The Decline of Fundamentals: Why Today’s Players Struggle with Basics

“The Epidemic of Bad Baseball Academies”

My memo- Understand Not All Baseball Academies Are Bad

As a former player and Major League Baseball scout, I’ve seen some truly bad baseball. Young players unable to field, struggling to hit, and even high school varsity athletes with an embarrassingly low baseball IQ. Worse yet, I’ve seen college players who don’t know the fundamentals of the game. It all starts with bad coaching and Instructors.

In today’s world, where baseball has become a business, parents and young players are constantly seeking an edge. They see a storefront pop up with signs reading “Learn to Hit” or “Learn to Pitch,” and they sign up, believing they’ve found the golden ticket to the next level. Unfortunately, most of these so-called baseball academies are run by unqualified instructors who have never played the game at a high level.

As ?a scout for the Cincinnati Reds, and if I had a nickel for every time I walked away from watching a player who was clearly not ready, I would be a very rich man. The proof is in the results—look at your local newspaper reporting in the MLB Draft. How many players from your area got drafted? There are very few if any. This raises a critical question: Are these baseball academies really helping players develop, or are they just cashing in on parents’ dreams?

The False Promise of Fake Baseball Schools

Many of these so-called baseball schools operate under a simple yet deceptive business model: convince parents that their child needs specialized training, charge exorbitant fees, and provide flashy but ineffective instruction.

Here’s what often happens in these programs:

1. No Real Development Plan – Players are given generic drills without any individualized approach. The emphasis is often on raw physical ability rather than actual skill development.
2. Overemphasis on Velocity – Some of these places run ridiculous drills, such as lining up kids to throw as hard as they can against a wall while measuring their velocity. This is a surefire way to develop arm injuries, not talent.
3. Unqualified Instructors – Many “coaches” running these academies have no professional or collegiate playing experience. They don’t understand the mechanics of hitting, pitching, or fielding at a high level, yet they charge sometimes thousands—of dollars for lessons.
4. Lack of Real-Game Situations – Training in a controlled environment is one thing; performing in an actual game is another. Many of these academies fail to prepare players for real competition.
5. Parents Being Misled – Parents are told that their child is improving because they are throwing harder or hitting the ball farther in practice, but these gains often do not translate to real games.

What Real Development Looks Like

So, how do you separate a quality baseball training program from a scam? Here’s what to look for:

1. Coaches with Real Experience – A true instructor should have played at a high level, whether in professional baseball or at a strong collegiate program. They should have a deep understanding of mechanics and strategy.
2. Focus on Fundamentals – A legitimate training program emphasizes proper mechanics, situational awareness, and baseball IQ, not just physical ability.
3. Results-Driven Training – Look for programs that have a track record of developing players who have moved on to college or professional baseball.
4. Individualized Instruction – Every player is different. A quality program will assess a player’s strengths and weaknesses and tailor instruction accordingly.
5. Game Integration – The best training involves simulated game situations, teaching players how to apply what they’ve learned under real pressure.

My Bottom Line

I recently saw videos of so-called baseball academies where kids lined up, one after another, throwing the ball as hard as they could against a wall while instructors stood by, checking velocity. This isn’t development, it’s a clown show. It’s also a fast track to a rotator cuff injury.

Before you invest your time and money in a baseball training program, do your homework. Check the qualifications of the instructors. Ask about their playing experience. Look at their track record, have their players moved on to higher levels of competition? If not, walk away. The consequences of bad coaching last far beyond one bad season; they can derail a promising career before it ever gets started.

Baseball is a game of skill, intelligence, and preparation. If you’re serious about developing as a player, seek out instructors who truly know the game, not those who just know how to sell a dream. I suggest following Former Boston Red Sox player Jeff Frye. Just about every day he has videos of these instructors and it's worth checking out.