Tag: High school baseball

Florida father punches 63-year old umpire at son’s high school game

The umpire’s name has not been released, but he is reportedly 63 years old.

Forty-one-year-old Jorge Ignacio Aponte-Gonzalez struck an umpire over an argument during his son’s baseball game at Liberty High School in Kissimmee, according to an account by the New York Post.

Osceola County Sheriff Marco Lopez says Aponte-Gonzalez’s son was being disruptive and was chastised by the umpire, which led to the confrontation.

“The umpire is obviously going to maintain control of the game… Because that is what they are there to do. To make sure kids learn all about sportsmanlike conduct… The kid was being disruptive, so the umpire’s like, ‘Hey, tone it down,’ maintaining control, They went back and forth a little bit. I don’t know exactly what was exchanged, but… that is what upset the father.”

You can see video of the assault on the Facebook page for the Osceola County Sheriff’s office here.

The umpire’s name has not been released, but he’s reportedly 63. The father is facing battery charges.

More baseball stories

Teeball player cartwheels on her way to first base

Illinois team has three games postponed over misconduct

Illinois baseball team has 3 games postponed over reported misconduct

The district is investigating and students may face punishment depending on the findings.

The varsity baseball team at Mundelein (Ill.) had three of their games postponed due to a report of student misconduct. According to CBS News Chicago, the district is investigating, and students may face punishment depending on the findings.

In a statement, Mundelein High School Building Principal Dr. Alexandria Rios Taylor told CBS that student safety is their top priority.

“Student safety is always our top priority. The expectation in all of our educational and extracurricular programs is that everyone treats each other with respect and dignity.”

Per CBS’s report, the school did not offer any more details.

According to Maxpreps, Mundelein has started their 2023 varsity baseball season with a 5-2 record.

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High school baseball watchlist: 10 MLB draft prospects to know in 2023

An impressive list of athletes stepping onto the baseball diamond in 2023.

The 2023 high school baseball season showcases an impressive lineup card of top prospects across the U.S., from dynamic middle infielders and outfielders to pitchers touching well above 90 mph on the radar gun.

Scouting the talent on the diamond is one of the more —if not most—complex tasks, though, with the massive amount of players stepping onto high school field oftentimes exposing the charts as mere guessing games.

But for baseball fans who are excited to keep any eye on the top-tier talent this season, these 10 players have been listed as the can’t-miss names to watch in 2023 (courtesy of the MLB.com’s draft experts).

Florida baseball commits square off in state-champion showdown

Two of the top arms in Florida’s 2023 recruiting class took the mound against one another Tuesday night, and Gators Wire caught up with them to talk about the future.

The future of Florida’s pitching staff is incredibly bright.

The Gators routinely welcome recruiting classes that rank among the top in the country, and the class of 2023 will be no exception. Near the top of Florida’s next crop of freshmen are two of South Florida’s finest arms, right-hander [autotag]Christian Rodriguez[/autotag] and left-hander [autotag]Frank Menendez[/autotag].

Rodriguez pitches and plays outfield for the reigning back-to-back FHSAA Class 7A state champion Marjory Stoneman Douglas Eagles, and Menendez is the ace for the reigning Class 6A state champion Doral Academy Firebirds. The two programs clashed on Tuesday night, and both Florida commits were on the mound.

With nearly 40 college and pro scouts in attendance, Menendez and Rodriguez came out throwing heat. Rodriguez topped out at 97 mph and held 95 mph through the sixth inning, while Menenedez peaked at 95 mph and flashed his slider and changeup early.

Rodriguez ended up owning the night on his home field with 13 strikeouts through 6 1/3 innings of one-hit ball. He took a no-hitter into the sixth and generated 22 swings and misses throughout the night in a dominant performance against a good-hitting team.

A four-walk second inning cost Menendez the game, but he bounced back strong and finished out 4 2/3 innings. Menendez and Doral ended up taking a 3-0 loss to Rodriguez, but it was nothing but love between the two after the game. The two are incredibly close and could plan on being roommates next year if they both make it to Gainesville.

“If we end up at UF, I’m pretty sure we’re going to be roommates, me, him and (Jacob) Gomberg,” Menendez said. “So, we’re pretty close. I played with their summer team, Fitz’s summer team.”

Douglas head coach Todd Fitz-Gerald is part of the reason these South Florida arms are connected to Florida’s baseball program.

“(Florida assistant coach) Chuck Jerolomon played for me in the summers, and then Kevin (O’Sullivan) I’ve known for a long time. I had guys that played for him at Clemson,” Fitz-Gerald said. “We’ve got two guys up there now, [autotag]Jake Clemente[/autotag] and [autotag]Chris Arroyo[/autotag], and we’ve got three or four more going there.”

Along with Rodriguez, left-hander Jacob Gomberg, junior right-hander [autotag]Jayden Dubanewicz[/autotag] and freshman outfielder [autotag]Lorenzo Laurel[/autotag] are committed to UF. Rodriguez called Douglas the “headquarters” for Gators recruiting in a way.

“They like our guys,” Fitz-Gerald said. “They know that when they go in there, they are going to compete and aren’t going to slow anyone down. They’ll just have to bide their time, and when they get it, they’ll go off to great careers because they do a great job developing guys over there, especially on the pitching side.”

Rodriguez praised his head coach for linking him up with the Gators and said that he ended up picking UF because it was the best fit for him.

“The coaching staff, the track record, the facilities, everything you want, it’s the whole package (at Florida),” Rodriguez said. “Education, the area, there’s really nothing I don’t like over there. I love it… It’s really the full package like I said, and it’s just really hard not to choose Florida.”

Menendez was initially committed to Miami, but he changed things up and switched to the Orange and Blue in November of 2021. Rodriguez had already committed a month before, so he was a natural influence on his friend to flip. In the end, Menendez said he made the decision he thought would be best for his career.

Both arms might have to make another career decision over the summer once the 2023 MLB draft is underway. Florida got lucky in the most recent draft, but high school arms that hit 95+ mph are a rare commodity. If the Gators can get both guys to campus over the summer, the team will be adding another pair of dangerous arms to the staff.

Perfect Game ranks Rodriguez fifth among right-handers in Florida and No. 16 overall in the state. Nationally, he’s inside the top 100 at No. 96 overall and No. 23 among righties. Menendez is No. 186 overall on Perfect Games’ national rankings and No. 27 among left-handers in the class of 2023. He’s No. 26 overall in the state of Florida and No. 5 among lefties.

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National Signing Day: Top 100 DT Tywone Malone commits to Ole Miss

Four-star Bergen Catholic (N.J.) defensive tackle Tywone Malone committed to Ole Miss to play both football and baseball Wednesday.

Four-star Bergen Catholic (N.J.) defensive tackle Tywone Malone committed to Ole Miss to play both football and baseball Wednesday afternoon.

Malone picked Ole Miss over a group of finalists consisting of Florida State, Rutgers, Tennessee, Texas A&M and USC. Each school was in contact with Malone on both the football and baseball said leading up to National Signing Day, but Malone’s relationship with both Ole Miss coaching staffs won out at the end of the day.

An injury cut Malone’s senior season at Bergen Catholic, but the mammoth 6-foot-4, 305-pound defensive tackle starred as a junior, recording 54 tackles, 16 tackles for loss and seven sacks. Malone also starred on the diamond as a first baseman for the Crusaders and will continue his baseball career in the SEC at the position.

Malone is the No. 62 recruit, No. 6 defensive tackle and top prospect in New Jersey in the class of 2021 according to 247Sports. His scouting report reads:

Big-framed defensive lineman with good height and length. Measured 34-inch arms as a sophomore and an 80-inch wingspan as a junior. Also owns college-ready mass with build to fit multiple fronts. Experience inside and on the edge vs. good high school competition. Flashes impressive strength-to-power ability as a stout bull rusher. Length and strength foster stack-and-shed ability vs. the run. Keeps his eyes forward and locates the ball well. Somewhat of a short-strider who redirects adequately relative to size. Generally quick off the ball. Strong tackler who arrives with purpose. Two-sport athlete who plans to play football and baseball in college. Pad level is adequate but can show more consistency in that department. Tools-laden defensive lineman who will need to expand move set and overall nuance. Legitimate high-major D-line prospect who could become multi-year impact starter with a real shot at reaching the NFL Draft.

WATCH: Baserunning drill with YSPN360’s Tarrik Brock

A great drill for right-handed hitters, from the youngest ballpayers to the MLB ranks.

Whether you’re just learning the game of baseball or helping your team take a game in the World Series (while helping fans get free tacos), baserunning is an important aspect.

Sure, it doesn’t get the attention that, say, launching balls into the stratosphere might receive, but knowing your way around the basepath shouldn’t be neglected—and that tip goes equally for the coaches.

Not convinced? Just listen to Dodgers’ leadoff man, Mookie Betts:

As part of the coaching staff for our partners at YSPN360—and someone who has worked with the Dodgers in the past—Pittsburgh Pirates first base coach Tarrik Brock shares Mookie’s thoughts. 

And better yet, he has taken his professional-level baserunning tips and drills and broken them down, so it works just as easily for young players as it does for the guys in the MLB. 

One of his best to use this winter for right-handers (like Betts) is this Out of the Box—Fast Arms drill: 

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Related: Learn about the Journey vs. Process with Coach Brock

Coach Tarrik Brock, working with the Dodgers in 2019’s spring training.

WATCH: Catching drill with Cleveland Indians’ Sandy Alomar Jr.

Sandy Alomar Jr. breaks down how high school catchers can work on their framing this offseason.

Cleveland Indians’ Sandy Alomar Jr. made an impact from behind the plate during his 20-year career, controlling the strike zone while also picking up a few clutch hits. And now, he’s making strides as a coach for the team, whether that be during the great 2016 run or most recently as acting manager when Terry Francona went on a leave of absence.

As part of the coaching staff for our partners at YSPN360, we’ve seen coach Alomar’s ability to combine those on-field experiences with his coaching abilities, and translate that to the high school level by creating a handful of catching drill videos.

This framing breakdown, considering the importance of catchers manipulating the zone, is one the best we’ve seen. 

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Related: Catchers looking to sharpen their blocking technique should also incorporate this drill.

The best teams in high school sports history

The high school sports landscape has produced some absolutely dominating teams throughout history-from the juggernauts playing under the now-infamous Friday night lights to the greats on the track, in the pool, on the court, mat, and field. Which …

The high school sports landscape has produced some absolutely dominating teams throughout history—from the juggernauts playing under the now-infamous Friday night lights to the greats on the track, in the pool, on the court, mat, and field.

Which ones are the greatest of all time, though?

That’s not an easy question to answer. Besides the school’s size (class/division), the different eras, competition, plus advancements in training and even technology makes for a lot of a grey area. (High school sports have been around since the late-1800s, too, so we’re talking about a lot of landscape.)

But when factoring in overall resumes—the dominance within the state and nationally, regardless of era—it’s hard to argue that these teams shouldn’t be considered the best in high school sports history:

(Note: Schools are listed alphabetically)

Albuquerque Academy Chargers Boys Tennis (Albuquerque, NM)

© Albuquerque Academy

Recent domination on the tennis court takes us to New Mexico, where an excellent program has held serve with seemingly relative ease. The Albuquerque Academy’s boys tennis team has won 24 state titles, which includes an incredible current streak of 17 in a row. No other tennis team in the nation can say the same thing.

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