A "PROSPECT" is a young baseball player that has the drive, determination, and potential to play professional baseball.

If your son has these qualities, and has dreams of making it to the big leagues some day, then the Long Island Prospects is the team for him.

In order to find out if this club is ideal for you, your son, and your family, you may contact the coaching staff by phone or e-mail (See Contact Us Link) to answer any further questions that you may have. If you decide that this club is where you want your son to play ball now and into the future, please call or email us for a tryout .

The Long Island Prospects were founded in 2004 with the purpose of putting some of the best youth baseball players on Long Island on a club to compete against top competition - Locally, Regionally, and Nationally.
By playing against the top competition, the players on the Long Island Prospects will develop quickly as ballplayers and become the best they can be.

Our mission is to "Build Better Ballplayers".

1. How do I become a member of the Long Island Prospects?
   
   There are several factors that effect if a player can play for the Long Island Prospects. The first factor is commitment as outlined in the Criteria. 100% commitment is required. Secondly, the player must have the drive, determination, and potential to become a great ballplayer. This means that the player must love to play the game and presently have the necessary skills to play at a highly competitive level. Lastly, the player must be “coach-able”, get along with other kids, and believe in being part of a team.



2. Are there geographical boundaries in which my son can or can’t play on this team?
   
   There are no geographical boundaries in travel baseball. However, the team will play most of its games in Suffolk and Nassau County on Long Island. If you are willing to travel to Suffolk and Nassau County from where ever you may reside, and can get to all of the practices and games on time, you are welcome to become a part of this club.



3. Is this a “must win” team or an “equal playing time” team?
   
   The teams will be built around the concept to be competitive and to play as a team. It is not going to be a “win at all costs team”. We will never risk injury to a player to win a game. However, it will not be an equal playing time team either. The coaching staff will make every effort possible to make sure that each player plays in every game. How much? The player will earn playing time himself by his performance on the field in both the games and in practice. We also play "REAL" Baseball, and as such, for example, if your son is a pitcher, and pitches his complete innings for that day, he might be rested for the remainder of the day so he does not injure himself.



4. How much “traveling” is involved?
   
   For the 2009 Season, the teams will play in Two or Three tournaments where travel is required. These tournaments may be within or outside of New York State. As the team gets older, the team will make every effort to play in 6 or 7 tournaments where travel is required. Travel may be by car, bus or plane. Much of the other traveling will be throughout Suffolk County on Long Island to get to the practice and field locations. Travel costs and hotel accommodations are not included in the price of the season and are separate. please see our 2009 Schedule for where we will be playing in 2009.



5. Why travel to play in tournaments?
   
   Tournaments attract the best teams in the nation. The teams will travel together to play in tournaments to play against the best competition in the nation.



6. What is the expected roster size for 2009?
   
   The expected roster size for 2009 is 11 or 12 players. There will definitely be no more than 12 players.



7. What is the cost to play for the Long Island Prospects?
   
   This is still to be determined and depends on how many leagues and tournaments that the team registers to play in. If your son is offered a spot on the roster, an initial deposit will be taken. This deposit amount will be equivalent to the estimated costs for insurance, field permit(s), and other miscellaneous costs such as baseballs, bases, catcher’s equipment, etc. When the player receives his uniform, the uniform costs are due. Please be advised that no uniforms will be handed out until all balances are paid. From there, as the team enters a league or a tournament, the per player costs of for these events will be figured out and divided evenly among the players. These costs include umpire fees as well. In general, total costs are expected to be in the range of $1000-$1500. As mentioned previously, travel costs and hotel accommodations for tournaments that are not on Long Island are not included in this price. The total costs to operate the club will be divided evenly by the total number of players on the roster.
   We always do 3-4 fundraisers per year to cut down on the yearly costs. In 2006 we raised over $20,000.00 and were able to complete the whole season, uniforms and equipment included for around $800.00 per player. This requires all parents to get involved in these fundraising efforts and we will continue this for the 2009 Season.



8. Can my son play for more than one baseball team in 2009?
   
   The Long Island Prospects DO NOT allow any of the players on the roster to play for any other team. There are no exceptions to this rule. 



9. How many games will be played in the 2009 Season?
   
   The goal is to play in at least 80 games in 2009. These games are expected to be played in the National Junior Baseball League (NJBL) Or Baseball Heaven in the Spring, Summer and Fall Seasons. The rest of the games will be played in Tournaments, Local and Away.



10. Is there any commitment required during the off-season?
    
    Yes, Although there are no specific requirements to how much time should be spent practicing, a player must continue to practice pitching, hitting, and fielding in order to get better for the following season. Outdoor practices will be scheduled as the weather permits and will require the attendance of all players. Winter Indoor Training Sessions will be scheduled weekly as well as Private lessons at Matt Guilianos in Hauppauge, Long Island. The coaching staff will reserve the date and time for the lessons at Matts for the players. The player will pay lesson fees and batting cage fees. The Prospects pick up the tab for the professional player instruction from our fundraising DURING OUR TEAM WORKOUTS ONLY. It is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED that each player get personal training in addition to the team personal lessons.Remember, some of the teams that the Long Island Prospects will be playing against live in warmer climates and have the luxury of playing baseball all year round. If this team fails to practice throughout the winter and enhance their skills, they will not be able to be competitive in the national tournament scene.

I’m looking forward to another fun and rewarding season in 2009. If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to call and /or email me.

Sincerely,
Coach Joe
President & Manager
Long Island Prospects, Inc.

Email: Prospects@LongIslandProspects.com