THE WORLD'S LARGEST AND MOST COMPREHENSIVE SCOUTING ORGANIZATION
| 2,497 MLB PLAYERS | 15,833 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
2,497 MLB PLAYERS | 15,833 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
Sign in Create Account
Sign in Create Account
College  | Story | 4/1/2020

Coaches feeling COVID-19 pinch

Nick Herfordt
Photo: Jeff Calhoon (Biola Athletics)

Keystone College head coach Jamie Shevchik was bluntly honest about the impending prospect of canceling the college baseball due to the coronavirus. Initially, he thought it was a ridiculous decision.

“A few days before we were getting on the bus to go, I got an email from (Kean University Head Coach Neil Loviero) that their spring trip was canceled and I’m thinking to myself, ‘Man, talk about jumping the gun.’”

Shevchik, like dozens, if not hundreds of other college coaches, were all thinking the same thing. There was no way a teeny microscopic germ was going to put a kibosh on their season. It was a preposterous thought, completely ludicrous. The Keystone coach even admitted that he had wanted to hightail it out of town and get his team on the bus as quickly as possible to head south and to save the Keystone administration from making the same foolish preemptive strike on the trip as the Cougars’ directors had.

It wasn’t long before his perspective changed.

“We ended up getting to Florida and it was was like one school getting picked off every day. You go to the fields and you have programs down there doing senior days seven games into their season,” Shevchik lamented, “Now it was like, when is our number going to get called? When am I going to get a phone call from my AD or administration saying that our season is over?

“We kept playing and I think we got about maybe five games in, maybe four games in, and then we get that call, 'You guys need to shut down operation and start making arrangements to get back to campus.’ It was really sobering.”

Since then the Giants’ coach has little doubt suspending the smart decision was made. “The safety and well-being of everybody is the most important thing,” he enforced.

The college baseball season of 2020, or more accurately, the lack thereof, will be memorable for a number of reasons. Primarily it will be remembered as a lost season of opportunity for players and their families. Decisions on eligibility and the subsequent professional draft have been at the forefront, and understandably so. The players on the diamond are what drives the game. It’s safe to say that the bulk of fans head to the field to see one of their school’s players take a rival deep or see one of their pitchers pump their fist after a crucial strikeout rather than to see a third base coach execute a timely hit-and-run sign or watch the a closer get waved in by the pitching coach as he saunters to the mound.

Nevertheless, the coaches are an integral part of the game and getting overlooked in the corona conversation is the effect it is having on the coaches who share the dugouts with the athletes. The mentors, teachers and instructors of the game’s next generation – especially on the small school level – are facing serious hardships as social distancing heads into summer. While the athletes can return to school or start the next chapter in their lives, coaches are missing out on the opportunity to earn their livelihood and the impact of missing a season is having a dire financial and social impact on their lives.

At Benedictine Mesa, a thriving up-and-coming NAIA program based in the Phoenix metro area, all of the coaches, aside from head coach Brian McCabe, are volunteers. They are able to spend their time building the Redhawk program because the experience provides them opportunities to earn money by conducing camps, providing lessons, working local tournaments and coaching over the summer. With the sudden shutdown on the diamond, their ability to draw a paycheck has come to a standstill.

On top of missing out on baseball, Benedictine Mesa’s assistants have received a double punch in the gut.

“All my coaches with our program are volunteers so that’s obviously a wrinkle in itself,” McCabe explained. “But all the guys that coach for me are substitute teachers. Obviously, they aren’t paid when school isn’t happening, so there goes the little money they were able to make.”

The often altruistic-investment coaches make in themselves is a long-standing baseball tradition. Aspiring coaches often must pay their dues before they can pay the bills. Working camps or leading summer clubs in tiny Iowa towns over the summer is typically a vital step in advancing their career.

“After being the volunteer assistant at UC San Diego for three years, that was how I survived was lessons and running our camps,” explained Jeff Calhoon who is the head coach at Biola, a private D-II school in Southern California. “I know that for me I wouldn’t have been able to keep just doing baseball … Our staff is being creative, they’re looking for something in town that they can do, like stocking shelves at Costco or the local grocery store just to try to find a bit of bonus money in case camps don’t happen.

“I feel a lot for the volunteer assistants who were banking on camp to pay their rent or counting on eight lessons a week to make rent or whatever it is and now they don’t have that.”

The need to make ends meet by picking up supplemental work isn’t just limited to assistant coaches. Shevchik has spent over a decade as a summer ball manager in New England in both the New England Collegiate Baseball League and Cape Cod Baseball League. He counts on the summer paychecks as a part of his annual income.

“It’s going to hurt a lot of coaches that the stimulus package and unemployment doesn’t cover,” he explained. “I know I count on it. I count on my salary in the summer of coaching in the Cape to get through the entire year. I’m watching this thing very, very closely and hoping we get back to baseball at some point.”

The COVID-19 cancelations haven’t just taken a financial burden on coaches. Adapting and overcoming in response to having their seasons cut short or eliminated altogether has required them to become de-facto counselors and take an emotional toll as well.

McCabe was preparing to take his team to Sacramento early the next morning when he learned the series had been called off due to virus concerns. At the time he anticipated they’d simply regroup as a team a couple of days later, but the opportunity never came. Much of team had gone home for spring break after their trip was canceled.

As the situation unfolded exponentially students were prohibited from returning to campus. Instead they started taking virtual classes and his Redhawks were scattered across the country and beyond.

“I’m doing exit meetings over the phone right now and calling the Dominican and Washington and Oregon,” McCabe lamented. “I’m thinking the 2020 team will never be together again.”

Regardless of their personal circumstances and situations, it seems unanimous that college coaches have been unequivocally focused on the athletes rather than themselves.

“The players are the most important thing in all of this,” Calhoon affirmed. “If something were to happen to one of them or someone in their family because they came to a game, that’d be something I don’t think I could live through. I couldn’t live with the conscious of that. We’re responsible for taking care of these kids and they are our family.”

Shevchik perhaps simply summed up the situation best.

“There’s a lot of coaches and probably a lot of players going forward that are going to not take baseball and the opportunity to play college baseball for granted.”

For the players and coaches of the game, hopefully that will happen soon.
Give us your feedback
College | Story | 7/10/2026

Cape Cod Notebook No. 1
Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
Cape Cod League Scouting Notebook  Maverick Rizy | Ole Miss | RHP | Brewster Whitecaps  The towering 6-foot-9, 250-pound right-hander continues to stand out with one of the more unique looks on the Cape, pairing a massive frame with a low three-quarter slot that creates difficult angles for hitters. While his fastball velocity was down from its typical mid-90s range during this look, working mostly 90-92 mph, it still generated plenty of swing-and-miss. He paired the heater with an 81-83 mph gyro slider featuring tight bullet-spin action and mixed in an 85-mph changeup with quality separation. Rizy battled his command early in the outing I saw, before settling in to strike out five over three innings, showing the ability to adjust as the game progressed. Through 12.2 Cape League innings, he has recorded 18 strikeouts, and his combination of size, deception, and projectability...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 7/13/2026

17u Elite Scout Notes: Days 1-2

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
High speed look at the FF-SL-CH from '27 RHP Liam McGeady (OH)... #NatElite @PG_OhioValley @Cincy_Legends https://t.co/hhoDL7DBbi pic.twitter.com/Ts79GLPGoU — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) July 12, 2026 Liam McGeady (2027, Liberty Township, Ohio) had the stuff working on Saturday morning, getting the start for Legends Scout 2027. The uncommitted right-hander ran it up to 91 and sat 88-90 with a full starter’s mix. All three of the secondaries played well and project moving forward. The curveball worked in the mid-70s with good depth and healthy shape. The slider operated in the 79-82 range with gyro spin and short break. McGeady rounded out the repertoire with a changeup that showed big fade and depth, proving effective versus lefties. He ended the outing going five ⅔ innings, allowing no earned runs on four hits, striking out six total. The tall and long 6-foot-5,...
Read More
Draft | Mock Draft | 7/13/2026

2027 Mock Draft: Way Too Early Ediition

Vincent Cervino
Article Image
With the 2026 MLB Draft officially complete, let's quickly turn our eyes to the 2027 group and do a way too early mock draft. Leading the way is shortstop Brendan Lawson out of the University of Florida, setting the trend as three of the top four names all call shortstop home with Dylan Seward and Carter Hadnot. If shortstops aren't your thing for any which reason, maybe hard throwing left-handers tickle your fancy whether it be prep Connor Salerno, Tomas Valincius from Mississippi State or Dylan Volantis, a dominant arm from the University of Texas.  Pick Team Name Pos. School 1 Los Angeles Angels Brendan Lawson SS Florida 2 Kansas City Royals Dylan Seward SS Norco (Calif.) 3 Colorado Rockies Landon Hairston OF Arizona State 4 New York Mets Carter Hadnot SS Aquinas (Calif.) 5 Athletics Connor Salerno LHP Sun Valley (N.C.) 6 Cincinnati Reds Tomas Valincius LHP Mississippi State 7...
Read More
Draft | Story | 7/12/2026

2027 MLB Draft: Initial Follow List

Vincent Cervino
Article Image
With the 2026 MLB Draft in the books, our focus now shifts to a new group of players ready to take center stage as the 2027 draft cycle begins. Our initial 2027 Follow List serves as an early snapshot of the players who should draw plenty of attention over the next year. This new crop of talent features collegiate players coming off loud spring seasons, alongside prep prospects who have already flashed big upside as underclassman.  As always, this list will evolve throughout the year. Some players will continue to elevate their stock, while others will jump onto the radar and force their way into the conversation. So, without further ado, let the fun begin.  The road to the 2027 MLB Draft starts now. Name Level Pos. B-T School Hometown State Commitment Adrian Rodriguez C 3B/OF S-R Texas Flower Mound TX Aidan King C RHP L-R Florida Bryceville FL Bino Watters C OF L-L LSU...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 7/12/2026

14u BCS Scout Notes

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
Austin Way (2030, Yulee, FL) was 2-3 in game four, driving in a run and scoring once himself. Picked it well defensively at shortstop but really showed out in the box today. Works the barrel path to the middle of the field and whips the barrel through the zone. The RHH creates lift in the turn, and the ball jumps off the bat hot.  Sutton Walling (2029, Ponte Vedra, FL) is an athletic 5’11/160lb infielder who gets it done on both sides of the ball. Dominated at the plate right behind his teammate Way in the batting order going 3-3 with two doubles. He does a really good job with the barrel accuracy and works through contact with heavy hands. Lots of project-ability in the profile and is having a sneaky great week at the plate. Banks Kennedy (2030, Arcadia, FL) received it well behind the dish and was the leading force in this one driving in three rbis. He ended up going 2-3...
Read More
Draft | Story | 7/12/2026

2026 MLB Draft: Best Available

Tyler Henninger
Article Image
2026 MLB Draft: Best Available for Day Two  A total of 135 players heard their name called on Saturday. As always, signability, bonus pool strategy, and organizational preferences play a major role in how the board unfolds. With that being said, we saw a majority of the top half off the board get selected, but there are a number of players ranked inside our Top 150 that remain available. From high-upside prep talent to polished college performers, these are the top names still available according to our Final Top 500 Draft Board.  Top Prep Bats Available (with Top-500 Board Rankings) 38. Archer Horn, SS/RHP, St. Ignatius College Prep (CA) 58. Blake Bowen, OF, JSerra Catholic (CA) 64. James Tronstein, SS/OF, Harvard-Westlake (CA) 66. Noah Wilson, OF, McCallie School (TN) 71. Cole Koeninger, SS/RHP, Keller (TX) 77. Sean Dunlap, C, Crown Point (IN) 82. Alex Weingartner, OF//RHP,...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 7/11/2026

17U National Elite Heads to Hoover

Kinley Kitchens
Article Image
Another week, another big tournament makes its way to Hoover.  This week, 104 of the nation’s top 17U teams will make their way to Hoover for the 2026 Perfect Game 17U National Elite Championship.  Featuring nationally ranked teams, Division I commits, and many of the country’s top 2027 players, the tournament promises another week of elite competition as teams battle for one of the biggest championships of the summer.  With many players already committed to some of the nation’s top college programs, every game in Hoover this week offers a glimpse into the future of college baseball.  Now entering its eighth year, the National Elite Championship continues to bring in the nation’s best. Past champions include Team Elite Scout Team, Canes National, USA Prime National, Scorpions/Giants Scout Team, 5 Star Performance National, Knights Knation Scout...
Read More
Draft | Story | 7/12/2026

2026 MLB Draft: Day One Recap

Tyler Henninger
Article Image
Storylines Heavy College Run Early We came into the day knowing that there were a lot of talented college players at the top of the board, more specifically college bats. That came to light very early in the day, as we saw just two prep players selected within the first ten picks. The college preference lasted throughout most of the entire first round. Nearly 75% of the first 40 selections were college players. It is clear teams want players at the top of the draft that can quickly get through the system and help the big league club as soon as possible. Underslot Strategy Throughout this cycle, we knew that once you get past the first handful of picks the difference in value you were getting for let say pick ten was not that difference compared to pick 30. Because there was a large collection of players that are relatively close in value, teams were looking to get creative. We saw this...
Read More
Draft | Mock Draft | 7/11/2026

Final 2026 MLB Mock Draft

Vincent Cervino
Article Image
It's draft day and that means it's time for our final Mock Draft with the 2026 group. 1. Chicago White Sox | Roch Cholowsky, SS, UCLA It’s between Roch and Grady Emerson at this pick, though there have been heavy rumors of a very late deal potentially with another top 5 pick. This boils down to negotiations and we think that they will get there.  2. Tampa Bay Rays | Grady Emerson, SS, Fort Worth Christian (Tex.) If Grady isn’t the first pick then he is almost certain to be the second pick. The Rays like to get creative but Emerson is a well worth prospect in his own right.  3.  Minnesota Twins | Vahn Lackey, C, Georgia Tech This is likely the floor for Roch Cholowsky, though the Twins might prefer Lackey to Roch outright. They are thought to be in on the top college players with Emerson a distant third.  4. San Francisco Giants | Jackson Flora, RHP, UC...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 7/10/2026

Ohio Valley Regional Scout Notes

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
‘28 INF Christian Ramirez (OH) WALKS IT OFF for @CincyDBulls2028 to win the chip! Has shown impressive tools throughout the weekend and in this AB showed the ability to adjust to the offspeed and win the game. #OVElite pic.twitter.com/J3MXJXFnbM — Perfect Game Ohio Valley (@PG_OhioValley) July 5, 2026 Christian Ramirez (2028, Mason, Ohio) helped his team win the championship batting out of the two-hole. Though he didn’t win tournament MVP, Ramirez was my favorite player to watch take a plate appearance. He has an advanced feel for the zone and sees the ball out of the pitcher’s hand quicker than most. Ramirez led the tournament with eight walks, batting .375 with a .583 on-base percentage. Much more than just the approach, the swing is efficient with little wasted movement, creates quality separation, and puts him in an excellent position at contact. With such an...
Read More
Loading more articles...
About Perfect Game :: Contact us :: Terms of Use :: Privacy Policy :: Testimonials :: Job Opportunities
Copyright 1994-2026 by Perfect Game. All rights reserved. No portion of this information may be reprinted or reproduced without the written consent of Perfect Game.