RICHMOND BRAVES NORTHEAST

The Advanced Player Academy & the Richmond Braves Baseball Organization are proud to announce its partnership with The North Jersey Diamondbacks to form the RICHMOND BRAVES NORTHEAST!

The Advanced Player Academy(APA) & North Jersey Diamondbacks are very excited to announce their partnership with the Nationally recognized and
Nationally Ranked Richmond Braves Baseball organization out of Richmond Virginia!

In the Summer of 2022 the Advanced Player Academy and the North Jersey Diamondbacks Organization will be bringing the Richmond Braves Northeast brand to Bergen County New Jersey and the surrounding areas for Athletes ages 14u-17u that want to compete at a National Level!

Our main goals for the athletes in our program will be:

• Top Level Competition & Showcases
• High Level Events
• Exposure to College Coaches & Professional Scouts
• Opportunity to Play on National Team

Are you ready and willing to compete?

Playing for the Richmond Braves is a challenging and rewarding experience. First and foremost, the Braves National Baseball approach is all about competing. Players must attend a tryout to join the program. Choosing to tryout is our first indication that a player is competitive. 

How does the emphasis on competing benefit the player? 

First, competition has a way of rapidly sorting players into their natural positions on the baseball field. The earlier a player discovers their natural position, the more time they have to master it. By our definition, a player's natural position is the one their talent and skills allow them to defend against all competitors. If a player can't win playing a time at a position or innings on the mound for the Braves, there isn't a chance they will do so at the next levels of baseball such as college and professional baseball. 

Another benefit of competition is motivation to excel. To beat out the thousands of other players around the country with same goal as you -to play NCAA college baseball - you will want and need to get better and better.  Competition builds competence. Our motto says it all: There is no flat ground on the Braves. There is no where to rest. It's a steady climb all the way to the top.

No player, coach or parent can talk a college coach into a scholarship offer or a pro team into a draft pick. Sooner or later, a player is going to have to compete on the field in front of radar guns and stopwatches and the discerning eyes of scouts and coaches if he wants the rewards that come at the next level.  Our 25 year track record suggests there is no better place to start competing than right here!

Our players compete hard on the field. They never give up and they don't mind getting dirty and sweaty or even shedding a little blood in order to get the job done. Our reputation for producing tough, hard nosed players who can make an impact as college freshmen is a key attraction for scouts. It's not unusual to have dozens of D1 coaches and scouts watching our teams play in national events.

Our Athletes 

Division 1/Draftable skills must be evident to play for the Braves and an unflappable demeanor is an absolute pre-requisite to play in the highly competitive environments we visit. Among the attributes we look for in our players are game speed, physical and mental preparedness and toughness, humility, high intelligence, baseball savvy and superior playmaking skills. . Offensively, we demand outstanding skills in all phases including bunting and baserunning skills and the ability to move runners. We expect players to know the situation and use the count in their favor. Players with the ability to hit with power to the opposite field are highly prized. You only need to watch a few college baseball games to know most games are won and lost by execution or the failure to do so of these skills in the late innings.

Pitching is perhaps the most crucial element for a team to succeed at any level. The ability of pitchers to command the fastball and have great feel for off-speed pitches cannot be overstated. We emphasize strike one and a high strike to ball ratio. The training we give our pitchers in the heat of battle in elite national events is unparalled and has led others to describe our program as "Pitching University."

Our program is not the only way to get to the next level of baseball, but our track record indicates that it is certainly a proven way.