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Scout Day Spotlight: Midwest Prospects

BLUE ASH - A new concept has the Midwest Prospects looking to the future.

“Our goal is to recruit kids that want to play at the next level,” explained Ric Clouse, manager of the 16U team and a board member of the organization. “We want to do whatever we can do to help them play at that next level. Our job is to put them in tournaments where they can be seen and if they’re good enough then they’ll have that opportunity.”

Prep Baseball Report is a big part of it according to Clouse.

“PBR is the core component of that strategy,” Clouse said. “PBR has a great reputation. We know coaches care about their third-party numbers. Anything we can do to associate with PBR and get their stamp of approval can only further the cause to get them to the next level.”

The recent Midwest Prospects Scout Day event helped kick-start the 2019 year.

“It was an opportunity for us to get some exposure for our organization,” Clouse pointed out. “They’ve always done a nice job and this was a chance for our guys to get used to the process. We knew it would get done right.

“Overall it went really well,” continued Clouse. “We had access to a fabulous facility, the Bo Dome, and the format was extremely well done. I was impressed with the way they interacted with the guys. I’d like to do it again, certainly next spring and maybe in the fall.”

Founded in 2012 by Nate Perry, with the inaugural season 2013, the Midwest Prospects began with 15-and-up elite showcase teams.

“It was successful early on and then the next few years we started to bring on younger teams with the idea of professionals coaching at 15 and up,” Clouse explained. “When Nate left in 2015 the board took over and we started a new concept last year with a philosophy of developing baseball all the way down.

“We started an 8U team and want professional coaching all the way up. Ideally, a coach would stay through with the group and then drop back down. At a minimum, they’ll keep them a few years and then we’ll rotate them through. We’re still working to see how it plays out. There are a lot of great dads to coach out there, but it’s a big difference when you have non-parent coaches.”

There are currently eight teams based out of either Columbus or Cincinnati. There is one each for 16U and 14U in both cities with a 15U in Columbus as well as 13U, 12U and 8U in Cincinnati.

“More of our focus right now is on the coaching aspect,” pointed out Clouse, noting the organization is technically based out of Blue Ash near Cincinnati. “We want to get teams turned over to guys with a coaching background of player development. Player development is the aspect we want rather than wins and losses. It’s about teaching life lessons.

“Certainly we want to continue working out the idea of professional coaches at the younger ages, but eventually we’d also like some place with a facility. In the short term we want to find coaches that do it the right way so we can attract kids and families that we want to represent us.”

Perry, Bill Boston and Charlie Miller are coaches that had a big impact in the early days of an organization that in the past five years has sent around 50 kids on to colleges the likes of Ohio U, Wright State, Xavier, Dayton and Miami.

“The hard part is finding guys that want to do it and are available,” Clouse said about travel coaching. “There is a high demand for the right people, that’s the challenge. We’re trying to match up experienced guys with younger guys, with the younger guys then taking over when the experienced guys move on.”

Clouse likes the direction the organization is headed.

“I wish we had a storied history but we’re still young,” explained Clouse. “We’re trying to do the right thing so, hopefully, someday we’ll have a storied history.”