FUNGOMAN JOURNAL

A well oiled practice regiment is a fantastic thing. But you know what's better than filling your hour and half with drills? Developing skills that lead into real game outs (video below). The key to turning drills into skills is giving your player the chance to practice the exact feed (i.e. game ball) until he masters it. Too often, we focus on getting through the drills, giving everyone a handle full of tries to complete a play that isn't really the same ball. The instructors at Texas Rangers Youth Academy in Dallas, TX are making sure their players get quality feeds in practice—and it's already paying off.

Last week FungoMan participated in STATES PLAY, a tournament hosted by MLB Develops and USA Baseball, highlighting the best seniors of California and Texas. Dallas, TX: At Mercy Street Sports Complex—Texas Rangers Youth Academy—MLB Develops served this year's top high school prospects with premiere opportunity to train with FungoMan, an automated fielding and pitching baseball machine, and showcase their talent. WATCH HIGHLIGHTS FROM THEIR ELITE PRACTICE

It's not everyday that you get to play on a diamond, hear Ken Griffey Jr. talk about hitting, and watch the Commissioner of baseball give a state of the game. Let's talk about the incredible work of MLB's Youth Academies creating opportunity through the Elite Development Invitational. Read on and get an inside look at how Major League Baseball is providing the best training and opportunity for the most prolific players of the Urban Youth Academies from across the nation. WATCH THE VIDEO!