Next Level Baseball

I say it every year. Before. During. and After the MLB draft. Players Understand something loud and clear. Your advisor and or agent works for you. You're the boss. Don’t let them price you out of the draft if you really want to sign. They don’t determine your worth. The draft determines your worth.

@tromblybaseball Nothing but respect and admiration for you Steve.

Ryan and I share so many of the same thoughts and ideas regarding amateur baseball including this.

Travel Ball was designed to be best on best. Strong vs strong. In shape vs in shape. Physical vs physical. Athletic vs athletic. Grinder vs grinder. Competitive vs competitive. Performer vs performer. If your travel ball organization presented you with well defined physical and training guidelines and you ignored them. If your son showed up weak and or out of shape. If your son refused to do everything in his power to be the best and most physical athlete he can be. Nobody wants to hear your complaints or even opinions.

NLB American runs record to 4-0 at Perfect Game BCS. NLB 9 Scorpions South Florida 1 Hayden Graham (Niceville HS) and Caleb Hoogewerf (Freeport HS) outstanding on the mound. Hayden Graham worked 2 innings, allowed 1 hit, 0 runs, struck out 5 and walked 1. Caleb Hoogewerf worked 3 innings, didn't allow a hit or earned run, struck out 5 and didn't walk a hitter. Alex Goodwin (Bozeman HS), Alden Lewis (St. Cloud HS), Tyler Fay (Gulf Breeze HS) (2), Jack Marracco (Choctawhatchee HS) and Sam Bruce (Wakulla HS) collected hits. Lewis and Goodwin doubled. Auggy Davila (Key West HS), Lewis, Fay (2), Marracco and Bruce contributed RBI's. NLB will continue pool play tomorrow.

The Scouting Classroom #42 THE PLAYER WHO RESPONDS TO FAILURE Every player looks good when the game is easy. The real evaluation often starts after the game punches back. That is where scouts learn things the box score does not always show. Baseball is built to expose players. You are going to strike out. You are going to make an error. You are going to give up a hard double. You are going to get beat by a pitch you thought you could hit. You are going to have days where the game feels faster than your body and your mind can handle. That is not the question. The question is what happens next. FAILURE REVEALS THE PLAYER A scout watches talent, but he also watches response. Does the hitter carry a bad at-bat into the field? Does the pitcher lose the strike zone after giving up hard contact? Does the infielder want the next ground ball after an error, or does he start hoping it is not hit to him? Does the catcher show leadership when the inning starts to get away, or does his body language sink with the pitcher? Those moments matter. They tell you whether the player has internal toughness or just external confidence. There is a difference. Some players look confident only when things are going well. They carry themselves well when they are hitting. They talk when they are winning. They look loose when the game is under control. But when the game gets messy, the truth starts showing up. THE SCOUT WATCHES THE NEXT PLAY One mistake does not bury a player. Everybody fails in baseball. But the next pitch, the next play, the next at-bat, and the next inning can tell the scout a lot. The hitter who strikes out chasing spin and comes back with a better plan gets noticed. The pitcher who gives up a home run and still executes the next pitch gets noticed. The shortstop who boots a routine ball and still wants the next ground ball gets noticed. The catcher who blocks a ball, settles the pitcher down, and keeps the inning from getting bigger gets noticed. Those are not small things. Those are winning player traits. BODY LANGUAGE IS PART OF THE FILE Scouts are not looking for emotionless robots. Baseball has emotion. Players care. Frustration is real. Nobody expects a player to smile after failure like nothing happened. But there is a difference between being frustrated and being consumed. A player can be mad and still compete. He can be disappointed and still stay present. He can fail and still stay connected to the game. That is maturity. The problem is when the failure becomes bigger than the next responsibility. The helmet slam. The head down. The blame. The slow walk back to position. The pitcher staring at the umpire. The hitter giving away the next at-bat before it starts. Scouts see it Coaches see it Teammates feel it MAKEUP IS NOT A SPEECH Makeup is not just what a player says when someone asks him about work ethic. • Makeup is how he lives inside the hard parts of the game. It shows up when he is tired. When he is struggling. When he is not getting hits. When the umpire misses a call. When the field is bad. When the crowd is quiet. When nobody is clapping for him. That is where the real player starts to separate. The next level does not protect you from failure. It multiplies it. The travel is harder. The pitching is better. The scouting reports are sharper. The patience gets tested. The game keeps asking whether you can keep showing up after it humbles you. THE MANUAL LESSON Scouts do not expect perfect players. They are looking for players who can survive imperfect moments. Players need to understand this. Your bad day is still part of the evaluation. Your response to failure may matter more than the failure itself. The game is going to expose you. That is guaranteed. The separator is whether you compete after it does. Talent gets you watched Response gets you trusted #BehindTheRadarGun 🔎

Ethan Thomas (2028-Niceville HS-3B-P) will represent Florida at the 2D Sports Southeast Cup. Legitimate two way college prospect. Three pitch mix with stuff that plays up. Advanced competitiveness, moxie and feel on the mound. Fundamental swing with bat speed. Versatile defender. Outstanding student.

JR YR 3 sport FL All Big Bend selection; Baseball, Football & Track-100M district champ & ran State final. Looking for a college baseball home, JUCO-D1 2026 Varsity 23 G 99 PA 2 hole 37 H .446 AVG 1.079 OPS 7 2B 1 3B 27 RBI 6 SB 5 K's 132 innings @ C @nextlevelbb @BaseballMaclay

NLB Underclass runs record to 2-1 at Prospect Select Black Bear Classic. NLB 7 Wow Factor East Coast 2 Brian Eikeland (Lincoln HS) worked 1.1 innings, didn't allow a hit or run, struck out 2 and walked 3. Wesson Stanley (Wakulla HS) worked 3.2 innings, scattered 2 hits, allowed 2 earned runs, struck out 3 and walked 3. Nathan Mann (Mosley HS) worked 1 inning and didn't allow a hit, run or walk. Bubba Davis (Liberty County HS), Brent Tolley (North Florida Christian HS) (2), Camden Siefert (Tate HS) (2), John Weglinski (Chiles HS), Thomas Derzypolski (Leon HS), Graham Ghio (Leon HS) (2) and Cooper Willis (Pace HS) collected hits. Davis (2), Siefert, Weglinski, Ghio and Willis contributed RBI's. NLB will continue pool play tomorrow.

NLB American runs record to 3-0 at Perfect Game BCS. NLB 7 Nelson Baseball School 0 Aahron Geleta (Niceville HS) and Zander Keith (Choctawhatchee HS) outstanding on the mound. Aahron Geleta worked 5 innings, allowed 1 hit, struck out 6 and didn't walk a hitter. Geleta threw 70% strikes. Zander Keith worked 2 innings, allowed 1 hit, struck out 2 and walked 1. Auggy Davila (Key West HS) (2), Alex Goodwin (Bozeman HS) (2), Alden Lewis (St. Cloud HS), Carson Koch (Lincoln HS) (2) and Tyler Fay (Gulf Breeze HS) collected hits. Lewis, Goodwin and Fay doubled. Poppell, Goodwin, Ryder Hodgkinson (Niceville HS), Fay and Sam Bruce (Wakulla HS) contributed RBI's. NLB will continue pool play tomorrow.

NLB has accepted an invitation to the Prospect Select World Invite.

We see you Hunter Tarchalski.

NLB Upperclass falls to 1-2 at Perfect Game BCS. Idaho Spuds 1 NLB 0 Tucker Alford (Franklin County HS) outstanding on the mound. Tucker Alford worked 7 innings, scattered 5 hits, didn't allow an earned run, struck out 8 and didn't walk a hitter. Alford threw 75% strikes. Evan Morris (Cottonwood HS), Jacob Strunk (Leon HS), Alford, Hunter Safchik (Gulliver Prep HS) and Jarquez Jackson (Rickards HS) collected hits.

THE SCOUTING CLASSROOM #41 WHY EVERY PLAYER HAS A FLOOR AND A CEILING ( Another Scouting 101 ) • Projection is balancing optimism with reality. •• One of the biggest misconceptions people have about scouting is believing every evaluation is based solely on what a player is right now. ••• Scouting has always been about what a player has a chance to become. That is where projection enters the conversation. Every player possesses both a floor and a ceiling. The challenge for scouts is determining where reality will most likely fall between the two. The evaluation NOW vs what is EXPECTED •••• The ceiling represents the best version of the player. ••••• The floor represents the minimum outcome if development stalls, adjustments never come, or certain tools fail to play against better competition. Very few players actually reach either extreme. Most careers land somewhere in the middle. THE CEILING Ceilings are what create excitement and the ceiling is what the future grade in the report is…It’s where you are drafted and the signing bonus attached! It’s assessing risk vs reward and once again, playing the futures market. The report is built on physical ability, athleticism, projectability, work ethic, and the possibility that everything comes together. A scout may see an athletic shortstop with bat speed, arm strength, body control, and room for physical maturity. The ceiling may suggest an everyday Major League player or even an All-Star. But ceilings are possibilities. They are not promises. Potential has broken a lot of hearts in this game. THE FLOOR Floors are equally important. A player may possess enough defensive ability, speed, or arm strength to provide value even if the bat never fully develops. Some pitchers survive because velocity gives them a safety net. Catchers may carve out careers because of receiving, leadership, and throwing ability. Versatility often raises a player’s floor. The more ways a player can help a club, the better his chances of surviving. WHY RISK MATTERS Projection is really a discussion about risk. Two players may have identical ceilings. Their floors may be completely different. One player may have years of performance, advanced baseball instincts, and a long history of making adjustments. Another may rely almost entirely on raw tools. • The first player usually carries less risk • • The second player may have the higher upside • Organizations spend countless hours trying to determine how much risk they are willing to accept. • High ceiling with high risk • Lower ceiling with greater certainty • Loud tools with little track record • Average tools with exceptional baseball instincts • Projection versus probability Those conversations happen every year in draft rooms across baseball. THE PLAYERS WHO LENGTHEN THEIR CEILINGS Ceilings are not always fixed Some players raise them Strength gains Swing adjustments Improved command Experience Maturity Confidence Learning how to handle failure The players who continue making adjustments often surprise everyone. I’ve seen players with modest ceilings exceed expectations because they never stopped developing. I’ve also seen players with tremendous ceilings never reach them because talent alone wasn’t enough. THE SCOUT’S JOB Scouting is not predicting perfection. Nobody owns a crystal ball. The job is to evaluate honestly and determine the most likely outcome. Optimism without realism creates mistakes. Realism without optimism causes scouts to miss on players. Finding the proper balance between the two is what makes projection so difficult. And that balance is why every player has both a floor and a ceiling. Because the future isn’t found in certainty. It’s found somewhere between possibility and probability. #BehindTheRadarGun 🔎

Team Florida Jacob Rabion (2028-Lincoln High School-LHP) will represent Florida at the 2D Sports Southeast Cup. Advanced pitchability, moxie and feel for age. Rabion was instrumental in leading his high school team to a Florida state championship. Fierce Competitor that should be a priority follow for colleges that want winners on the mound.

Recruit NLB Winning makeup and fierce competitor.

NLB American runs record to 2-0 at Perfect Game BCS. NLB 3 Empire Baseball 1 Jacob Rabion (Lincoln HS) worked 5 innings, scattered 5 hits, allowed 1 earned run, struck out 7 and walked 3. Auggy Davila (Key West HS) worked 1 inning, didn't allow a hit or run, stuck out 2 and didn't walk a hitter. Tucker Poppell (Maclay HS), Sam Bruce (Wakulla HS) and Jacob McDonald (Navarre HS) collected hits. Poppell and Carson Koch (Lincoln HS) contributed RBI's. NLB will continue pool play tomorrow.

Three very simple basic things can change careers for high school age players. Be able to run a 6 minute mile (most players are out of shape). Be able to throw a baseball 100 plus yards (most players don't long toss). Be able to bench press 225 lbs (most players think this is power lifting). Ask yourself, can I do those things? How many kids on my team can do those basic things? Then ask yourself, how many kids on my team that can't do those things think they're recruitable?

NLB Upperclass runs record to 1-1 at Perfect Game BCS. NLB 14 Miami Goat 1 Jarquez Jackson (Rickards HS) worked 2 innings, didn't allow a hit, allowed 1 earned run, struck out 5 and walked 5. Evan Morris (Cottonwood HS) (3), Jacob Strunk (Leon HS), Cason Marlow (Wakulla HS), Hunter Safchik (Gulliver Prep HS), Tucker Alford (Franklin County HS), Jackson and Max Latimer (Leon HS) collected hits. Morris, Jake Buis (Niceville HS), Marlow, Safchik, Alford (2), Jackson (2), Latimer (2) and Lucca Calistri (Naples HS) contributed RBI's. NLB will continue pool play tomorrow.