Jeff McKay

@utahscout1219 @8JoshPark19 @naiello44 @JMikeMLB @VandyonTigers @cindybristow @baseballguy805 @ClintHurdle13 @diamondflorida1 @DMEASrecruiting @BSBSCOUT Enjoy the postings..brings up a lot of memories!!

THE SCOUTING CLASSROOM #49 HOW SCOUTS LEARN TO TRUST THEIR EYES “The best scouts aren’t born with great instincts. They earn them through experience.” ⸻ The Veteran Scout People would often ask me, “How do scouts learn to trust their eyes?” The answer isn’t found in a radar gun, a stopwatch, or a scouting manual. It’s found in years of repetition. Over 20 years as an MLB area scout, I evaluated thousands of players. Some reached the Major Leagues. Some never played another professional game. Every one of them added another lesson to my education. Scouting is one of the few professions where experience becomes your greatest teacher. Every player you evaluate is quietly building a mental database that helps shape the next evaluation. Over time, you begin recognizing “patterns” because you’ve seen them before. A swing reminds you of another hitter. An infielder’s actions trigger memories of someone you signed years earlier. A pitcher’s delivery feels familiar. Those comparisons don’t guarantee you’re right. They simply give your evaluation perspective. EXPERIENCE CHANGES YOUR FOCUS When I first started scouting, I’d catch myself watching the baseball. I had to teach myself to hone in on movement patterns. As the years passed, I found myself watching everything around the baseball. I watched how players prepared before first pitch. How they reacted after failure. How quickly they adjusted. How they carried themselves when nobody thought anyone was watching. Eventually, you realize the clues to a player’s future often happen between the pitches—not during them. That’s where experience begins to separate evaluators. YOUR BIGGEST LESSONS COME FROM THE PLAYERS YOU MISSED Every scout has players they wish they had evaluated differently. I certainly do! (Dustin Pedroia) Those misses become some of your greatest teachers because they force you to honestly ask: • What did I overlook? • What mattered more than I realized? • Did I overvalue tools and undervalue makeup? Those questions aren’t failures. They’re part of becoming a better evaluator. DON’T SCOUT THE BOX SCORE I’ve watched players go 4-for-4 and leave with concerns. I’ve watched others go 0-for-4 and improve their report. Why? Because scouts evaluate how the game happened—not simply what happened. Did the player make adjustments? Did the tools play against quality competition? Did he compete when things weren’t going his way? Tomorrow’s box score rarely tells that story. CONFIDENCE IS EARNED THROUGH PREPARATION Trusting your eyes doesn’t mean believing you’re always right. It means knowing you’ve done the work. • Multiple looks • Detailed notes • Honest conversations • Objective comparisons Preparation replaces emotion with conviction. That’s where confidence comes from. • Not ego, but preparation After two decades in professional baseball, I never walked into a ballpark believing I had everything figured out. I walked in believing there was still something the game could teach me. I think that’s one of the greatest lessons scouting ever gave me. The best evaluators never stop learning because they know every player has another lesson to offer. In the end, trusting your eyes isn’t about being right every time. It’s about earning the confidence to stand behind your evaluation because you’ve remained objective, prepared, and willing to keep learning. That’s how scouts learn to trust their eyes. #BehindTheRadarGun 🔎

From Rocky Mountain High School purple and black to Colorado Rockies purple and black 🗻⚾️ HUGE congrats to BBNW alum Gabriel Hughes on making his MLB debut and earning his first career save for Colorado last night! 👏 #RepTheNW

Shorter University, a NCAA Division II institution that competes in the Conference Carolinas ,is currently accepting applicants for the position of Head Baseball Coach. This position will be responsible for sport specific coaching, Student-Athlete development, evaluating and recruiting prospective student-athletes, budget management, and overall administrative duties. This position will report to the Athletic Director. All activities shall be conducted within the policies and resource framework of the University, the Athletics Department, Conference Carolinas, and the NCAA. Qualifications Bachelor’s degree required (Master’s preferred) Previous experience as a collegiate or professional (MLB) player preferred .Coaching experience at the NCAA Division I, II, or III level (assistant or head coach); NAIA or Junior College program. Strong leadership, communication, and organizational skills. Commitment to the development of student-athletes on and off the field. Understanding of NCAA and Conference Carolinas compliance and regulations. workforcenow.adp.com/mascsr/default…

@jgarsezbaseball We were the lucky ones to be part of it.

Thank you! 18 years, 14 in college baseball, and 10 as a head coach. 3 states and 5 universities, college baseball has been much more than a profession for Jennifer and me, it has been our life. Our boys were raised on a college baseball field. From shaving their heads for Jennifer, helping us move, surprising our boys on their birthdays, and playing with them after games, we owe so much to the players I have been so fortunate to coach. To the life long friends we made at Corban and the impact that experience had on my career, the 17 assistant coaches who helped develop and lead great programs, and administrators who supported and believed in us along the way-- Thank you. Over 300 wins and 8 championships are special, but the relationships, memories, and battling together through the tough times will always mean the most. Thank you to all the friends we made along the way and to our families that have supported this journey!

Have you heard @Lauren_Daigle's song for the BONHOEFFER movie yet? She said her grandfather FORCED her to read my book when it came out and she fell in love with Bonhoeffer, which was why she said yes to doing the song. So glad she did! LISTEN! youtube.com/watch?v=kKBQrW…

From all of us here at the Baseball Northwest family, #HappyThanksgiving 🫶 #RepTheNW

Blessed to share that I will be continuing my academic and baseball career at TCC. Big thanks to my family, teammates, coaches, Baseball Northwest, and above all, God for allowing me this opportunity. Go Titans! @TacCCbaseball @BaseballNW @ManiacsBBLclub @Chiawana_RHawks

The best four days of the year. ⚾️ Relive some of the top moments from the #25NWC. 📹 #RepTheNW

Grateful for the game. Grateful for the freedom. Happy Fourth from Baseball Northwest!🇺🇸 #RepTheNW

JR Ritchie headed to the Futures game in ATL 👊🏻

Let’s just say, we’ve had a few things in the works👀 Clean lines. Everyday comfort. Built for those who #RepTheNW on and off the field. 🙌 Dropping this week. Stay ready!

Northwest vs. everybody.

Huge congrats to former South Medford HS star Jacob Melton on making his MLB debut yesterday! ⚾️🌟 It’s been a privilege to watch Jacob’s journey over the years, and we’re proud to see him #RepTheNW 💪

Pasco we are just two weeks out! Register now to secure your spot and build your baseball resume this summer 🤩🔥 baseballnorthwest.com/event/WA/pec-p… #ReptheNW

Countless hours spent cheering for us, many weekends sacrificed to support us, dollars spent investing in us, and sore throats from a day full of rooting for us — Thanks for everything, moms. 💚 #HappyMothersDay #RepTheNW

Big-time upset at Calvary today. From all of us here at Baseball Northwest, happy Easter!

Welcome to The Show, Tim! 💪 This weekend, Tim Tawa became the latest BBNW alum to make his MLB debut. ⚾️ #RepTheNW

The 2025 Northwest Championships are returning to Centralia, WA on Aug. 7-10! On the heels of sweeping facility renovations, Centralia's four-turf diamonds—all at the same complex—will provide NWC participants with even greater exposure to college coaches and scouts. #RepTheNW

Day 1⃣. The first official day of high school baseball in the Northwest is TODAY, and we're pumped. Good luck to all the ballplayers who will #RepTheNW on the diamond this year! 😤