Baseball Australia is proud to launch the 2016 edition of the MLB Australian Academy Program (MLBAAP).
The Academy enables MLB Clubs to sign and develop young Australian and Oceania players on their home soil – allowing them to mature and minimise the impact of homesickness and cultural change when young players venture to the US for their first full season.
The Academy enables MLB Clubs to sign and develop young Australian and Oceania players on their home soil – allowing them to mature and minimise the impact of homesickness and cultural change when young players venture to the US for their first full season.
Held at Surfers Paradise Baseball Club, the MLB Australian Academy Program is a partnership between Baseball Australia and Major League Baseball, and aims to improve the quantity and quality of young baseball players coming out of the region. The Academy seeks to provide a pathway for elite players from this region to improve their skills in preparation for the rigours of professional and international baseball.
This year, 54 of the brightest young prospects from Australia, New Zealand and China will be put through their paces in a month long program of workouts and quality match practice.
Highlighting the group that will converge on Surfers Paradise for the next month are nine of the young men that represented Australia on the Spring Training Tour in Florida earlier this year.
Also well represented are the Southern Mariners Baseball Charter who will represent Australia in the Philippines. Ciaran Palmer, Jordan Barnett and Joshua Meyer will only attend the MLBAAP for one week as they prepare for the Senior League Asia-Pacific Championship after they won gold at the Australian Senior League Championship in May.
Baseball Australia Head of High Performance Glenn Williams is excited to get the 2016 program underway.
"We are excited to get the program started on the Gold Coast," Williams said.
"A lot of work has gone into the logistics and planning of the camp and it will be good to get the players on the field and to work."
"MLB (Major League Baseball) continue to be excellent supporters of our programs here in Australia. We have made some adjustments to the program for this year that will not only help players who are at the program physically, but will also up-skill the staff who will be able to pass on the benefits throughout our continually strong development state programs."
"MLB personnel will be in town to see the first week of the MLBAAP. We have two staff members who work internationally that will assist on field and we will continue discussions around some exciting initiatives we have on the horizon. The relationship with MLB in these kids of programs has been great and we are excited that initiatives that will be developed will be able to benefit players of all ages across the country."
"We are excited to get the program started on the Gold Coast," Williams said.
"A lot of work has gone into the logistics and planning of the camp and it will be good to get the players on the field and to work."
"MLB (Major League Baseball) continue to be excellent supporters of our programs here in Australia. We have made some adjustments to the program for this year that will not only help players who are at the program physically, but will also up-skill the staff who will be able to pass on the benefits throughout our continually strong development state programs."
"MLB personnel will be in town to see the first week of the MLBAAP. We have two staff members who work internationally that will assist on field and we will continue discussions around some exciting initiatives we have on the horizon. The relationship with MLB in these kids of programs has been great and we are excited that initiatives that will be developed will be able to benefit players of all ages across the country."
"MLB (Major League Baseball) continue to be excellent supporters of our programs here in Australia. We have made some adjustments to the program for this year that will not only help players who are at the program physically, but will also up-skill the staff who will be able to pass on the benefits throughout our continually strong development state programs."
"MLB personnel will be in town to see the first week of the MLBAAP. We have two staff members who work internationally that will assist on field and we will continue discussions around some exciting initiatives we have on the horizon. The relationship with MLB in these kids of programs has been great and we are excited that initiatives that will be developed will be able to benefit players of all ages across the country."
For full MLBAAP team rosters and coaching staff, click here.
For a full MLBAAP game schedule, click here.