About Blue Wave Baseball

WHAT WE DO

Blue Wave Baseball, Inc., provides beginning, intermediate, and advanced baseball instruction, training, and team play for players between 10 to 18 years old that want to take their game to the next level and stay one step ahead of the competition for high school roster spots and college scholarship opportunities.

Founded in Irvine, CA in 2004 with one team and 11 players at the time, Blue Wave has grown into one of the largest Club Baseball organizations in Southern California with 12+ teams and more than 150+ players from throughout Orange County. Blue Wave gives parents and players “one club to grow with” in their baseball career and delivers top notch instruction, coaching and competitive team play on a consistent and systematic basis from grade school through high school and into college.

All teams are coached by professional baseball coaches, trainers and, in some cases, players that come from top colleges, MLB teams, and high school coaching staffs in Southern California, including: Cal State Fullerton, CSU Northridge, LMU, Oklahoma, USC, Sacramento State, Irvine Valley College, Concordia, Vanguard, Colorado Rockies, Boston Red Sox, New York Mets, Seattle Mariners, New York Yankees, LA Dodgers, Anaheim Angels, Northwood High School, Beckman HS, University HS, Servite HS, Costa Mesa HS, Brea Olinda HS, Calvary Chapel, and more.

From the first time a player steps on to a field at 10U, they practice on a consistent basis and play in highly competitive leagues as well as local, regional, and national tournaments throughout the year, including: California Competitive Youth Baseball League (CCYB), AABC Mickey Mantle & Connie Mack, AAU, USSSA, CABA, NBC, USTSA, Super Series, Triple Crown Sports, Cal Ripken Tournaments, Cooperstown Dreams Park, Perfect Game, Under Armor/Team One, USA Baseball, and more.

Blue Wave conducts weekly hitting instruction with each team and player, as well as weekly fielding sessions. While many competing organizations practice on a regular basis as well, no one is more consistent in providing two solid practices a week for their fees. For parents that want their money’s worth, Blue Wave has established a very “high value,” as well as “high quality” reputation in its marketplace.

Regular practices and game play against top competition also delivers the results on the field – the organization has been very successful in the past five years, winning 80+ league and tournament championships, including:

  • 18U 2011 Under Armour Southwest Champions
  • 14U 2010 USTSA World Series Champions
  • 12U 2009 USTSA National Champions
  • 11U 2006 Super Series National Champions
  • 2009 18U Connie Mack League Champions
  • 2008 17U Connie Mack League Champions
  • Multiple 13U, 14U, 16U, 18U CCYB League Championships
  • Multiple AABC Mickey Mantle (15U & 16U) League Championships

 

 

HOW WE DO IT

Blue Wave is focused on individual and team development by providing beginning, intermediate, and advanced skills training at twice-weekly practice sessions, then reinforce what players practice in live game situations on a regular and consistent basis.

Besides consistent practice/training sessions and regular game play against top competition, Blue Wave’s winning formula is based on age group and “having the right coaches at the right time” to move players up the ladder of success. For example, the 10U and 11U age levels are considered “Club Baseball 101” years where coaches work on the basic fundamentals of the game – such as base stealing, holding runners, cutoffs and pick-off plays.

Typically, 10U and 11U players start at the “AA” level of play and make a lot of mistakes most of the time. Besides just learning the fundamental skills required to catch, throw, hit and play the game, for many of them this is their first experience with playing for coaches that demand more discipline and higher level of play from them. Players at this age lack confidence, so it is important to have coaches that can balance discipline and instill confidence in young players at the same time. It takes a lot more patience to work with players at 9 and 10 years old than it does with players at 16.

By the time players reach 12U age group, Blue Wave teams compete at the AAA level, often at the Majors level, which is the top competition classification for club and travel teams. This is also the age where players begin to play in some national events where they travel and stay together.

At 13U and 14U, Blue Wave focuses on preparing players for their first year of high school baseball. At this age level, all team coaches also coach at local high schools, such as Northwood, Beckman, Costa Mesa, and others in the Irvine area, many of the same schools that the players will be attending. By the time a Blue Wave player steps on a high school field for the first time, most have had from 8 to 18 months of practice and game play at a 9th grade (freshman) level. They practice with high school coaches at high school facilities as 7th and 8th graders.

As a result, Blue Wave has one of the most successful high school prep programs in Southern California – 95% of the players make their high school teams as incoming freshmen. Of the freshmen players, 40% make their Junior Varsity teams, 15% play Varsity level baseball their first year of high school.

Once players enter their high school years, Blue Wave gives them the advanced skills and training at the 15U and 16U levels to keep its players one step ahead of the competition for starting positions on the high school varsity team. By the time players make a Blue Wave  17U or 18U team, they are well groomed to enter their “recruiting years” for college scholarships and, on occasion, for professional opportunities. At these ages, Blue Wave participates in all the top college showcase events and works with leading recruiters from across the nation to place players that are in their last year or two of high school.

BLUE WAVE FEATURES

  • Professional Coaches & Trainers
  • Professionally Managed & Administrated
  • Non-Profit, All Fees Go To Coaches, Fields, Team Operations
  • Focused On Player Development
  • Fundamental & Advanced Skills
  • High School Baseball Preparation For 13 & 14-year-olds
  • Twice Weekly Practices
  • Convenient Orange County Locations
  • Competitive League & Tournament Play
  • Tryout Anytime, Year-Round
  • Training Only Option Available
  • Travel Tournaments To Cooperstown, College World Series, USA Baseball (Junior Olympics) Championships, Fall Classics, and more
  • Fun, Exciting, Challenging

OUR RESULTS

Blue Wave Baseball fields some of the top 16U, 17U, and 18U teams in the Southern California on a consistent basis, where the emphasis is on the recruiting process, either for college scholarships or professional baseball.

Over the past three years, Blue Wave has also experienced considerable success with players moving on to major colleges, including: Gavin Hedstrom (Fresno State NCAA 2008 Champions), Marc Navarro (UCLA), Brenton Allen (UCLA), Justin Hazard (UCLA), Wes Oberlin (Sacramento State), Patrick Brennan (PENN), Jon Hurst (UCI), Mitch Merten (UCI), Drew Hillman (UCI), Andrew Thurman (UCI), Phillip Ferragamo (UCI), Sean Wilson (Gonzaga), Justin Viele (Santa Clara), Shuhei Fujiya (USC), Mike Newman (Chapman), Troy Newman (Chapman), Connor Battaglia (Chapman), Matt Reyes (Cal State Bakersfield), Mike Chairez (Chapman), Matt Florer (LMU), Vince Hungerford (Cal State Stanislaus), Alex Najera (Pepperdine), Justin DeMarco (Cal State Northridge), Bret Dahlson (LMU), Joey Boney (LMU), Chad Wallach (CSUF), Graham Weist (CSFU), Brandon Trinkwon (UCSB), Austin Boyle (Long Beach State), and Matt Balliet (Long Beach State).

Blue Wave produced its first pro prospect when Kurt Yacko (Chapman College) was selected in the 6th round of the 2008 MLB draft by the Colorado Rockies and five Blue Wave alumni were drafted in 2011, including Austin Hedges in the 2nd round, who signed a $3-Million contract with the San Diego Padres. More than a dozen Blue Wave alumni are now playing in MLB minor league systems.

At this point in time, Blue Wave has built an on-going pipeline of baseball talent that will make their mark in the collegiate and pro ranks over the next five to 10 years. Nearly 50 of the top varsity high school players in the Southern California region are playing on various Blue Wave teams, with more than half a dozen players already signed to D1 colleges such as Pepperdine, Long Beach State, Florida State, UCLA, UCI, LMU, USC, CSUF, and more.

Besides its alumni players, Blue Wave teams have served as a training ground for some of the top local high school coaches in the area, including: Brett Kay (Cal State Fullerton/NY Mets), head coach of JSerra Catholic School, 2009 Orange County Register Coach of The Year; Matt Sorensen (Cal State Fullerton), head coach of Brea Olinda; Jason Smith, head coach Costa Mesa High School; David Bacani (Cal State Fullerton/Boston Red Sox), head coach of Santa Margarita Catholic School; and Tom Nick (Long Beach State), head coach of Calvary Chapel HS.