What’s in a Name?

Steve Sclafani: All Access Pass

You probably didn’t notice, but we’ve changed the name of our “Signature” Program. As of this week, the Baseball Factory Signature College Recruiting Program (or SCR Program) has a new name. We are proud to introduce the Premium Video Program!

So, why the change? Well, it’s simple. We changed the name in order to clarify the main benefit of the program! Video, video, video! College coaches are leaning more and more on professionally edited video in order to start recruiting a player. Before going out to see the player in person, they are coming to Baseball Factory to see that player on video. While the Signature College Recruiting Program was the “signature” program at Baseball Factory, the video component was getting lost in the shuffle. By introducing the Premium Video Program we hope to make it easier for families to identify this program as a needed component in their college baseball search.

How does this program work with the Under Armour Baseball Factory National Tryouts? Technically, the Premium Video Program is a part of our Under Armour Baseball Factory National Tryout series. The National Tryout series will tour both the US and Canada in 2010, making over 100 stops along the way. From Honolulu to Boston and Tampa to Seattle, we will scour the globe to find top prospects in every region of the US and Canada. For all of our stops along the tour we will hold the Premium Video Program in the morning (9 AM) and the Under Armour Baseball Factory National Tryout in the afternoon (1 PM). Players that participate in the Premium Video Program will receive all benefits from the National Tryout. They will also be considered for Under Armour Baseball Factory National Teams and Training Camps. For more info, check out our new page promoting both programs.

Has anything else changed about the program? No, just the name. The price remains $495 with a $100 extra position fee. This program has assisted our players in obtaining over $500 Million in scholarship offers, and we expect that number to keep growing each and every year. The benefits are still the same including a Pro Scout evaluation of each player. Our scouts don’t over-rate players. They offer a true snap shot of each player’s strengths, weaknesses and projectable tools. This evaluation is unbiased and straightforward, which is why college coaches respect Baseball Factory evaluations and turn to them as a recruiting reference.

We do have a new slogan attached to the program: Start Early, Promote Often. The landscape of college recruiting has shifted younger and younger over the last 15 years. It used to be a college coach started recruiting a player in his junior year. Now, we hear about juniors that are “verbally committing.” College coaches are recruiting players earlier and earlier in their quest to fill out their rosters. As such, it is even more important today than it was back when I founded Baseball Factory in 1994 that players Start Early and Promote Often.

This makes the Premium Video Program even more valuable because of the professionally edited video and pro scout evaluation it provides. Coaches can’t see every player in person, but they can watch video footage and read an evaluation from the comfort of their own office. In fact, coaches are recruiting Baseball Factory players more today than ever before, because they can get everything they need with the click of a mouse. Over the past six months, 1,100 college coaches have spent a combined 350 hours searching the Baseball Factory’s recruiting database for prospects. These coaches have viewed over 23,000 player profiles, videos and evaluations! I don’t think there can be any better evidence to the fact that if you are a player who wants to play college baseball, you need to get a video and evaluation from Baseball Factory in order to increase your chances of being seen. The Premium Video Program provides you with this opportunity, so remember…Start Early, Promote Often.

As the CEO and Founder of Baseball Factory, I am excited about these changes and hope that our families are excited as well. We continue to strive to provide the highest baseball product in the industry. We will work to our fullest capability to target schools where our players can be successful and provide them with needed exposure and guidance. We will also help each and every player to get the most out of their ability through our Player Development events. We will provide impeccable customer service at all times.

We want to hear your feedback. Please post a comment or email us at newsletter@baseballfactory.com.


Steve Sclafani is the CEO/Founder of the Baseball Factory. Sclafani’s ability to create new opportunities for baseball players nationwide and to develop exposure vehicles has led to over 20,000 Baseball Factory and Team One players competing at the college level, $500 million in scholarships, and over 2,000 players selected in the MLB draft. Sclafani was recognized as a member of Baltimore’s prestigious 40/40 Club, honoring 40 top executives under 40 years of age. Steve is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania where he played second base.

Taking Advantage of an Opportunity

Steve Bernhardt: Building the Better Ballplayer

On November 11, 2007 we hosted an Under Armour National Tryout at Lake Travis High School in Austin, Texas. This event, like most we hold in Texas, had many talented players in attendance. One of these players was an unheralded catcher named Josh Elander. He was not from one of the powerhouse high school programs in the Houston or Dallas areas. He also wasn’t listed on any national Top Prospect lists for the 2009 class, but he impressed our scouts at the Tryout and earned an invitation to the Under Armour Pre-Season All-America Tournament in Tucson, Arizona.

Josh spent that January weekend in Tucson continuing to impress scouts and coaches. He was named the top Underclass Prospect at the event after showing off his tools in both the workout and game settings. At 6’0”, 195 pounds of muscle, Josh has a classic catcher’s build with plus arm strength. What isn’t so conventional is that this catcher runs the sixty in the 6.75 range. When you combine that with power at the plate, you have a legitimate prospect with several plus tools.

Our guys liked him so much that we invited him to the prestigious Under Armour All-America Game held at Wrigley Field last month. Not only did Josh show great again, this time it was at a Major League stadium in front of many of baseball’s high level decision makers. In fact, as I threw to Josh in the first round of the game’s Home Run Derby, and watched him hit ball after ball into Wrigley’s left field bleachers and onto Waveland Avenue, I couldn’t help but think back to how he continues to seize every opportunity to show people that he can play.

We preach to our players at all of our events that you never know who’s watching, so you must play hard and show what you can do every time you step on the baseball field. Josh did that and he found himself going from a tryout at a Texas high school field to playing at Wrigley Field on national television just nine months later. I congratulate Josh for his accomplishments and wish him continued success. In the meantime, I can’t wait to find the next diamond in the rough who takes advantage of an opportunity to show us he can really play.

On a sad note, the news of the passing of Jim Spooner has hit all of us hard at the Factory. Coach Spooner was a great man who used his position of influence as the Head Coach at the University of West Florida to mold boys into quality young men while also winning an unbelievable number of baseball games. I had the honor of working with Spoon at several Baseball Factory events and enjoyed all of my time working with and learning from him. His combination of values, positive energy, compassion and baseball knowledge was unsurpassed. My thoughts and prayers go out to the Spooner family and I thank them for sharing Coach with us for the last few years – we are all better for it.


Steve Bernhardt is the Executive VP of Baseball Operations with Baseball Factory. Bernhardt played for five years in the Colorado Rockies organization. As Executive VP of Baseball Operations at Baseball Factory, he oversees all events and instruction. Bernhardt currently serves as an Associate Scout with the Colorado Rockies. He received his B.S. from the University of Richmond where he was an All-Conference player.

Baseball Factory Four Point Checklist – Part 3

Steve Sclafani: All Access Pass

Are you playing against top competition?

This week we are going to discuss part three of the Baseball Factory four point checklist; What type of competition are you playing against?

We already discussed the cornerstone of the four point checklist which is academics. We have also discussed the importance of training and developing your strengths and weaknesses. Now it’s time to get down to business and test our new found improvements in a game situation.

Are you testing yourself against top-notch competition? Have you been outside of your state and competed nationally? Have you played against players who are a year or two older then you?

In the game of baseball (and life, for that matter) we need to constantly test ourselves and make adjustments to our game if we want to continue to improve and give ourselves a chance to play at a higher level.

While it is certainly fun to mash the local rec pitching and hit .500, in the long run a combination of building your confidence locally and getting humbled nationally will normally be the right mix for a high school player’s development.

Another important factor is the type of coaching you are receiving as the game gets more difficult and moves faster. Do you have a coach who can help you to interpret the game? For example, after swinging at a first pitch curve ball and popping it up, is your coach discussing your overall approach and game plan as a hitter with you?

Do all you can to play on some national teams with top notch coaching and competition. It will help you to grow as a player and you will better understand why accelerated training is important for your maximum development.

Think you have what it takes to play on an Under Armour/Baseball Factory National Team? See you at a tryout near you!


Steve Sclafani is the CEO and Founder of Baseball Factory. Steve's ability to create new opportunities for baseball players nationwide and to develop exposure vehicles for players has revolutionized the player development and recruiting industry. His contacts and strategic partnerships have led the way to Baseball Factory being recognized as the top recruiting service by The National High School Baseball Coaches Association. Steve's scouting ability and penchant for matching players up to the right college baseball programs has lead to over 10,000 Baseball Factory and Team One players playing college baseball, $500 million in scholarships, and over 1,500 players selected in the MLB draft. Steve is a 1993 graduate of the University of Pennsylvania where he played second base.

Ryan Pineda - Cal State University, Northridge

Justin Roswell: Where Are They Now?

Ryan Pineda, former Baseball Factory standout and current freshman at Cal State Northridge, was recently named the Big West Conference Freshman Player of the Year. Pineda led Big West freshmen with 17 doubles, six home runs, and 32 RBI in 2008 and capped the season with a walk-off home run in the final game of the year.

Pineda participated in a National Tryout that we held in Las Vegas, Nevada back in February 2006. His performance at that event merited an invitation to attend the inaugural 2007 Under Armour Pre-Season All-America Tournament, powered by Baseball Factory.

Pineda is the first Matador to claim the honor since Northridge joined the Big West in 2001. A member of the biggest freshman class in the nation in 2008, Pineda was a touted shortstop from Bonanza High School of Las Vegas. After working out at second base through the fall, he eventually found his way to third early in the regular season and made his first start at that position in the tenth game of the year.

He would go on to make 44 starts at third base, seven more at second, and one at designated hitter. He was the Matadors most oft-used freshman and was one start shy of Richard Cates and John Parham (former Baseball Factory Participant), who led the team with 53 starts.

Pineda's season peaked with a 5-for-5 performance against the University of the Pacific; a day in which he smacked homers in his first two at bats and finished with three RBI and three runs scored. The production spilled over into the following day when he reached base in his first four plate appearances. He was on base a staggering nine consecutive times between the two games.

He was also responsible for arguably the most exciting moment of the 2008 season. Leading off the bottom of the ninth with his team tied 5-5 with UC Davis, Pineda sent the first pitch he saw deep into the trees beyond the left field wall for a walk-off home run.

Pineda leads a group of six Matadors on the All-Conference list. Pineda, TS Reed – 2B, John Parham – Util, and Phil Hann – SP, were each tabbed honorable mention while Richard Cates – Util and Edwin Quirarte – RP, were named to the Big West Second Team.

Another freshman infielder, TS Reed came out of nowhere to lead the Matadors and all Big West freshmen with 16 stolen bases. The second baseman also posted a .310 batting average for the year. Reed attended the 2006 Team One West Showcase and later the 2007 Under Armour Pre-Season All-America Tournament, powered by Baseball Factory.

Parham checked in with a .348 batting average that was second best on the team, and his six home runs were knotted for first on the squad.

We would like to acknowledge Ryan and his Matador teammates on their tremendous accomplishments as student-athletes.

Check out the Northridge roster and team stats.


Justin Roswell joined the Baseball Factory in 2001 serving in the scouting, event coordination, and player development departments. In 2007 he became the Senior Director for Team One Baseball, the showcase division of Baseball Factory. As Senior Director, he leads the player identification process for all Team One Regional Showcases. Justin also runs the Under Armour Tournament Division. Justin graduated from California State University - Fullerton, where he received his degree in Business Administration, with an emphasis on management.

Danny Cepin and Scott Heylman – University of California, Davis

Justin Roswell: Where Are They Now?

Recently added to the NCAA Division I roster and now competing in the prestigious Big West Conference, the University of California, Davis Aggie baseball program has several former Team One participants. Two in particular, Danny Cepin and Scott Heylman have been impacting the Aggie roster in their first year of NCAA Division I competition.

Let’s turn back the clock this week to a National Tryout that we held at the University of California, San Diego in January 2006. Two players that stood out that day were Danny Cepin (MIF – Coronado HS) and Scott Heylman (MIF – Point Loma HS), both from the San Diego area. Cepin and Heylman both tried out that day at the shortstop position. I remember myself, Robert Ruiz (Associate Head Baseball Coach – Azusa Pacific University), Tony Cougoule (Assistant Baseball Coach – Iowa Western CC), and Chad Addison (Assistant Baseball Coach – UC San Diego) discussing who was better. Collectively we could not decide which player out performed the other.

Cepin hit from both sides of the plate, had plus speed, and had smooth actions in the field. Heylman had plus power, speed, and good feet and hands defensively. That day players tried out for various National Tournament Teams and for our 2006 Team One West Showcase. As a scouting staff, we could not come up with a definitive player that out performed the other. We could not invite one and not the other. So, we decided to invite both to our prestigious Team One West Showcase, which was held that summer at Tempe Diablo Stadium in Tempe, Arizona. Heylman was also a part of the Baseball Factory Exclusive Program.

Out in Arizona, we had Jim Gemler (Scouting Director – Team One), Mac Seibert (Former National Crosschecker), and Andy Ferguson (Former Professional Scout) scouting the event and they too debated over the same argument that we had been discussing six months earlier. Well, UC Davis must have had that same argument because they recruited both Cepin and Heylman as shortstops out of the same city.

In their true freshmen year at UC Davis, both Cepin and Heylman earned starting roles in the Aggie lineup. UC Davis had an overall record of 31 – 19 entering play on May 17.

We would also like to recognize some other UC Davis players who attended a Team One Showcase.

• Grant Bauer – 2006 Team One West
• Alex Dreyfuss – 2005 Team One Bay Area World Series
• Alex Johnson – 2005 Team One Northern California Preview
• Ty Kelly – 2005 Team One Bay Area World Series
• Dayne Quist – 2005 Team One Bay Area World Series
• Justin Schafer – 2005 Team One West and Bay Area World Series

Best of luck to those outstanding student-athletes as they continue their baseball careers at UC Davis.

Check out the UC Davis player bios and team statistics

Justin Roswell joined the Baseball Factory in 2001 serving in the scouting, event coordination, and player development departments. In 2007 he became the Senior Director for Team One Baseball, the showcase division of Baseball Factory. As Senior Director, he leads the player identification process for all Team One Regional Showcases. Justin also runs the Under Armour Tournament Division. Justin graduated from California State University - Fullerton, where he received his degree in Business Administration, with an emphasis on management.