Your Title Text
Your Subtitle text
Staff

A MESSAGE FROM JEFF MANTO

There are many baseball academies in the country today, but few can offer the instruction of current or former major league players. Finally - the opportunity to be taught the professional way of playing the game is here at The Big Leagues Baseball & Softball Academy.

There is much pressure today on college and high school players, and most of the focus is placed on winning - not the individual player's interests. The swing used in high schools and colleges is not recommended by professional baseball coaches because they do not want to spend the time to correct training players have received in the past. This can be a factor in why many high school and college students do not win scholarships or get drafted by professional teams. With this in mind, I set out to create a situation where high school and college players can get the professional instruction they need to avoid getting stuck in the stationary approach.

Here at "The Big Leagues," we do not promise your son or daughter scholarships or professional contracts. We do promise professional instruction that will place players in the most opportunistic position to be seriously scouted by colleges and professional teams throughout the country.

As I approach my 24th year of professional baseball, my networking has always been considered premier. I have made many calls to scouts and head coaches at all levels and have placed many players in situations to continue their baseball educations and careers.

Executive Director: Jeff Manto

Jeff Manto is the current roving hitting instructor for the Chicago White Sox
 

* 16-year professional baseball player
* Tied a Major League record with 4 consecutive Home Runs in 4 consecutive at bats
* Member of the 1993 National League Champion, Philadelphia Phillies
* 4 Time MVP
* 48% of Jeff's Minor League hits are for extra bases
* Tied Johnny Blanchard of the 1964 New York Yankees by hitting 5 Home Runs in 3 days
* Played along side of Cal Ripken during his chase to catch Lou Gehrig's record of 2,130 consecutive games played
* Played with the 1997 American League Champion, Cleveland Indians
* Active Home Run leader in Minor League Baseball
* Jeff played for the 1999 World Champion, New York Yankees
* Some of Jeff's memorabilia can be found in the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y.

Director of Operations: Josh Tyler

Played with Milwaukee Brewers & San Francisco Giants
* 9-year professional baseball player
* 1997 MVP
* 2 Professional Championships 1995 & 1998
* 1st Player to play all nine positions in one game and record the victory as the pitcher 1998 California League
* Drafted in 1994 out of the University of Pittsburgh
* Member of University of Pittsburgh & Upper Perkiomen High School "Wall of Fame"
* 1994 Big East Player of the Year and 1st Team Third Base
* 1994 GTE Academic-Athletic All-American
* 1994 All-East 1st Team

Director of Scouting & Academy Teams: Mike Gossner

Baltimore Orioles Scout
* Manager of Academy U20 Collegiate Team (ABCO) 
* Area Director for CABA
__________________________________________________

Pitching Instructors

Matt Gilbert

Pitching Coach

* Played for Arkansas University, St. Joes University
* Academy U15 Pitching Coach
* Holds Numerous Pitching Records at Council Rock H.S.

Dan Krapf

Pitching Coach

* Pitching Coach New Hope-Solebury High School
* Former Pitching Coach at Council Rock HS under Pete Lucente
* Expert in Video Analysis Instruction and Feedback

Ryan Stadanlick

Pitching Coach

* Played in the Baltimore Orioles Organization
* Playing Professionally in Kentucky Currently
* Local Pennsbury and St Joe's Grad!
* Former Bucks Courier Times Player of the Year

Matt Caston

Pitching Coach

* Former Pitching Coach for Pennsbury H.S.
* Continues pitching on high level adult baseball teams
* Played his College Ball at Spokane CC in Washington State 

Mark Rubini

Pitching Coach

* Played for West Chester University
* Division II College World Series Participant
* 14U Academy Team Pitching Coach
* Local Council Rock Grad!

Brian Kraus

Pitching Coach

*
Manager of Big Leagues U20 ABCO Phillies Team
* 4-year pitcher at College of New Jersey
* Neshaminy Grad and former Player for the Redskins
* More to come. . .

Fielding & Hitting Instructors

: Joe McEwing

Chicago White Sox Hitting Instructor
* 13 Year Professional Baseball Career
* Played for Kansas City, Boston, NY Mets, St Louis, Houston and Chicago White Sox
* Played HS ball at Egan in Levittown, Pa.

Matt Willard

Hitting Coach

* Current Cleveland Indians Professional Baseball Player
* Played his college ball at the University of Arkansas
* Council Rock North Graduate
* All-Conference During his 3 year career at CR North

Keith Smeraglio

Hitting Coach

* Head Coach for Holy Ghost Prep
* Played his college ball at the University of Miami
* Manager of Big League 30's U18 Travel Team Fall
* Manager of Carpenter Cup Team 2007 &2008 (Championship in 2008)

Meade Tenaglia

Hitting & Pitching Coach

* Head Coach for Yardley-Western American Legion
* Coached Western to the American Legion World Series and was crowned National Champs in 1996.
* Coached his sons to Professional Baseball Contracts

Ken Irwin

Hitting & Pitching Coach

* Former Head Coach for CB East Baseball
* Tri-Township Travel Coach (2008 State Champions)
* 19-Year Instructional Experience
* Manager of Carpenter Cup Team 2007

Ryan Englehardt

Hitting & Catching Coach

* Played for University of Delaware and Liberty University 
* Academy U15 Manager
* All Conference at CR North HS 
 

Dave Vaccaro

Hitting & Pitching Coach

* Morrisville HS Head Coach
* Bucks Courier Times Coach of the Year 2008
* Coach for Yardley-Western Legion a regional powerhouse 

James Kelly

Hitting & Catching Coach

* Coaches in the Neshaminy School District
* More to Come 

Mike Tenaglia

Hitting Coach
* Assistant coach for 16U 2007 Academy Team 

John MolyneauxHitting & Outfield Coach
* Played at West Chester University
* Played Professionally for the Fort Worth Cats
* Played his High School Baseball at Calvary Christian
 

SOFTBALL

Jeff Huggins

Hitting Coach

* 1996-98 was the hitting coach for Conwell-Egan H.S.
* 2000 was the Asst. and Hitting coach for Gywnedd Mercy College
* Played on 3 National Championship teams
* Currently Plays Professionally around the country

Rick Waye

Hitting Coach

* Head Coach for the Newtown Rock Banshees Gold team.
* Director of Extreme FastPitch Softball Camps

Toni DeFilippo

Hitting Coach

* High School All-American 1997 (Lansdale Catholic)
* Number retired from the Blazing Angels in 1996
* Selected as one of 4 softball players of the century ; Philadelphia Inquirer 2000
* Regional All-American Kutztown University
* 2006 ASA Major All-American
* Currently Still playing for the Topton VIPS major women's softball team

Stacey McGowan

Pitching Coach

* Graduated from Kutztown University 2006
* Four Year Varsity Letter Winner
* Currently Plays for Topton VIP's Woman's Major Team
* All-American team for Topton.

Krystilyn Obert

Hitting Coach

* Holy Family University Softball Team – Shortstop and Captain. (2004 - 2008)
* Assistant coach for the Philadelphia Spirit 16 and under travel softball team
* Coached girls 8-10 year old softball team for three years – (Spring 2002-2004)
* Assistant coach for the Levittown Lightening 14 and under girls travel softball team – (Summer 2003 and 2004).
* Former Philadelphia Spirit girls 10 and under softball team coach – (2004-2005)
* Former Philadelphia Spirit girls 12 and under softball team coach – (2005-2006)
* Currently helping Philadelphia Spirit 10 and 12 under softball teams – (2006, 2007, 2008)


Aly McBryar

Pitching & Hitting Coach
 


* 17 years total experience
* 3 years FHAA in-house play
* 10 years travel softball experience
* 4 years starting 3rd basemen at Holy Family University
* 8 years pitching experience instructed by Ray Pyontek and Jerry Herrera (New Jersey)
* 17 years 3rd base experience
* 1 year assistant coach for 14&U Newtown Rock Travel Softball

* Captain of Bristol Township FORCE - 4 years

Web Hosting Companies