By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information Coordinator
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Representing 13 of the 30 clubs of Major League Baseball, several scouts were on had at Bush Stadium at the Averitt Express Baseball Complex Thursday afternoon for the Tenneessee Tech baseball team's annual Pro Scout Day.
Each member of the Golden Eagle team participated in various drills for the scouts, ranging from batting practice and fielding drills to a full-scale intrasquad scrimmage.
"Anytime we can bring scouts from the highest level of our game to our campus, it's a good thing," said head coach Matt Bragga. "Even back when I played, those guys were respected and put on a pedestal by everybody, no matter how good a player you were. And they still are. We want our guys to showcase their abilities as well as promote Tech baseball in the best way we know how. The decisions they make impact careers and our guys get excited every time they come out."
Tech began the day with quick sprints and running drills in the outfield, followed by a brief batting practice session. Throwing and fielding drills followed, leading up to the day's premiere event, the intrasquad scrimmage. Several players put on a show during the event, as home runs, web gems, and nasty pitching were all shown off by the student-athletes.
"We want our guys to be calm and treat it like any other practice," said Bragga. "We tell them to just go out there and let the chips fall where they may. And that's what they did. They had a good time and the scouts had fun as well. Just like every year we host this event, our guys went out there and performed well."
Among those teams represented in the event were the Miami Marlins, Chicago Cubs, Colorado Rockies, Washington Nationals, Cleveland Indians, Cincinnati Reds, Kansas City Royals, Milwaukee Brewers, New York Mets, San Francisco Giants, and three other clubs.
"We've done this as long as I can remember and I honestly think it has made an impact on our guys," explained Bragga. "We've had guys drafted each of the past seven years and there's no question that this event helped in the process. We have several guys who are capable of playing at the next level and when you can have professional baseball scouts out there to witness what they can do, it makes an impact on their lives, it makes a impact on our team, and it also makes an impact for us in recruiting."
Photos by Mike Lehman
