Tom Myers (baseball)
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Tom Myers is an American baseball player, coach, and scout. He is currently the Area Scout Supervisor for the Los Angeles Dodgers, where he oversees amateur player scouting in Southern California, the Central Coast, Bakersfield, and Las Vegas. He is also the founder of the Golden Coast Collegiate League and owner of the Santa Barbara Grizzlies Baseball Development Group located. Myers has been a Nike Camp Director for 14 years.[1]
Early life and education
[edit]Tom Myers was born and raised in the United States. He attended Archbishop Mitty High School in San Jose, California. Myers continued his baseball career at San Jose City College and later transferred to the University of Arizona before completing his collegiate playing career at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB). He earned a Bachelor’s degree in History from UCSB and later obtained a Master’s degree in Education from Azusa Pacific University.[2]
Career
[edit]Playing Career
[edit]In 1991, Myers was selected in the 29th round of the MLB Draft by the Oakland Athletics. He spent 5.5 years playing professionally in the minor leagues, pitching for teams within the Athletics, Baltimore Orioles, and St. Louis Cardinals organizations.[3] During his professional playing career, Myers worked with baseball players such as Hall of Famer Bob Gibson and pitching coach Tom House.[4][5]
Coaching Career
[edit]Tom Myers began his coaching journey in 1997 as an assistant coach at Porterville College. Over the years, he served in several coaching roles, including:
- UCSB Gauchos: Myers served two terms with UCSB (1997-2001 and 2005-2011), working as an assistant coach and later as an associate head coach. He specialized in pitching, strength and conditioning, and recruiting.[6]
- Santa Clara University: From 2002 to 2004, Myers worked as the lead assistant and pitching coach, where he improved the team’s pitching performance.[2]
- Summer Collegiate Leagues: Myers managed and coached teams in several leagues such as the Cape Cod Baseball League (Brewster Whitecaps) and the Alaskan League Kenai Peninsula Oilers.[7]
Scouting Career
[edit]Myers transitioned to a scouting role in 2011, joining the Chicago Cubs as an Area Scout Supervisor.[8] Over a decade with the Cubs, he identified and contributed to the selection of 22 players in the MLB First-Year Player Draft, with several advancing to professional careers, including DJ Peters and Cory Abbott.[9] In 2021, Myers joined the Los Angeles Dodgers in a similar role.[10] He was part of the Cubs Organization when they won the World Series in 2016 & the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2024.[11] He has worked with Gabe Speirer, Kevin Gowdy, Ian Churchill, and Cole Schoenwetter.[12]
Programs
[edit]Myers is the founder of the Santa Barbara Grizzlies Baseball Group, a developmental program on California’s Central Coast.[6] The organization provides opportunities for players to develop their skills in athletics.[13][14] Myers has directed Nike Baseball Camps and other training initiatives across California and Nevada.[1][15][16]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Tom Myers - NIKE Sports Camps - USSC". U.S. Sports Camps. Retrieved 2024-12-24.
- ^ a b "Santa Clara". Santa Clara. Retrieved 2024-12-24.
- ^ "Tom Myers Minor League, Independent League, College Baseball Statistics - The Baseball Cube". www.thebaseballcube.com. Retrieved 2024-12-24.
- ^ "Tom Myers Minor & Independent Leagues Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 2024-12-24.
- ^ "Tom Myers - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com. Retrieved 2024-12-24.
- ^ a b Punzal, Barry (2022-06-07). "Tom Myers Growing the Game of Baseball In Area With Santa Barbara Grizzlies Group | Sports". Noozhawk. Retrieved 2024-12-24.
- ^ Sandoval, Diego (2024-05-26). "Coastal Dodgers Collegiate Team Opens 2024 Summer Baseball Season | Sports". Noozhawk. Retrieved 2024-12-24.
- ^ "Worldwide Baseball Prospects Mentor Tom Myers Chicago Cubs Area Scout". Worldwide Baseball Prospects. Retrieved 2024-12-24.
- ^ Patton, Mark (2023-08-07). "Former South Coast High School Rivals Keep Professional Baseball Well-Armed". Noozhawk. Retrieved 2024-12-24.
- ^ Borelli, Matt (2021-11-28). "Longtime Scout Tom Myers Leaves Cubs For Role With Dodgers". Dodger Blue. Retrieved 2024-12-24.
- ^ Writer, Staff (2021-11-26). "Dodgers: LA Adds Former Chicago Cubs Scout Tom Myers". Dodgers Nation. Retrieved 2024-12-24.
- ^ "Myers Leaving Kimberly Baseball Program". The Times-News. 2012-05-20. Retrieved 2024-12-24.
- ^ Sandoval, Diego (2023-07-04). "Tom Myers' Santa Barbara Grizzlies Group Continues to Expand Baseball on Central Coast | Sports". Noozhawk. Retrieved 2024-12-24.
- ^ Sandoval, Diego (2024-01-03). "Tom Myers to Host Santa Barbara Baseball Hot Stove Coaches Clinic | Sports". Noozhawk. Retrieved 2024-12-24.
- ^ "Nike Baseball UC Santa Barbara High School Players Camp". U.S. Sports Camps. Retrieved 2024-12-24.
- ^ "Nike Baseball Camp Dunn School (Summer 2024)". U.S. Sports Camps. Retrieved 2024-12-24.