Best of the 757 Baseball Combine

[wgarlick]

Returning for its sixth straight season is the Best of the 757 Baseball Showcase being held at Harbor Park on August 23th. VirginiaPreps.com, in conjunction with the Best of the 757, will be co-hosting the showcase which features instruction from some of the top baseball coaches in the Tidewater area. The coaches pedigree included former Major League pitcher, college players, and coaches who have led their teams and won State championships.

Tim Hummel is a former MLB player for the Cincinnati Reds and he played baseball at Old Dominion where he was CAA Player of the Year. Hummel is the head coach Cape Henry Collegiate and his team won the State Championship in 2012. Hummel coached 2013 UNC signee, Tyler Ramirez, and 2012 Univ. of South Carolina signee, Jack Wynkoop

Sean Townsend is the Head Coach at perennial state baseball power Great Bridge High School and he led the Wildcats to the 2013 State championship where they finished as State Runner-up. Townsend coached 2013 Gatorade Player of the Year and UVA signee Connor Jones and 2014 UVA signee Charlie Cody. Townsend played college baseball at Mary Washington University.

Coach Chris Dotolo led Norfolk Academy to a 24-5 record and State Semi-finalist appearance in 2014. Dotolo played college baseball at VCU and Virginia Wesleyan and spent four professional seasons in the San Francisco Giants organization. He coached baseball for 14 years in college with 13 of those at the Division I level for Dartmouth, St. John's University, and Hofstra.

Roland Wright is the Head Coach of the 2014 D6 State Champions Western Branch High School and he has led the school to multiple District Championships in the highly competitive Southeastern District. Wright played college baseball at Bridgewater College and he has over 150 career victories in his 10 years at Western Branch.

Registration is open now and can be completed online here

VirginiaPreps.com will be on hand representing Rivals.com in search of top players to highlight and profile.










This post was edited on 8/3 12:01 PM by wgarlick

 

[wgarlick]

Best of the 757 Baseball Alumni - Devon Fisher

Last August, Devon Fisher was participating in the Best of the 757 Baseball event and preparing for his senior year at Western branch High School. One year later, Fisher is playing professional baseball in the Boston Red Soxs Minor League system. The All-State catcher had a busy end to his high school career having to prepare for a graduation, a state baseball championship game, and the Major League Baseball draft.

"It went really quick," Fisher said about the whole ordeal. "With graduation I was more excited just to be done with school and continue with the next phase of my career. For the state championship game, we worked as a team all Fall and Winter to play for the state championship. I was aware of my offer (from the Boston) before the championship game. I wasn't going to let (the offer) affect me. I had a commitment to my teammates and I couldn't let my team down. It felt great bringing home a State title with the guys I've played baseball with since I was a kid."



Fisher helped Western Branch head coach Roland Wright win his 1st ever State championship since taking over the position in 2005. Wright has helped with the Best of the 757 Baseball event since the inaugural event and he has sent several dozen prospects to Division I colleges. Fisher says Wright helped him to prepare for life after high school.

"He definitely helped with work ethic and the mental part of the game. He told us at the next level you are going to be tired we had to be the best focused team out there. He was also very helpful with all the on-field stuff. If I needed on field batting practice when scouts came by, he would let me use the field and throw batting practice for me."

Fisher had committed to play college baseball for the University of Virginia but decided to start living his dream of playing professional baseball when the Red Soxs met his bonus/salary request.

"To go pro has really been my dream," Fisher said. "Of course we discussed what would happen before they called my name. When Boston called, the time was right, the money was right, and I decided I wanted to get my career started."

Less than a week after the State championship win, Fisher was in Fort Myers, Florida at the home of the Boston Red Sox Gulf Coast League Rookie team. He says his daily schedule includes a bus ride from the hotel to the baseball field, daily batting practice, working with the pitchers, and playing a game.

"I started off really well then I went a couple of games where I struggled but I got back in the cages," he said. "The last game I went 3 for 5 from the plate. I'm happy with what I'm doing but of course you can always do better."

Living away from home, in a hotel room, is the way of life for a professional baseball player. In addition, playing in the Florida heat adds another level of discomfort but Fisher says catching a baseball in 100 degree weather is more fun than taking exams. Still, he did admit he misses the Tidewater area.


"Of course, I miss my family and friends, and the food is definitely very different here. A lot of places don't have sweet tea," he said.


Besides the food, Fisher says playing competitive baseball everyday takes a toll on your body. He did not have a summer to rest like most college freshman.

"It's the everyday grind," Fisher explained. "You don't know the feeling of being a 100 percent. You just have to mentally know that you can get thru the day and give 100 percent, even when you don't feel 100 percent."

This post was edited on 8/12 11:53 AM by wgarlick