Beginning summer 2018, the Hoover Met Complex will serve as the field for a prospecting event for talented baseball players to showcase their skills in front of Major League Baseball scouts.
On August 1-4, the top 150 east coast high school baseball players selected by MLB scouts will have the opportunity to play in front of all MLB team scouts, coaches, agents, family and friends.
“East Coast Pro is very excited to bring our world class event to the Hoover Met Stadium and Hoover, AL. The decision to move our event to Hoover was a no brainer after we saw the major league style facility,” said John Castleberry, East Coast Cross Checker – San Francisco Giants. “We are looking forward to having the top players from the eastern seaboard come to be evaluated and perform enjoy the southern hospitality of Hoover this summer.”
As a part of the selection process, the Arizona Diamondbacks, Milwaukee Brewers, Florida Marlins, Toronto Blue Jays, Boston Red Sox and Kansas City Royals will be the six sponsoring teams that players will be selecting players from six different regions all who will attend the ECP in 2018.
“The East Coast Pro will provide the selected athletes with informative seminars for both parents and players regarding what a MLB career can offer,” said Monty Jones, Jr., General Manager – SFM, Hoover Metropolitan Complex.
East Coast Pro’s objective is for Major League Baseball Scouts to form six teams with the most talented high school underclassmen from their prospective regions on the East Coast. The East Coast Pro event is unique in the fact that the event is run by, and the players selected by, Professional Baseball Scouts in one venue. The basis of the event is to assemble these elite players on one field that presents a true professional environment and professional environment.
“This is truly a great opportunity for both the players and the representatives of all 30 Major League Baseball teams to enjoy an event that brings together the most talented players east of the Mississippi River,” said Frank Brocato, Mayor of Hoover.
The environment encompasses a Major League Spring Training Facility, the use of a professional clubhouse, batting cages, and most importantly the use of wood bats.
The use of wood bats is an integral aspect in the identification and evaluation process of these young players. In the spring season, professional scouts are rarely presented with the opportunity to evaluate players while using wood bats. Therefore, the East Coast Pro provides a rare opportunity for the premier amateur players to be evaluated using the equipment that a professional player uses on a daily basis. It also provides MLB Scouts with the opportunity to learn about the make-up of players during the process.
The selection process is the most vital phase leading up to the commencement of play, and ultimately to the success of the East Coast Pro. The players are chosen exclusively by the recommendation of Major League Baseball Scouts. In some cases, teams will invite players to tryout sessions that will be held regionally in early summer, bringing together the players for August’s ECP in Hoover, AL.
The tryout session provides the scouts, and eventual coaches, to further assess the players' skill level to help them come to a final decision. In unique situations, teams will bypass a tryout and base the roster solely on the verbal recommendations of several Major League Scouts. The final decision as to who makes the team is decided exclusively by the Professional Scouts who place a lot of time and thought into the selection process. The success of the event is strictly related to the talent of the players on each team. All MLB Scouts do this work on a voluntary basis.
In the 2017 MLB Draft, three of the top 10 picks played and nine of the top 30 played in the East Coast Pro.
“This agreement with East Coast Pro is a three-year deal and we are proud to have brought this event to Hoover,” said Gene Smith, President, Hoover City Council.
About the East Coast Pro: The East Coast Pro was created and designed to evaluate and educate prospective players and parents in order to attain their goal of an opportunity to play professional baseball and understand the draft process. The ultimate purpose of this event is to provide a venue for the premier youth baseball players across the Eastern United States to compete in a professional environment and allow evaluation opportunities for scouts from every Major League Baseball organization.
The East Coast Pro is a 501 c(3) run by MLB Scouts. Proceeds from the event are placed in a fund to aid MLB Scouts both active and retired, in need of financial assistance due to unfortunate circumstances. The organization also assists with donations to seven scouting associations on the East Coast.
Annually, between 72 and 95 players from the event are selected in the upcoming year’s MLB Rule 4 Draft. For more information visit:www.eastcoastpro.org/about.html
About The Hoover Metropolitan Complex: The Hoover Metropolitan Complex is a world class, multi-sport and event facility located in Hoover, AL just 10 miles south of Birmingham. The state-of-the-art Finley Center includes more than 83,000 square feet of uninterrupted multi- purpose space, which can host up to 11 basketball or 17 volleyball courts, a 1/5-mile walking track, and a full service food court. Phase II of the Hoover Metropolitan Complex will feature five NCAA regulation-size baseball/softball fields, five multi-purpose fields suitable for NCAA regulation soccer, football, and lacrosse, 16 hard tennis courts, a playground, and a splash pad.
About SFM: Sports Facilities Management (SFM) is the leading resource in sports facility planning and management. SFM has served a portfolio totaling more than $5 billion in planned and operational sports centers since its founding in 2003. For more information, visit www.sportadvisory.com.
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