those looking for just a little more structure and competition than offered by Little League — won’t put as much of a dent in your wallet.

There are a number of specific factors that go into how much it costs to be on a team:

• Where you live . If you live in a baseball hub, like Texas or California, you won’t have to travel as far to get to tournaments. Many teams from rural areas regularly drive across multiple states (or sometimes even fly) to tournaments. As such, where you live will likely be the single biggest variable in your overall travel baseball cost.
• Whether you have to buy your own equipment . Some teams are sponsored by equipment companies like Easton and Rawlings and have their bats, gloves and cleats provided either for free or at a reduced cost. Obviously, this can be a huge savings. Also, keep in mind that (unfortunately) equipment is often viewed as a status symbol in travel baseball. If your child joins a team where every other player has multiple bats and position-specific gloves, he or she is going to press you for similar gear.
• Whether you have to rent facilities . Some teams practice exclusively at public fields. Others have little or no access to such facilities and have to rent fields and/or indoor space (especially for winter workouts). This can have a huge impact on the overall cost of participation.
• Whether or not coaches are paid . Some teams — typically the more competitive ones — pay their coaches small stipends and/or cover their cost of travel. On one hand, this tends to lead to better coaching. On the other hand, families are the ones who will ultimately foot that bill.
• How competitive the team is . Higher-level tournaments typically have higher fees. Lower-level tournaments, operated on a more sub-regional basis, are usually much less expensive to enter. If cost is a concern, make sure you know what types of tournaments the team usually enters over the course of the season. 

3. Location  

As stated earlier, location is a key factor in deciding which travel team to play for. If you’re fortunate enough to live in California, Florida or Texas, you’re going to have a lot of opportunities to play with and against high-level competition right in your backyard. 

But outside of those states, it’s a little bit tougher, and you have to decide how committed you are to playing at the highest possible level. 

For example, if you live in a medium-sized town outside of a major baseball hub, chances are you have at least a couple of travel ball options. However, the odds are that those options are not the absolute cream of the crop when it comes to coaching and competitiveness. In order to play for the absolute “best” team possible, you might have to commute from your mid-sized town to the nearest major city. 

So you’ll be faced with the following choice: play on a lower level team that’s closer to home, or drive a hundred miles or more for twice-weekly practices? It may sound crazy, but many families do just that. 

Why would they commit so much time and money to their son or daughter’s athletic pursuits? It comes down to goals. Better teams often provide better coaching and more opportunities for exposure to college and professional scouts. 

What’s the team’s mission? Is the focus on fun, player development, college exposure, or a mix of all there? Teams can have many different goals and missions, and there’s no right or wrong approach.

However, it is possible that a team’s mission does not align with your values and goals, and you need to think about this before committing, as a compatibility mismatch can lead to coach-parent and coach-player tension. 

5. Organization

Consider the reputation of the organization you’re evaluating. When you join a team, you and your son or daughter will essentially be endorsing everything the program stands for. If they’re known for dirty play or being disrespectful to the game, you’ll be associated with that. 

And believe it or not, the baseball world is a small and surprisingly tight-knit community. College coaches tend to know which programs produce bad apples — and they avoid them. In fact, many college coaches will completely write off an entire organization that has a reputation for not playing the game the right way or for having disrespectful players.

6. Playing Time

There’s an important balance between getting enough playing time and being challenged. Before committing, ask the coaching staff what kind of playing time your child can expect — including at what position. 

If there are two returning shortstops, he or she most likely won’t be playing there and might have to learn another position. That’s not a bad thing: college coaches want players that are versatile, and many players change positions as they get older and their bodies develop. 

Still, it’s helpful to know what to expect ahead of time. Getting game reps is important from a development perspective, but also just from a fun perspective: no kid wants to consistently travel to a tournament only to sit on the bench for most of the weekend. 

7. Skill Level

Be realistic about your child’s skill level, and pay attention to the level of competition around him or her at tryouts (i.e., the skill levels of the other players). If your kid has the fight and desire to compete for a spot (like they’ll have to do if they make it to college ball), then putting them on a team where they’ll be challenged is the best option. 

But if he or she is there to have fun and make friends, with no burning desire to be constantly improving, then choosing a travel team that’s more low-key will be the better call.

8. What You’re Giving Up

Travel baseball tournaments are on weekends, and players often have to sacrifice certain things that are part of a normal childhood. 

Is your son or daughter willing to miss out on things like birthdays, sleepovers and school dances, because most of their time is spent doing homework, traveling to and from games and practices, practicing on their own (possibly including private lessons), and spending nearly every summer weekend at the ballpark?

And are they willing to sacrifice the material things that matter to kids — things like clothes, video games, new smartphones, etc. — because so much money is being spent on baseball? 

As I wrote in THV’s guide to travel softball , my family made major sacrifices to support my athletic pursuits. 

For some, their love of the game is so great that giving up these things is a no-brainer. For others, they may regret missing out on these social activities. And that’s perfectly fine! Just be honest with each other and talk about the true costs of travel baseball — because it’s not just the sticker price.

There are some important similarities and differences between competitive travel baseball and recreational baseball. Both can teach many valuable life skills, such as work ethic, good sportsmanship, teamwork and bouncing back from failure. But they are very different when it comes to time commitment and competitiveness.

The Little League schedule usually runs from the late spring through early summer, with teams practicing twice per week and playing two games per week. The total number of games per season varies, but it usually ranges from 10 to 20. It’s a local program, which means travel is either limited or non-existent. In general, Little League coaches are parents.

Little League can be a great place for kids as young as 4-years-old to start playing the game. They’ll learn the rules and the absolute basics of hitting, pitching and fielding in a fun an easy-going environment (except for the occasional parent that takes their coaching position overboard). 

Overall, Little League fits the classic stereotype of youth baseball: kids having fun playing the greatest game in the world, without much pressure or focus on player development. 

Back in the day, Little League would feed into middle school and high school programs, which carried the bulk of the weight when it came to getting payers ready for college and the pros. But today, the reality is that it’s almost impossible to get the coaching and skill development you need by participating only Little league or other rec ball programs. 

That’s especially true when it comes to the gap between “Majors” Little League (12-and-under) and high school. Few middle schools still have baseball programs, and those programs that do exist tend not to be very good. Likewise, while Little League offers both a Junior division (12-14) and a Senior division (14-16), those leagues tend to pale in comparison to the coaching and competition offered by travel ball. 

So, if your son or daughter is serious about playing baseball at a high level, it’s especially important to focus on the transition to travel ball at around the age of 11 or 12.

There are positives and negatives when it comes to travel baseball. Here are a few of each.

• Better competition : Players are more serious about the game and more driven to improve. This higher level of competition will help push your son or daughter to improve their own skills.
• Better coaching : Travel baseball coaches tend to be better qualified, more knowledgeable, and better-connected. At the highest levels of travel ball, teams often employ former professional coaches.
• More exposure : Aside from high school baseball, travel ball is the primary means of exposure to college coaches and pro scouts. Plus, travel teams often attend showcase tournaments and camps.
• More games played : Travel teams play significantly more games per year than rec ball teams.
• Facilitates travel : Sometimes seen as an ancillary benefit, the travel itself can be a valuable and eye-opening experience for players. Many kids don’t have an opportunity to travel out of their own area or state, and travel baseball can provide that. 
• Encourages character development : Because travel teams are more serious, there’s a greater emphasis put on things like being on time, demonstrating maximum effort, and having a good attitude.  
• Cost : Travel baseball is expensive — sometimes absurdly so. Families often spend around $2,500 per year, but the costs can be even higher. 
• Time commitment : Even a moderately competitive travel team can consume an entire summer’s worth of weekends. 
• Ultra-competitive : On most travel teams, there’s a balance between player development and winning. What you won’t often find is an “everybody plays” approach. For the most part, the best players will play the most, which makes for a highly-competitive environment. 
• Tougher workouts : This can be a pro or a con, depending on the player’s perspective and goals. Tougher workouts can lead to better outcomes, but they can also be mentally and physically taxing if the player isn’t fully invested.
• Lack of diversity : Because travel baseball is expensive, it has often been criticized for a lack of socioeconomic and racial diversity. 

Travel baseball provides many benefits and can be a valuable opportunity for players who are serious about the game and committed to playing at the highest possible level. However, it’s not without its share of criticism and controversy. 

In an essay titled “ Left Out ,” MLB superstar Andrew McCutchen wrote about how kids like him, who grow up in low-income families, are often excluded from travel baseball and thus systematically disadvantaged when it comes to development and exposure: 

“When you’re a kid from a low-income family who has talent, how do you get recognized? Now, you have to pay thousands of dollars for the chance to be noticed in showcase tournaments in big cities. My parents loved me, but they had to work hard to put food on the table, and there wasn’t much left over. They didn’t have the option of skipping a shift to take me to a tournament over the weekend. […] That’s the challenge for families today. It’s not about the $100 bat. It’s about the $100-a-night motel room and the $30 gas money and the $300 tournament fee. 

[…] If you’re a poor kid with raw ability, it’s not enough.”

McCutchen was lucky: an AAU coach “discovered” him at the age of 13 and covered his travel ball expenses. But most kids from similar situations aren’t so fortunate. 

Why is this important for you, the parent of a child thinking about joining a travel team? 

On one hand, it’s important to be aware of how the systems we participate in affect our society. But on a much more specific level, you should know that your child will be entering a largely homogenous environment.

On top of that, kids from lower-income families can often feel out of place in travel ball — especially if they don’t come to the ballpark with the latest, top-quality gear like their teammates. This social dynamic can have a powerful impact on your child’s experience. 

Additionally, travel baseball means that both your family and your child will be spending less time within your own community.

There’s been a lot written in recent years about how travel baseball may be contributing to the erosion of communities , because it pulls families out of local baseball programs that once served as important civic institutions.

This is evidenced by the sharply declining participation in Little League. In the organization’s Southeast Region (a hotbed for a travel baseball), the number of Little League players has plunged by nearly 50% since 2007 . 

So we’ve come to the biggest question: Is travel ball worth it?

If you want to improve your skills and have the best chance to play in college or the pros, travel baseball is the way to go. But remember: there is a range of cost and time commitment within travel baseball. Your son or daughter doesn’t necessarily have to opt for the most expensive travel team in order to be sufficiently challenged (and later on, to get noticed by college coaches). 

Your goal in evaluating teams should be to find the right balance of: 

• Financial commitment 
• Time commitment
• Intangible sacrifices (school events, community involvement, etc.) 
• Baseball goals

After reading this article, you should have a very solid understanding of what Little League and travel baseball have in common, their differences, and what you should be looking for in a club. 

Remember, this is your child’s choice to. Help them see the pros and cons of each option. And although we stated it earlier, we cannot stress this enough: you cannot dictate your son or daughter’s commitment to the game of baseball. It’s up to them. So, support them in whatever capacity they want to participate. If you do, they’ll never regret or forget the amazing experiences, friends, and lessons learned playing this great game.

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Cannons baseball, our program.

The Cannons Baseball Club has offered year-round advanced baseball training and one of the region’s most competitive travel programs since 2006. We strongly believe in playing equal or better competition to help our players prepare for future advancement. Our program offers one team at each age division of the Select Baseball League.

The Cannons believe that family, local competition, academics and training are integral aspects in every player’s journey. Our mission is to guide student-athletes along a path toward success on and off the field. Our history speaks for itself. Cannons alumni include three MLB Draft picks and more than 100 collegiate players.

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The Select League  was created to provide an enhanced travel ball experience for all age levels. The  Select League is the premier baseball league in New England. Home to 100+ club programs, the Select League is New England’s most competitive baseball league.

New England Baseball Journal

Travel ball spotlight: NH Prospects form one all-star team per age group

Editor’s note: This is part of a series of spotlights featuring some of the larger travel programs around New England. For a look at other travel program spotlights, scroll to the bottom of the article for links.

The NH Prospects coaching staff prides itself on assembling the state's best collection of baseball talent at every age level from 8U to 18U. A tryout process at each age level provides NH Prospects coaches with an opportunity to pick the top 13 or 14 Granite State players at each age group with a focus on development, training, performance -- and for the high school-aged players -- college recruitment.

While NH Prospects Managing Director Matt Bouchard believes the club's '23, '24 and '25 classes of players offer the most upside, the Class of 2022 is laden with 10 college prospects, including one D1 commit -- Coastal Carolina-bound left-handed pitcher Liam Doyle.

NH Prospects coaches also take pride in providing college scholarships to college-bound club members. This year, three NH Prospects will receive scholarship money totaling $4,500. In 2020, NH Prospects alumnus Jesse McGlashing received the club's scholarship before enrolling at Colby-Sawyer College. he's a look at what the NH Prospects Baseball Club offers Granite State ballplayers.

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THE BEACH CITY PROSPECTS

OUR WINNING PHILOSOPHY

Beach City Baseball Academy is the leading 13 and under program in the area, and home to the renowned Beach City Prospects 8U-13U competitive travel baseball teams. Our focus is on providing a environment where players can thrive, grow, and become well-rounded athletes. With an unwavering commitment to their development, we aim to create memorable and positive experiences for every player as they proudly represent our organization.

The Prospects play all year round and have various opportunities to develop their skills, including a multitude of tournament play, fitness and agility training, batting practice in our state-of-the-art facility, and field practice with scrimmages. Our intense practices allow players to learn, improve, and demonstrate their skills, commitment, and sportsmanship, earning more playing time and the chance to explore different positions.

Our coaching philosophy emphasizes family, cooperation, respect, loyalty, commitment, and shared responsibility. Success and adversity alike serve as powerful learning experiences, shaping character and resilience. We instill in our players a spirit that asks, "What have I done for my team today?" Striving for excellence, we empower our athletes to embrace challenges and overcome setbacks by helping them to understand that, to a person of good character with a winning attitude, both victory and adversity are powerful learning experiences. Our coaches lead by example, teaching players that no matter how hard the loss, or how lopsided the final score, the only true loss to take to heart is the loss of an opportunity to give your all to your team and the game. We hope that Prospects players leave our program knowing that when we each do our best and give the game our full effort, it’s not the strikeouts that define us–it’s how we deal with them that determines if we are winners.

Our vision encompasses unmatched skill development and extends beyond the game. We aspire for each Prospect to graduate from our program enriched with life skills—teamwork, perseverance, and a sense of fulfillment—that translate into success in all walks of life. Joining Beach City Baseball Academy means embarking on a journey where love for baseball ignites personal growth and lifelong friendships, in an ambiance where every player, from 8U to 13U, grows as part of a family, nurtured by consistent coaching and mentorship both on and off the field.

WHY PROSPECTS?

Choosing the right youth baseball team is a decision that can profoundly impact your child's future in the sport and beyond. at beach city baseball academy, we are committed to providing a transformative experience for young athletes, empowering them to become not only outstanding baseball players but also outstanding individuals., read up on what sets us apart from other programs.

Professional Coaching:  All of our experienced coaches have a minimum of college level play under their belt. Prospect coaches excel at consistency, and will stay with the same team from 8U to graduation from the program, rather than just coaching individual games or the same age group every year. Beach City coaches are active in the community, and  provide expert guidance, nurturing young talent and instilling a love for the game. 

Dedicated Facilities: Our state-of-the-art facility includes a private infield, seven pitching mounds, advanced triple-play ultra pitching machines, and a HitTrax baseball simulator, creating an optimal environment for skill development.

Player Development: We focus on fostering work ethic, teamwork, leadership, and sportsmanship, helping your child grow on and off the field. Our mission is to develop well-rounded individuals prepared for success in any endeavor.

Tournament Opportunities:  The Prospects play all year round, gaining valuable experience and improving performance under pressure. Prospects compete in prestigious tournaments hosted by organizations including NCS, USSSA, Triple Crown, USA and PG. Every year, we send or 12U team to the legendary Cooperstown Dreams Park, where we proudly hold winning titles throughout the years.

Ideal Coach-to-Player Ratio: A 6:1 ratio ensures personalized attention, tailored coaching, and focused development for each player. This approach allows us to understand each player's unique strengths and areas for improvement. We would rather have fewer players on the roster that receive individualized attention, than more who may fall through the cracks.

Program Options: We offer diverse programs for different age groups and skill levels, from beginners to advanced players, ensuring a perfect fit for every child.

Thriving Community: Join a close-knit community of players, coaches, and families, fostering lasting friendships and cherished memories. The Beach City Prospects is more than just a team; it’s a supportive community.

Exclusive Offers: Prospects receive a 10% discount on all programs offered at BCBA, and are given a free BCBA facility rental membership while in season, encouraging continuous practice and improvement.

Join us today and witness the difference that professional coaching, exceptional facilities, and a supportive community can make in your child's baseball journey!

2023 Little League World Series Champions Then and Now

Rec or travel.

We understand that each young athlete has unique needs and ambitions, and that's why we offer both recreational and competitive teams to ensure a perfect fit for everyone.

Recreational Teams : Our recreational teams provide the ideal platform for players who may not be quite ready for the commitment of competitive play or those who wish to refine their skills before venturing into a more intense tournament schedule. In a supportive and ambitious environment, players get to experience the joy of baseball and develop their abilities with the guidance of our expert coaches, with parents kindly on the sidelines. These teams take part in the esteemed South Bay Pony League, where they engage in competition with other local teams.

Travel Teams: For those seeking a more intense and competitive experience, our elite travel teams are the perfect choice. Beach City hosts teams ranging from 8U-13U, with team members starting as young as 6 and graduating through the program exceedingly ready for the high school level. These dedicated teams regularly compete in at least two high-caliber tournaments every month year round, facing off against top teams from major tournament networks across Southern California, Nevada, and Arizona. With fierce rivalries and challenging matchups, our travel teams offer the competition and gratification that ambitious young players thrive on.

At Beach City Baseball Academy, we are not just a baseball program; we are a tight-knit community of players, coaches, and families who share a passion for the sport. We believe in nurturing both the skills and character of our players, instilling in them values that extend beyond the field. Whether your child is taking their first steps in baseball or dreams of becoming a top-tier player, our program is designed to foster growth, confidence, and lasting memories. Join us today and be a part of the extraordinary journey with The Beach City Prospects!

HOW TO TRYOUT

BCBA hosts tryouts two times per year for the Fall and Spring Seasons. 

Upcoming tryouts can be found on the home page under " upcoming events. " Tryout dates will also be sent out via email and social media. 

Every season, all potential Prospect players are required to try out. If a player demonstrates at tryouts that they are ready for competitive play, but a spot is not immediately available, we encourage them to stay in our system and play on a recreational team. Opportunities may arise for players on our recreational teams to move up to our competitive teams, and similarly, players on our competitive teams may move to recreational teams due to lack of performance or unforeseen circumstances. Click HERE to find out which age group your child belongs to. 

For makeup tryouts and all other specific inquiries, please contact Ryan Lopez, Director of Baseball Operations 

[email protected] .

PROSPECTS THROUGH THE YEARS

Roster Finalized for 2024 18U National Team Training Camp

CARY, N.C. – USA Baseball today finalized the roster for the 2024 18U National Team Training Camp, which is scheduled for July 17-21 at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, North Carolina. The 84-player roster will compete for a spot on the final 20-player 18U National Team.

The final 18U National Team roster will be named on July 22 and will then compete in the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) U-18 Baseball World Cup Americas Qualifier from August 2-11 in Panama City, Panama. Team USA is the defending champion at the Americas Qualifier after winning gold in Mexico in 2022.

“The 18U National Team Training Camp is annually a collection of the best 18-and-under players in the country, and this year is no different.” said Brett Curll , USA Baseball’s 18U National Team Program Director. “We are excited to watch these eighty-four players compete in Cary as we take the next step toward defending our gold medal at the World Cup Americas Qualifier.”

Sixteen Team USA alumni will make the trip to Cary to battle for a spot on this year’s 18U National Team. Coy James and Jack McKernan return to Training Camp after earning spots on last year’s 18U National Team, while Vaughn Neckar will aim to secure his spot on the roster following a gold-medal run with the 2022 18U National Team. Including James and McKernan, nine players from the World Cup-winning 2022 15U National Team are on this year’s Training Camp roster: Zane Burns , Andrew Costello , Brady Ebel , Grady Emerson , Ethan Holliday , James, McKernan, Brady Murrietta , and James Tronstein .

Additionally, 12U National Team alums Gavin Fien , Josiah Hartshorn , Rashad Hayes , and Dean Moss will attempt to earn spots on the stars and stripes for the second time, along with 2021 15U National Team alum Zach Strickland .

Thirty-eight players on this summer’s 18U Training Camp squad have previously participated in a USA Baseball Development Program. Twenty-nine athletes from last year’s 16U/17U National Team Development Program (NTDP) will return to Cary as part of the 2024 Training Camp, while 15 total players have competed at USA Baseball’s 13U/14U Athlete Development Program (ADP). Thirteen players on the roster have participated in multiple development programs: Kayson Cunningham , Ebel, Connor Essenburg , Sean Gamble , James, McKernan, Moss, Murrietta, Neckar, Kruz Schoolcraft , Strickland, and Tronstein.

In total, 22 different states are represented on the 2024 Training Camp roster. California leads the way with 27 athletes on the roster, followed by Texas, which features 14 players. Florida has five players on the 84-man squad, while Arizona and Illinois each have four. Seventy-two athletes on the roster are committed to Power Five schools, including 42 Southeastern Conference (SEC) commits.

The 2024 18U National Team will be managed by five-time Team USA coach Rick Eckstein . He will be joined on staff by his brother, 2006 World Series MVP David Eckstein , along with two-time MLB All-Star Brad Penny and longtime high school coach Steve Stone . The full 18U National Team Training Camp staff can be found here .

The 2024 18U National Team Training Camp roster is as follows:

2024 18U National Team Training Camp Roster (Name; Position; Hometown; School)

Alonzo Alvarez; C; Brentwood, Calif.; Heritage Cameron Appenzeller; LHP; Springfield, Ill.; Glenwood Ethan Baiotto; RHP; Southlake, Texas; Southlake Carroll Tyler Baird; RHP; Huntersville, N.C.; William Amos Hough Caleb Barnett; INF; Mountain Brook, Ala.; Mountain Brook ^Jack Bauer; LHP; Frankfort, Ill.; Lincoln Way East ^Luke Billings; C/OF; Prosper, Texas; Prosper Ethin Bingaman; RHP; Redlands, Calif.; Corona ^Alec Blair; OF; Lafayette, Calif.; De La Salle Tye Briscoe; LHP; Abilene, Texas; Wylie ^Thomas Brown; C; Livermore, Calif.; Granada Charlie Buckles; 1B/OF; Bethesda, Md.; Walt Whitman *Zane Burns; RHP; Chandler, Ariz.; Corona Del Sol ^Billy Carlson; INF/RHP; Corona, Calif.; Corona ^Angel Cervantes; RHP; Lynwood, Calif.; Warren *^Andrew Costello; C; Fairview, Pa.; Cathedral Preparatory Brett Crossland; RHP; Phoenix, Ariz.; Mountain Pointe ^Kayson Cunningham; INF; San Antonio, Texas; Johnson Slater de Brun; OF; Bend, Ore.; Summit Patrick Dudley; LHP; Virginia Beach, Va.; Atlantic Shores *^Brady Ebel; INF; Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.; Corona Lamar Edwards; OF; Lake Helen, Fla.; Spruce Creek *^Grady Emerson; INF; Argyle, Texas; Argyle ^Connor Essenburg; LHP; Manhattan, Ill.; Lincoln Way West Jaden Fauske; OF/C; Willowbrook, Ill.; Nazareth Academy *^Gavin Fien; INF; Temecula, Calif.; Great Oak Nick Frusco; LHP; Miller Place, N.Y.; Miller Place ^Sean Gamble; OF; Des Moines, Iowa; IMG Academy Trent Grindlinger; C; Huntington Beach, Calif.; Huntington Beach Steele Hall; INF/OF; Trussville, Ala.; Hewitt-Trussville Connor Hamilton; RHP; Thompson Station, Tenn.; Mongomery Bell Academy River Hamilton; RHP; Woodvillage, Ore.; Sam Barlow Josh Hammond; RHP; High Point, N.C.; Wesleyan Christian Academy Landon Harmon; RHP; New Albany, Miss.; East Union Attendance Center *^Brady Harris; OF; Saint Augustine, Fla.; Trinity Christian Academy *^Josiah Hartshorn; INF; Anaheim, Calif.; Orange Lutheran *^Rashad Hayes; INF; Oakland, Calif.; Bishop O'Dowd ^Seth Hernandez; OF/RHP; Chino, Calif.; Corona ^William Hill; OF; Humble, Texas; Summer Creek Landon Hodge; C; Agua Dulce, Calif.; Crespi Carmelite *^Ethan Holliday; INF; Stillwater, Okla.; Stillwater RJ Holmes; INF; Menifee, Calif.; Vista Murrieta Brayden Jaksa; INF/OF; Fremont, Calif.; Irvington *^Coy James; INF/OF; Advance, N.C.; Davie County Jack Lafflam; RHP; Scottsdale, Ariz.; Brophy College Preparatory ^Jacob Lombard; INF; Pinecrest, Fla.; Gulliver ^Jordan Martin; RHP; Jefferson City, Mo.; Arkansas *^Jack McKernan; LHP; Missouri City, Texas; Ridge Point Xavier Mitchell; LHP; Garland, Texas; Prestonwood Christian Academy *^Dean Moss; OF; Antherton, Calif.; IMG Academy *^Brady Murrietta; C; Yorba Linda, Calif.; Orange Lutheran Clayton Namken; C; New Braunfels, Texas; New Baunfeels *^Vaughn Neckar; RHP; Murrieta, Calif.; Vista Murrieta ^Xavier Neyens; INF; Mount Vernon, Wash.; Mount Vernon Josh Owens; INF/RHP; Jonesborough, Tenn.; Providence Academy Anthony Pack Jr.; OF; Lakewood, Calif.; Milikan Nico Partida; INF/RHP; Manvel, Texas; Pearland William Patrick; OF; Monroe, La.; St. Frederick Ty Peeples; OF; Lavonia, Ga.; Franklin County ^Mason Pike; INF/RHP; Puyallup, Wash.; Puyallup Eli Pitts; OF; Lilburn, Ga.; Parkview ^Ethan Porter; INF/OF/RHP; Costa Mesa, Calif.; Huntington Beach ^David Ramirez; LHP; Kemah, Texas; Clear Falls Reagan Ricken; RHP; Temecula, Calif.; Great Oak ^Cooper Rummel; RHP; Austin, Texas; Dripping Springs CJ Sampson; INF/RHP; Tomball, Texas; Tomball ^Landon Schaefer; OF; Fayetteville, Ark.; Fayetville ^Kruz Schoolcraft; 1B/LHP; Beaverton, Ore.; Sunset Brock Sell; OF; Stockton, Calif.; Tokay Miguel Sime Jr.; RHP; Queens Village, N.Y.; Poly Prep Country Day Johnny Slawinski; LHP; Johnson City, Texas; Lyndon B Johnson ^JD Stein; INF; Carmel, Ind.; Carmel Aiden Stillman; LHP; Winter Park, Fla.; Trinity Preparatory *^Zach Strickland; RHP; Arcadia, Calif.; Maranatha *^James Tronstein; OF; Los Angeles, Calif.; Harvard-Westlake High School ^Myles Upchurch; RHP; Hyattsville, Md.; St. Albans School Aaron Watson; RHP; Jacksonville, Fla.; Trinity Christian Academy Austin Weiss; LHP; Rockville, Md.; Georgetown Preparatory Tyler Wick; INF; San Diego, Calif.; Saint Augustine Eli Willits; INF; Fort Cobb, Okla.; Fort Cobb-Broxton Dylan Wood; RHP; Elk Grove, Calif.; Franklin Tyler Wood; RHP; Lee Summit, Mo.; Lees Summit West Hagen Wright; OF; Mesa, Ariz.; Red Mountain ^Quentin Young; INF; Camarillo, Calif.; Oaks Christian

* denotes USA Baseball alumni ^ denotes USA Baseball development program participant

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Kentucky baseball players from CWS team among top prospects in 2024 MLB Draft

Many college and prep baseball players are hoping to hear their names called beginning Sunday, when the 2024 MLB Draft kicks off at 7 p.m. in Fort Worth, Texas.

The MLB draft will conclude Tuesday. There will be 600 selections over 20 rounds.

Here are some of the commonwealth's top players who have a chance to be selected:

Top 2024 MLB Draft prospects from around Kentucky

Ryan waldschmidt.

College: Kentucky

Follow every MLB game: Latest MLB scores, stats, schedules and standings.

Position: Outfielder

2024 stats: Ryan Waldschmidt was named second-team All-SEC after batting .333 with 14 home runs and 25 steals.

Émilien Pitre

Position: Second baseman

2024 stats: Émilien Pitre was named a third-team All-American by the American Baseball Coaches Association and made the SEC All-Defensive team. At the plate, Pitre hit .301 with 10 home runs and recorded 26 steals.

College: Louisville

2024 stats: JT Benson, who played at South Oldham High School, had a career year in 2024 for the Cardinals. He led the ACC and ranked seventh nationally with 34 stolen bases. He hit .302 with 13 doubles, nine home runs, and 41 RBIs.

Eddie King Jr.

2024 stats: Eddie King Jr. led the Cardinals in home runs (14) and RBIs (43), finishing the season with a .322 batting average.

Mason Burns

College: Western Kentucky

Position: Pitcher

2024 stats: Mason Burns finished second nationally with 15 saves in 28 appearances and broke the Hilltoppers' single-season record for saves. In 36 innings, he recorded a 4.00 ERA with 52 strikeouts. Burns was named a third-team All-American by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.

Other prospects from around Kentucky

College: Bellarmine

Position : First baseman

2024 stats: Casey Sorg was named first-team All-ASUN and led the Knights in almost every hitting category. He hit .348 with 14 home runs and 49 RBIs.

Ryan Nicholson

Position: Infielder

2024 stats: In his first year with the Wildcats, Ryan Nicholson, who played for St. Xavier High School, led the team with 23 home runs. He batted .306 and led the team with 63 RBIs.

Position: Designated hitter

2024 stats: Nick Lopez had the highest batting average (.345) on the Wildcats and recorded 79 hits. Lopez made first-team All-SEC and was named an All-American by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.

Evan Webster

2024 stats: Evan Webster earned second-team All-ACC honors and recorded the best ERA (4.18) and WHIP (1.34) of all Cardinals pitchers who made at least five starts.

Sebastian Gongora

Position : Pitcher

2024 stats: Sebastian Gongora recorded a 6.14 ERA in 77 ⅔ Innings and struck out 89 batters.

Travis Smith

2024 stats: Travis Smith, who is from Walton, went 3-4 in 37 ⅔ innings and posted a 6.21 ERA.

Reach sports reporter Prince James Story at [email protected] and follow him on X at @PrinceJStory.

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Six Polarizing Prospects In The 2024 MLB Draft Class

Image credit: Brody Brecht (Mike Janes/Four Seam Images)

It’s fun to disagree about players.

Every year some players seem to be more polarizing than others and this year is no different. Below we look into six players who have wide-ranging opinions from the scouting industry and try and examine the pro and con cases for each.

BA 500 Draft Rankings

Our final big board is here. See the top 500 prospects and updated scouting reports.

Vance Honeycutt , OF, North Carolina

As we wrote earlier this season , Honeycutt has arguably the highest upside along with the biggest risk of any player in contention to go in the first round. He has almost every tool teams look for. Honeycutt has big power—he is North Carolina’s all-time home run leader (61)—and perhaps even greater speed. He is the first Division I player to hit more than 60 career homers and steal more than 70 bags. He’s also a two-time ACC defensive player of the year. Not to mention, the face of North Carolina’s run to the College World Series in 2024.

So what’s the catch?

Simply put: Some scouts and teams wonder whether Honeycutt’s hit tool will hold up. Interestingly, though Honeycutt hit a career-best .318 this season, his contact and strikeout rates actually regressed. Honeycutt made contact less than 70% of the time this year to go along with an 83-36 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

Those are concerning figures, though our piece also points out teams are showing more leniency in recent years when it comes to strikeout rates as they rise at all levels of the game. Based on tools and athleticism, Honeycutt is one of the elite choices in the draft. How teams feel about developing enough contact skills to maximize the rest of the game will determine how high his name is called Sunday night.

Dakota Jordan , OF, Mississippi State

Much of Honeycutt’s writeup also applies to Jordan. Just read the first line of his BA 500 scouting report: Jordan was a high-profile prospect coming out of high school who stood out for his multi-sport athleticism, physicality and power-speed combination.

Jordan is less refined than Honeycutt, likely because he was also a star football player in high school, but he faces some of the same contact vs. power questions. Jordan is also a plus runner, but he’s less refined in the field as well, which is why he checks in at No. 35 in our final big board.

Still, Jordan hit .354/.459/.671 with 20 homers in the SEC at Mississippi State and he has 70-grade raw power and some of the best bat speed you’ll find in this class. Yet his contact rate and chase percentage were even a tick worse than Honeycutt’s.

A team bullish on its ability to coax more contact ability might fall in love with Jordan. Others might find such swing-and-miss disqualifying for a first-round pick. But in a down year overall, Jordan’s power and speed should become appealing to teams late in day one, and he just might end up making someone look very smart for taking a gamble.

Slade Caldwell , OF, Valley View HS, Jonesboro, Ark.

Teams seem to be lamenting the lack of exciting high school hitting profiles in the middle of this year’s first round, but what about Caldwell? He was a tremendous in-game performer throughout the 2023 showcase circuit and features an enticing blend of contact skills, double-plus speed and strong center field defense.

Additionally, he is one of the youngest players in the class, and will be only 18.1 on draft day, which is a significant piece for model-heavy teams that prioritize age—especially so for hitters. There are a few potential landing spots for him in the first round but perhaps less than you’d expect given his skill set and the relative weakness of the prep class.

Size is the question mark for Caldwell.

He’s listed at 5-foot-9, 182 pounds (and might actually be a bit shorter than that) and some teams wonder about how much power he’ll get to and whether he can hold up over the course of a major league season. There are teams who view him as more of a supplemental first or second-rounder because of his size which makes us think about 2023 shortstop Kevin McGonigle. McGonigle ranked No. 25 in the class a year ago but slid to the supplemental first with the Tigers where he signed for $2.8 million. That pick has looked pretty good so far.

Brody Brecht , RHP, Iowa

Brecht is the peak example of a polarizing pitching profile for this year’s class.

His pure stuff is comparable to Chase Burns at the very top of the class that sits in the 96-97 mph range and has been up to 101 mph with cutting life. He has also earned double-plus projections on his wicked, upper-80s slider and is one of the most impressive pure athletes in the class. Before this season he also played for Iowa’s football team as a receiver.

The rub with Brecht is that he simply struggles to find the strike zone. His 17% career walk rate is higher than any college pitcher taken among the first 30 picks in the bonus pool era, and he carries significantly more reliever risk than teams typically associate with round one pitchers.

Because of that he’s simply not a first-round option for many teams, though others seem more willing to take a shot on his immense upside and/or believe their pitching development groups can help him throw more strikes moving forward.

Brody Brecht is forcing his way into top draft prospect conversations again The @UIBaseball RHP was dominant yet again and we are seeing his draft stock 📈👀 https://t.co/Za5YF0SHnf pic.twitter.com/gZzmJ8Br9U — Baseball America (@BaseballAmerica) May 2, 2024

PJ Morlando , 1B/OF, Summerville (S.C.) HS

Morlando entered this draft cycle as one of the top-ranked high school players in the class, consistently ranked right alongside Konnor Griffin—who currently stands as the top prep in the class and a potential top-10 pick.

Among prep hitters, he has perhaps the best combination of pure hitting ability and raw power, with a lengthy track record of performance against the best arms in the class. Morlando’s strength and bat speed allows him to generate easy plus raw power, and he also turned in perhaps the most impressive batting practice display a few weeks ago at the MLB Draft combine.

However, scouts wanted to see him hit for more power than he showed this spring (though he was pitched around plenty), and there are teams who are simply skeptical of a likely corner profile from the high school ranks who is also going to be 19 on draft day.

Ryan Waldschmidt , OF, Kentucky

Waldschmidt was one of the most prominent helium college players in the class and finished an excellent 2024 season with a .333/.469/.610 slash line 14 home runs and 25 stolen bases. He also checks a lot of hitting data boxes with an 80% contact rate, 88% in-zone contact rate, 18% chase rate and 108.7-mph 90th percentile exit velocity.

Walking nearly as often as he struck out is a big boost to his profile as well.

More than maybe any other player in the class, Waldschmidt seems to divide the most analytically-inclined scouting departments and the teams who value their in-person scouting assessments above all else. Those scouts look at Waldschmidt and wonder about the steepness of his swing and how that will play at the next level, and also aren’t too excited about his defensive ability in left field or how his athleticism and speed works on the field despite his 25 stolen bases.

If he had played center field all season or looked better in left field he would perhaps be less polarizing. Those high on Waldschmidt see a well-rounded SEC college hitter with power and speed and those lower see a right-right corner outfielder who will need significant swing work and defensive refinement in pro ball.

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From biggest whiff to can’t miss: How Condon became a 1-1 candidate

Anthony Castrovince

The question from a fellow coach in Marietta, Ga.’s 6-4-3 DP Athletics travel ball program piqued Paul Fletcher’s interest.

“I’ve got this kid, and I think he can hit,” Fletcher remembers the coach saying. “What do you think?”

So Fletcher ventured over to the field where a 17-year-old Charlie Condon played. Watched him hit a home run. Watched him scorch a line-drive out off a pretty good pitcher. Watched him belt a double off the center-field wall.

It was interesting ... but inconclusive. Any kid can have a good day, Fletcher figured, so he spent the next couple weeks checking in on Condon, to see if those feats were a fluke.

More on Condon : • No. 2 on Draft Top 250 • Condon on MLB Pipeline Podcast • Condon sets D1 homer record • Get to know Charlie Condon

They weren’t.

Condon, this skinny 6-foot-5 kid who had somehow fallen through the cracks of the player procurement pipeline, just would not stop bashing baseballs.

“[Expletive],” Fletcher thought to himself. “This kid can play.”

We all know this now. At 21 years old, Condon is considered a can’t-miss kind of prospect.

At the University of Georgia this year, he won the Dick Howser Trophy as college baseball’s national player of the year. He won the Golden Spikes Award as the country’s top amateur baseball player. He led the NCAA in most major offensive categories, slugging the most home runs (37) of any collegiate player in the last quarter-century and posting the highest OPS (1.565) in the gauntlet that is the SEC ... by 131 points.

He walked 57 times and struck out 41. He posted astounding exit velocities. He blistered breaking balls and incinerated inside pitches. By season’s end, he might not have been at the very top of every single board in an industry rife with opinions, but he is a clear candidate to go No. 1 overall in the upcoming MLB Draft.

“You look at Charlie,” says Georgia coach Wes Johnson, “and just go, ‘Wow, man.’”

Yeah. Wow, man.

Not just for the player Condon has become but for how he got here.

Charlie Condon does not whiff at many baseballs, but baseball whiffed on Charlie Condon. It might not be an exaggeration to say the industry has never missed quite like it did with this kid when he was coming out of high school in 2021.

Albert Pujols went to a junior college … but he had been on Baseball America’s Top 100 high school prospects list before enrolling early at Maple Woods Community College and attracting the eyes of the Cardinals. Stephen Strasburg was famously overweight and underdeveloped coming out of his Santee, Calif., high school … but he was still heavily recruited nationwide. Mike Trout was famously underscouted in his rainy senior year in the swamps of Jersey … but he was still a first-round Draft pick.

More on the Draft: Draft Tracker | Bonus pools & pick values | Top 250 prospects | Latest mock | Order | Top tools | Predicting the odds | Prospects attending the Draft | Best Draft prospect from each state | Famous family ties | Complete coverage

Top prospects: 1. Bazzana | 2. Condon | 3. Caglianone | 4. Wetherholt | 5. Smith | 6. Burns | 7. Kurtz | 8. Montgomery | 9. Griffin | 10. Rainer | 11. Yesavage | 12. Tibbs | 13. Moore | 14. Smith | 15. Caminiti

Condon? Everybody missed. Everybody!

The big league teams that didn’t even sniff him for the Draft.

The Division I AND Division II programs that didn’t recruit him.

Heck, even that travel ball program in his hometown miscast him … as a Jaguar.

“The Cougars are the No. 1 team,” Fletcher says. “He wasn’t on our showcase team. He was on the Jaguars, one of our middle teams.”

Again, baseball is rife with stories of undervalued players who should have been drafted higher or given more money or more at-bats or more opportunities. Players who developed late or made mechanical or mindset changes that untapped their true talent. It’s an extremely difficult sport to project.

But Condon’s story is bizarre.

It’s not like he was out in the wilderness of central Idaho, swinging a tree branch to club rocks into the River of No Return. He was in Atlanta, for crying out loud! A baseball hotbed. A scouting enclave. A place to see and be seen. He was playing for the Walker School, a private college prep that has claimed multiple state titles. He was a participant in those Perfect Game tournaments that attract so many eyes. And he loved, loved, loved baseball.

“He was a great player, a great role model, a great kid,” says Danny Garofano, who coached Condon at the Walker School. “He hit over .500 his senior year. His junior year was cut short because of COVID, but he was having a great year there as well. Just because of his sheer size and power, he was so fun to watch in batting practice. He hit the ball a mile in all directions. I was surprised he didn’t have any offers.”

Charlie Condon rockets his D1-leading 37th homer in Game 3 of the Super Regionals! See where the slugger goes in our latest mock draft: https://t.co/4XsoH3TBoz (🎥: @BaseballUGA ) pic.twitter.com/rhQKNmHu7C — MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) June 11, 2024

It's crazy. Somehow, nobody of influence looked at this 6-foot-5, admittedly skinny dude who was athletic enough to be recruited by Division III schools to play quarterback and thought, “Hmm, if he fills out a little bit, he could really be something.”

Nobody until Fletcher.

“The more I got to know him outside of what I saw with him hitting,” says Fletcher, “he was quarterback of the football team, class president, involved in everything in high school … the kid’s just a leader and people like him. There’s a toughness to him. He’s very coachable and manageable, and I could see him developing.”

So in advance of Condon’s senior year of high school, Fletcher made some calls. He’s a former pitcher for the University of Tennessee, so, naturally, his first call was to Volunteers coach Tony Vitello.

Now this is a part of the Condon story where you just have to stop and laugh, knowing what we know now. Vitello’s Volunteers just had an epic 2024, winning 60 games, producing seven players on MLB Pipeline’s Top 250 Draft Prospects list , falling just four team home runs shy of an NCAA record and winning the College World Series for the first national championship in program history.

The Vols have it all ... and they could have had Charlie Condon too!

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But Tennessee, like every school Fletcher called (Clemson and Tulane and on and on and on), was all out of scholarships. COVID was an obvious complication, maybe even a valid excuse, jamming up rosters with players who stayed on for an extra year of eligibility. College baseball teams don’t have that many scholarships to start with. And in an age in which players commit to clubs and clubs commit to players awfully early in their developmental timetable, there was simply no room at the inn -- any inn -- for Charlie Condon.

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His only hope to play for a Division I program was to walk on. And if he was going to walk on anywhere, it was going to be at Georgia, in his home state.

“You couldn’t get him away from that red and black,” Fletcher says.

It’s important to note that, all baseball aside, Condon got into Georgia on his own, academically. He had received the HOPE and Zell Miller Scholarships that provide extensive financial aid to exceptional students, and he was accepted into the Terry College of Business, which, according to the Princeton Review, has a 38% acceptance rate.

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But of course, Condon wasn’t all business. He wanted to play ball.

That’s where Scott Stricklin enters the picture. He was Georgia’s head coach at the time, and he remembers the phone call he received from friend Fletcher as follows:

“Look, I’ve got a guy that would like to go to Georgia. He got into school on his own, which is hard to do. I can vouch for his character. I can vouch for his work ethic. He's physical, maybe 6-foot-5, and he's got some tools, and I think he can help you. I think he's got a chance to be a really good player.”

With Fletcher’s work complete, Stricklin began communicating with Condon and his family, watched him on video (again, COVID), and, ultimately, a path developed for Condon to (maybe) play for his beloved Bulldogs.

“He was a true walk-on,” Stricklin says. “He wasn’t a preferred walk-on. We didn’t help him get in. We didn’t promise him anything.”

Condon got stronger and had a good senior year, but he still didn’t wind up on anyone’s Draft boards. So off he went to Athens to try to earn a spot on Stricklin’s squad.

“He came in and worked his tail off,” says Stricklin, “and we decided to redshirt him.”

There it is. Another element of the Condon story that is crazy. Because the truth is that Condon flourished in the fall of his freshman year, and Stricklin admits now that Condon woulda/coulda/shoulda played for Georgia in the 2022 season.

COVID kind of screwed that up too.

“It was still a disaster with rosters,” Stricklin says. “There were just kids everywhere and uncertainty of where this was going to go and what’s going to happen. So Charlie and Jim and Rebecca, his parents, came in, and we all sat down and talked and put our heads together, and everybody bought in [to the redshirt idea].”

Stricklin has seen what can happen when an athlete is redshirted. Some players can become embittered by the seeming slight and spend the year sulking. Others can have their confidence sapped by the setback and spend the year second-guessing themselves.

Or you can do what Condon did: Put your head down and go to work.

“We had a lot of talks about, ‘What are you going to do over the next 365 days to make yourself a better player?’” Stricklin recalls. “And he utilized every single day. He didn't waste a day. He put on 15 to 20 pounds. He got stronger, and he got emotionally more mature, just watching the game from a different angle.”

Then Condon spent the summer of 2022 with the St. Cloud (Minn.) Rox in the Northwoods League, a wood-bat league with a strong reputation for challenging players against elite competition. Condon showed no signs of rust from the redshirt year and more than held his own, slashing .286/.370/.460 in 61 games.

Condon was in the St. Cloud dugout one day when Stricklin called to tell him he was sending over the scholarship papers.

He had earned his keep. And he’s been slugging ever since.

“He's very humble, he's very hard-working, and I mean, he's just a great, great kid,” Stricklin says. “He deserves all this because he made it happen.”

He’s loyal, too.

When Stricklin was fired by Georgia after the 2023 season, every school in the country was clamoring for Condon to enter the transfer portal. He could have shopped himself to the highest bidder. But once again, nobody was going to get him away from the red and black. He stuck it out as Johnson came aboard.

“I talked to him about his goals,” Johnson says. “He made it very clear that he wanted to try to move up Draft boards. So I talked to him about, ‘You’re a really good athlete, have you thought about moving positions and showing your versatility?’ We worked to do it. In the fall, in our scrimmages, he played every position but pitcher and catcher and did it for us at a good level.”

Condon had been primarily a right fielder and first baseman in 2023. This past season, he made roughly half his starts at third base. That adaptability can aid him in an era in which defensive versatility is so highly valued.

But of course, it’s Condon’s bat that speaks loudest. He entered 2024 a consensus top-10 Draft prospect but not a clear candidate for No. 1 overall in a muddled field. His historic output at Georgia drastically altered the equation.

“At the end of the day, Charlie Condon moved himself up Draft boards and probably earned himself another $4 million [in signing bonus money],” Johnson says. “Nobody in baseball is going to get that in NIL [name, image and likeness] money. The development and the work ethic and the drive to be great still can outweigh what a player can get in NIL money.”

The one person you haven’t heard from in this Condon story is, of course, Condon himself. He was taking a pre-Draft break from media after Georgia’s season ended one win shy of the College World Series.

But something Condon said when he appeared on the MLB Pipeline Podcast earlier this year speaks volumes about the can’t-miss prospect that EVERYBODY missed in 2021.

“I don’t necessarily feel I was wronged out of high school with my recruiting process,” Condon said. “I wasn’t the caliber of player that I am today. I always knew I was going to be a late bloomer. That’s just kinda how my family genetics were. My brother grew late, my dad grew late when he was younger. So I knew it was just gonna take a little bit more time … I just had to believe in myself and know my time was eventually going to come.”

That time is here. Nobody is missing Charlie Condon now, and, in many ways, his crazy story is just beginning.

College Sports | UCSD ace, USD slugger among San Diego’s top…

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College Sports

College sports | ucsd ace, usd slugger among san diego’s top prospects in this year’s baseball draft.

“So we’ll see what happens.” 

San Diego has a number of other outstanding high school players, including right-handers Stunner Gonzalez and Cooper Walls and catcher Kalen Applefield of La Costa Canyon, left-hander Brady Dockan of Rancho Bernardo and catcher Jack Giordano of Patrick Henry.

All, however, appear to be headed to college.

MLB draft facts 

San diegans most likely to be selected in mlb draft.

Name, Position, School, Comment, Projected round Ryan Forcucci, RHP, San Marcos HS/UC San Diego, Injured after 5 starts, but has fastball that touches 96-97 mph, 2-3

Jakob Christian, OF, St. Augustine HS/USD, Big power with 67 college HRs, 2-10

Duce Gourson, 2B, Point Loma HS/UCLA, Lefty swinger and slick fielder, 3-5

Ali Camarillo, SS, Otay Ranch HS/Texas A&M, Skilled defender with CWS experience, 5-10

Peyton Schulze, 1B, Rancho Bernardo HS/Cal, Good power gap hitter, 7-15

Josh Randall, RHP, USD, Fastball sits at 95-96 MPH, 10-15

Austin Machado, C, La Costa Canyon HS/Hawaii, Superb defender with power, 10-15

Mike Villani, RHP, El Camino HS/Long Beach State, Could profile as a reliever, 12-20

Matt Halbach, 3B, UC San Diego, Injured after 19 games, but hit .408 with speed, 12-20

Ryan Fenn, IF, Granite Hills HS/Cal Poly SLO, Gap hitter with speed, 12-20

Ariel Armas, C, St. Augustine HS/USD, Gold Glove winner, 12-20

Austin Smith, LHP/OF, Granite Hills HS/USD, Was 7-0 and hit 7 HR, 12-20

Makana Olaso, C, Palomar College, Big kid with 20 HRs, 16 doubles, 12-20

Justin DeCriscio, SS, USD, Slick fielder, gap hitter, 12-20

Jake Entrekin, C, Steele Canyon HS/ Point Loma Nazarene, Catchers are coveted, 15-20

Other college players

Randy Abshier, LHP, Otay Ranch HS/Hawaii, Lefty with good stuff, Senior sign

Scott Anderson, IF, Sage Creek HS/Point Loma Nazarene, Has power, drives in runs, Senior sign

Mac Bingham, OF, Torrey Pines HS/LSU, Solid player with speed, Senior sign

Ray Cebluski, LHP, Eastlake HS/Point Loma Nazarene, Veteran just wins, Senior sign

Jack Costello, 3B/OF, USD, Has power, drives in runs, Senior sign

Alec Jones, C, Rancho Bernardo HS/Cincinnati, Teams value catching, Senior sign

Izaak Martinez, LHP, UC San Diego, Close. Pitched well in the Cape, Senior sign

Dylan Miller, RHP, Coronado HS/Point Loma Nazarene, Innings-eater workhorse, Senior sign

Ivran Romero, RHP, Poway HS/USD, Fastball sits at 95, Senior sign

James Sashin, LHP, Point Loma Nazarene, Tall closer with 18 saves, Senior sign

Calvin Schapira, LHP, USD, Fastball sits 94-95, Senior sign

Eric Smelko, OF, Helix/Point Loma Nazarene, Older veteran who just hits, Senior sign

Ricky Tibbett, RHP, Eastlake HS/UC Irvine, Veteran with good stuff, Senior sign

High school players

Kalen Applefield, C, La Costa Canyon HS, Strong lefty hitter, Committed to Cal

Brady Dockan, RHP, Rancho Bernardo HS, Big man who teams like, Committed to Cal State Fullerton

Jack Giordano, C, Patrick Henry HS, Teams covet catchers, Committed to USD

Stunner Gonzalez, RHP, La Costa Canyon HS, Big man, Committed to LSU

Jack Haferkamp, OF, Santa Fe Christian HS, Rare combo of power and speed, Committed to UC Santa Barbara

Will Sanford, RHP, Point Loma HS, Hard thrower with great stats, Committed to Oregon

Cooper Walls, RHP, La Costa Canyon HS, Hard thrower who was hurt late, Committed to Hawaii

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