NYC Scouts Clinic 'opens up doors' for youth baseball

NEW YORK -- Getting your big break in baseball is often about being noticed by the right person. It’s about opportunity, and then making the most of that opportunity.

But not all amateur players get the opportunity to play in front of those kinds of decision-makers. MLB Develops is out to change that.

On Friday, MLB Develops and Metro Scouting partnered to hold the first NYC Scouts Clinic at Jack Kaiser Stadium on the campus of St. John’s University in Queens. Ninety-five players ages 12-17 participated in the day-long showcase run entirely by Major League area scouts, which was designed to provide underprivileged youth the kind of life-changing opportunities that often cost significant resources on the national for-profit showcase circuit.

“The importance of the MLB Youth program, in my opinion, is that it opens up doors,” said New York Yankees area scout Danny Corona. “We leave no stone unturned, we are able to see these kids and, if possible, give them opportunities to get to the next level.”

Metro Scout Day began as a high school showcase in 2016, the brainchild of a group of local area scouts with an eye toward “helping them open up the door to their future, baseball-wise,” Metro Scouting founder Steve Martinez said. This year, the partnership with MLB Develops added a middle-school showcase to the event, providing opportunities to 50 additional players in that age group, including Jalen Jeter-Martin and Carter Sabathia.

“To see how many kids have gotten college scholarships through our Metro Scout Day, now we’re moving down to the younger kids to help them get ready and prepare for the high school showcases a few years down the road,” Martinez said.

The NYC event followed a similar free scouts showcase MLB Develops put on in August in Worcester, Mass., for Boston-area youth. Add these clinics to the wide array of events MLB Develops designs to grow the game through providing opportunities for underprivileged youth, including the Breakthrough Series, the Dream Series, the Hank Aaron Invitational, and more.

It’s the kind of investment in the future that takes years to see bear fruit. But these programs continue to show real results, with dozens of alumni drafted and some reaching the Major Leagues. Braves center fielder Michael Harris II, Reds starter Hunter Greene and Yankees starter Carlos Rodón are all MLB Develops alumni, to only name a few.

Seven MLB area scouts from five Major League organizations ran and instructed the NYC clinic: Ray Fagnant (Red Sox), Mikael Mogue (Cubs), Matt Hyde (Yankees), Tim Alexander (Yankees), Danny Corona (Yankees), Jim Bretz (Tigers) and Will Habib (Mets). The morning session featured 50 kids from the graduating classes of 2026, ‘27, ‘28, ‘29, ‘30, ‘31 and ‘32. The afternoon session featured 45 older players from the classes of 2025, ‘26, ‘27 and ‘28.

“For us, this is our first look at you as a player, and every time you step on the field you have a chance to make a first impression,” Yankees regional scouting director Matt Hyde told his morning group at the clinic. “I’m really excited about following you guys going forward. This is a great group. A lot of you guys are going to play for a long, long time.”