If you go to a travel baseball game in 2022, chances are you will run into a player or a team who has trained at an exclusive baseball academy. These academies are breaking ground in nearly every major city and town and are used to prepare children as young as eight to be professional baseball players one day. While some people say it is unreal to put a child that young in a “preparing to be pro” facility, others say it helps the child when it comes to accuracy, conditioning, and rehabilitation.
The first academy, however, was a little different. According to MLB.com, the Los Angeles Dodgers produced the first MLB academy in 1987 in the Dominican Republic. There, players received the opportunity to train, learn English, and become affiliated with the Dodgers. This new way of training suddenly took off. By the mid-2000s, most MLB teams had satellite academies across the Dominican.
Currently, youth academies nationwide are adopting a similar training mold. While most academies are small to medium in size and assist anywhere from 20-100 players per week, others are quite the opposite.
The IMG Academy Powerhouse
IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., is one of the top preparatory schools in the United States thanks to its standout and consistent sports ranking. The academy boasts students from more than 60 nations worldwide vying for a spot at the top of their respective sports. IMG also serves as a boarding school for students wishing to make the most of their academic endeavors as well as their training.
The official IMG Academy website states, “IMG’s college preparatory experience and diverse campus environment mirrors that of a collegiate schedule and includes both on-field development, an annual competition schedule, and challenging academic coursework. IMG Academy baseball graduates work closely with college placement advisors and have gone on to commit to top universities such as South Carolina, Arizona, Penn State, and LSU while other past student-athletes have been selected in the MLB Draft following their senior or post-graduate seasons.”
Since so many of IMG’s prospects reach the highest level possible, it is no surprise why so many baseball academies nationwide are trying to follow suit. At IMG, student athletes persevere through tough mental and physical pursuits. Starting as young as age 10 in the sixth grade, individuals have the chance to focus and prepare from the ground up. Closer to graduation, advisors work with each pupil on a personalized academic and training plan.
Sports-Focused University
In Daphne, Ala., universities such as the United States Sports Academy are exactly what baseball prep schools prepare their athletes for. At the academy, students play on an elite caliber while earning their bachelor’s, master’s, or even doctoral degree.
According to the academy’s official website, “the school was founded in 1972 by Dr. Thomas P. Rosandich in direct response to the ever-increasing needs and demands in sport and society in America. From the beginning, the Academy’s mission has been to serve the nation and the world as a sport education resource through programs of instruction, research, and service. It continues to be the only accredited free-standing sports university in the United States.”
Within the last few decades, the school has now become a resource for sports education and those wishing to work in a sports-related field. Known as “America’s Sports University” by over 1300 students annually, potential students travel from all over to utilize the university connections and get a break in the sporting world. Many alumni go on to become a top employee in their field.
A Home-Run Future
While some people claim that a baseball academy in general is unnecessary, others consider it a great privilege and utilize the educational, training, and rehabilitation aspects in order to hone in on their craft. Whichever side of the argument you are on, the numbers of top athletes who come straight from a baseball academy do not lie. For example, IMG Academy, has produced over 150 Division 1 athletes from this past year’s graduating class in various sports. The academy has also produced nearly 20 students within the last three years that have been drafted into Major League Baseball. The future of baseball is looking bright with no signs of slowing down anytime soon.
