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Bio: Will Cheatham

Will Cheatham serves Diamond Prospects in the Upstate of SC as an area scout covering games and working DP showcases. Cheatham began his coaching career in 2007 as the pitching coach for JL Mann Academy (2007-2008). In the two years he spent there, the Patriots had six pitchers sign to play at the collegiate level. Emilio Pagan (right), currently with the San Diego Padres, was on this staff with the Patriots.  In the fall of 2008, Cheatham moved back to his hometown of Lexington, SC. He spent a year at Lexington High School before moving to Gilbert High School in 2011.  The Indians won the 2012 AA State Championship with a 30-2 record. Nine of the pitchers from this team played at the collegiate level, and Mike Morrison and Connor Owings won an NCAA National Championship with Coastal Carolina. Cheatham then spent three more years coaching with Lexington High School at the sub-varsity level.  He has worked for First Community Bank since 2008 and in late 2020, moved to the Upstate of SC to serve as the Market Executive in the Easley area for the bank. Presently Cheatham also heads up the Lexington Baseball Club Owls program while coaching their 15u-17u teams. He is a graduate of Anderson University where he was a relief pitcher from 2002-2006 and voted the team’s Most Valuable Pitcher in 2004.  Cheatham lives in Williamston, SC with his wife Mandy, sons Tanner & Walker. He enjoys spending time with his family, playing golf and running.

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Interested in advertising on DP? Looking for widespread, nationwide visibility? Want to sponsor a Diamond Prospects event? Interested in providing a scholarship to prep athletes in exchange for advertising space?  If you would like to learn more about advertising opportunities on Diamond Prospects, please contact Austin Alexander at [email protected] FYI, in 2012 Diamond Prospects received over 30 million hits. Our highest monthly hit total exceeded 4.9 million in May 2010… and those numbers have not slowed down in the past decade! If your business is interested in this volume of visibility and in partnering our rapidly growing exposure, email us today! .

FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions Why is Diamond Prospects a subscription-based site? In order to continue bringing our viewers top-notch coverage statewide, it takes money. Money to cover travel expenses, scouting equipment and to compensate our staff. How do I subscribe? Our subscription page has all the details you may need. Click on the plan type, yearly or monthly, fill out the form and select your payment method. Both are recurring payments until you cancel the service. We offer direct credit card payments or payments via PayPal. How much does an annual/monthly subscription cost? An annual subscription costs $69.95, a monthly subscription is $12.95, both are recurring payments until you cancel the service. How do I cancel my account? Subscription management is available on the account page. You can update, switch, or cancel your subscription. Only you can do this, we do not have access to your credit card info for your protection. If you choose to cancel, please do so or it will renew. I didn’t know that my subscription was set to renew on a monthly/annual basis, what can I do? Each new customer is informed in multiple places that the subscriptions remain active, and will renew, until the member cancels the account. Once it renews, it is non-refundable. Assistance with your account, billing, or login: For us to assist any issue you may be having with your account, please use our contact form. Showcases/Rankings What will I/my son get out of attending a Diamond Prospects showcase? Exposure. We don’t sell players, players sell themselves. We give them the stage to do it, however. Each player will be given the opportunity to run, throw, field and hit in front of evaluators. FYI, 193 in-state players taken in the 2007-2022 MLB Draft had previously attended a DP showcase. What schools will be in attendance at the next Diamond Prospects Showcase? We have absolutely no control over who attends, or does not attend, a DP event. We can tell you that over 100 different colleges and 30 pro clubs have attended a DP event each year since 2006. Some events are more heavily attended than others depending on various other demands that a college coach/scout face on a daily basis. FYI, we do invite over 200 schools and scouts to attend. Can any player attend a Diamond Prospects Showcase? In some cases yes, in some cases no. We host two events that are ‘invitation-only’, a player must receive an invitation from us and the application is posted online alongside the invite list. All other showcases are open to any player that aspires to play beyond high school. Any available information on upcoming events can be found at Diamond Showcases on the DP site. How does a player get named to a prospect list or find their way into a ranking? We are trying to identify players that project to play beyond high school. Virtually every player named in Palmetto Prospects or in our Diamond Rankings has been seen by a member of our DP staff. In most cases, we have seen those players multiple times. The only exception would be with the recommendation of a college coach and, occasionally, a high school coach. And no, parental requests do not land a name in our database. To view much more, click here. Does a player have to attend a Diamond Prospects Showcase to be ranked? Absolutely not. We exhaust a great deal of our finances and time digging around South Carolina for talent. However, we cannot find every good player, attending a DP event ensures that we don’t miss you. To view much more, click here. Does attending a Diamond Prospects Showcase ensure that I/my son will be ranked? No, not 100 percent of the players that attend our “open” showcases project to play past high school. To view much more, click here. I sent in my son’s application and payment but have not heard anything from DP? As stated in multiple places on the application that a parent/guardian must sign, it is clearly said that until all variables are in front of us, all info will be posted on the website at that time, which is typically a week before the event. A cashed check does serve as confirmation that the player’s app has been accepted and that he is ‘in’. The DP website is our way to disburse info to everyone versus calling each person one-by-one. Additionally, if a player signs up for an event and cannot attend, the payment is non-refundable. How are DP’s ‘invite-only’ events selected? The Palmetto Games, Border Battle and Pro Day are very strict, invite-only events. Our Diamond Prospects staff saw over 300 prep games during this past spring, a number of our staff members coach and evaluate year around. Additionally, DP is in constant contact with high school coaches, college coaches and pro scouts. Therefore, our high volume of viewings and feedback from multiple others are what we eventually make our decisions based on. We place the majority of value on how a player ‘projects’ down the road as a prospect, combined with his performance on the field. Statistics and individual awards do not factor into the invitation process. Additionally, a player does not have to attend an ‘open’ event to be eligible for the our invite showcases.

Baseball Stuff

-MLB Draft: Day Three- Serwinowski to Reds: Congrats to Eastside HS LHP Adam Serwinowski with his 15th Round selection in the MLB Draft, 453rd Overall to the Cincinnati Reds. Sightler to Pirates: Congrats to USC & Swansea HS LHP Josiah Sightler with his 15th Round & 440th Overall pick to the Pittsburgh Pirates in the MLB Draft. Gilbert to Yankees: Congrats to Clemson University & Bishop England HS LHP Geoffrey Gilbert with his 13th Round & 400th Overall pick to the New York Yankees in the MLB Draft. -MLB Draft: Day Two- Graves to Phillies: Congrats to Eastside HS LHP Mavis Graves with his 6th Round selection in the MLB Draft, 182nd Overall to the Philadelphia Phillies. Wagner to Dodgers: Congrats to P27 Academy INF Logan Wagner with his 6th Round selection in the MLB Draft, 195th Overall to the Los Angeles Dodgers. -MLB Draft: Day One- Isaac to Rays: Congrats to East Forsyth HS (NC) Xavier Isaac on his selection to the Tampa Bay Rays in the 1st round, 29th overall.  Toman to Jays: Congrats to Hammond HS INF Tucker Toman with his 2nd Round selection in the MLB Draft, 77th Overall to the Toronto Blue Jays. Baseball Quote: “When I put on my uniform, I feel I am the proudest man on earth.” Roberto Clemente. Attention HS Coaches: After 16 years as a baseball coach at The Citadel, David Beckley has landed on his feet and has launched mPower6…a new model to raise funds for your program. It’s in your best interest to read the linked press release and/or website to learn more about an incredible opportunity for your baseball organization! Press Release / Recent / Website HITTER’S VIDEO/REVIEW SESSION@YOUR FACILITY: A convenient way to help your team and players become more consistent at the plate is provided by C. “Bubba” Dorman, former collegiate, high school, American Legion and Travel Baseball head and assistant coach for over 30 years. He will come to your facility and video each hitter, then review the video with each hitter, one on one, as they are viewing their swing on video. For more, click here. {Endorsed by Diamond Prospects} The Will – When there is a WILL, there’s a way: When Charles Bedenbaugh lost his son Will to an automobile accident in 2010, he knew almost immediately he wanted to create a baseball complex for him. For much more regarding this inspirational story, click here. Career Over? Parental MUST READ Baseball careers are ending every single night, in 2009 an anonymous parent sent this treasure to DP. To view ‘A Baseball Parent’s Farewell’, click here. Do’s and Do Not’s for Parents: In my many years as a high school coach, I hear and can tell many stories on parents and what they say and do during their child’s career. Enough stories to write a book that would take several days to read! Sometimes I like to think that 90 percent of what is said and done by parents is due to limited knowledge of a certain situation and/or how to handle situations. Unfortunately I know that while that is most often the case, things happen because a parent is just that, a parent. Fore more, click here. NCAA Info : Academic standards to play Division I and Divison II baseball are something every student-athlete and parent should know… To view, click here. Recruiting 101: Finding the recruiting process difficult to understand or intimidating? Most players and parents do. You owe it to your son and his future to educate yourself from start to finish on the recruiting game. Have you considered the following… click here. FCA’s 10 Commandments: Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) Baseball has taken on the task of examining how to be a Christian baseball parent. It is truly up to Christians to change the culture of youth baseball by modeling the attributes of Christ in all aspects of the game. God gave us His “Ten Commandments”, biblical principles to guide ours lives. FCA gives us their version on how to act at the ballpark… To view, click here. All-Pro Dad: Highly Recommended Any father that strives to be a quality dad should spend 2-4 minutes exploring this website created by Tony Dungy. To view, click here. Baseball Flavor Advertise on DP: Looking for widespread visibility? Want to sponsor a Diamond Prospects event? Interested in providing a scholarship in exchange for advertising space? If your business or school is interested in partnering our rapidly growing exposure, email us today!

DP Editorial: Calm down Mom & Dad

By: Austin Alexander-November 18, 2007 Warning! This article is going to step on some toes but will hopefully also serve as an educational editorial for anyone who is the parent of an athlete. In our sport, evaluators find themselves interacting quite often with the parents of baseball players. Whether it be behind the backstop, finding cover during a rain delay or standing in line at the concession stand. Correspondence between coaches and parents occur often via email, phone calls and during the recruiting process. On behalf of virtually every coach and scout on the planet: Calm down mom and dad! Parents, not the teenagers, can make a mess of the recruiting process early and often. It doesn’t matter what state you’re in, parents nearly always have an agenda when they have the attention of evaluators. They love to tell stories about their children and sell their son to anyone who will listen. Understand this, players sell themselves, not your words. That coach or scout is not going to recruit that player because YOU believe he is a good player. Your opinion of your child will not improve his draft status or scholarship offer. In fact, the reverse can be true. Parents gain reputations, good and bad, just like the player does. Coaches don’t spend time in the bullpen or batting cage with parents at the next level. They coach the player. If a parent is perceived to be a high maintenence parent, that can sometimes be all it takes to tip the scales away from an opportunity for your child. I call it a tie-breaker. Evaluators see SO many players. If in their eyes, they believe two players are close to equal, a problem parent can essentially blow their kid’s chance to play at his dream school. If you have caused problems in his high school program or been a thorn in the side of his travel coach, that information will be uncovered. Trust me, it happens. At this point in the article, you have likely thought of parents that I am describing. Maybe YOU are that parent. Understand  a few things. There is a difference between telling stories and asking questions. There is a difference between running into a coach and hunting someone down. There is a difference between initiating email after email after email versus returning one. FYI, college coaches and pro scouts DO NOT care about how he played in a 12 and under all-star game. Most evaluators don’t even look at high school statistics. See where I’m going with this? When an evaluator arrives at the ballpark to evaluate, he is in his office. He likely drove a great distance to get there and will get home long after his children have already gone to bed. He is probably making and receiving calls throughout the game regarding all of the other balls he is juggling…all while he is trying to bear down on 18 players. The last thing he needs is to be bombarded by overzealous parents who think they have something important to tell him. Afterall, how would you like to be in the middle of a busy Friday afternoon and have him plop down in your office to tell you how amazing his teenager is? It is the same thing. If you are guilty of this act, you may think back to how nice the coach was and that he talked to you for four innings, he answered every question, etc… He HAS to. They will never be rude but they do file it away. People care about their children and they should. But think of the co-worker that constantly brags about their son, that friend of yours that just goes on and on about their daughter. The difference between you and that college coach you “just happened to run into” is that he hears everyone’s story, not just yours. It really gets old, just to be honest. Trust me, if an evaluator wants to speak with “little Johnny’s” parents, he will find you. So next time you begin a sentence with, “I’m not just saying this because he is my son…”, please stop yourself because you are about to cram your kid down someone else’s throat. Love your children, Lord knows I sure love mine. But know the difference between helping and hurting him. Just a little food for thought. .

Diamond Prospects Showcase Schedule

Revised Schedule for DP Showcase-Unsigned Seniors and Underclassmen Lander University-September 22-23, 2007   Saturday 9:00 AM            Underclassmen Check-in at Lander’s baseball field (Pick-up jersey) 9:45                 Underclassmen report to the field for a meeting and stretching 10:00-12:00      60’s, Defensive Workout, Batting Practice, Bullpens 11:45               Seniors Check-in at Lander’s baseball field (Pick-up jersey) 12:00               Lunch (will be provided for players on Day 1) 12:05               Recruiting Seminar: Austin Alexander (Diamond Prospects) 12:45               Seniors report to the field for a meeting and stretching 1:00-2:30         60’s, Defensive Workout, Batting Practice, Bullpens 2:30                Orange vs Grey 3:00                Hitting Lecture for players/parents: Jeff Young (Arizona Diamondbacks) 4:00                Pitching Lecture for players/parents: Tim Medlin (Columbia Blowfish) 4:30                Royal Blue vs Carolina Blue 5:00                Hitting Lecture for players/parents: Jeff Young (Arizona Diamondbacks) 6:00                Pitching Lecture for players/parents: Tim Medlin (Columbia Blowfish) 6:30                Green vs White 8:30                Gold vs White Sunday 9:00                Orange vs Carolina Blue 9:30                Infield/Catching Lecture, Q & A for players/parents: Jeff Young and Tim Medlin 11:00              Royal Blue vs Grey 11:30              Infield/Catching Lecture, Q & A for players/parents: Jeff Young and Tim Medlin 1:00                Gold vs Green Notes 1-Stay tuned to the website in the preceding days for updated information, DP will be our way of communicating with you. 2-Concession stand will be supplied by Lander each day. DP apparel and baseball jewelry will also be on sale. 3-For hotel information, contact Quality Inn at 864-223-2838 for special $50 rate. Be sure to mention Diamond Prospects Showcase at Lander University for reduced deal. For additional hotel info, click here. 4-For directions to Lander’s baseball field, click here. 5-Players are responsible for bringing and keeping up with their own equipment. 6-Players, bring running/turf shoes to wear in the cages. .

Baseball Links

High School Name/Link Description SCBCA South Carolina Baseball Coaches Association official web page SCHSL The official website of the South Carolina High School League Perfect Game High School baseball’s top promoter of players nationwide Baseball America Complete coverage of high school prospects nationwide HS Baseball Web Message board for prep baseball nationwide SC Varsity Message Board for prep baseball in SC SC Prep Schedules and region standings for prep baseball in South Carolina  College Name/Link Description College Baseball Insider One of college baseball’s most complete websites for scores, stories, polls, etc. WarrenNolan.com College Baseball’s most updated RPI poll, power rankings, stats, etc. Boyd’s World A weekly college baseball RPI poll Palmetto State Baseball A Website devoted to college baseball in SC NCAA Statistics A weekly website to rank the NCAA’s top individual and team statistical leaders Collegiate Baseball Publication soley covering college baseball Baseball America Complete coverage of college prospects nationwide Southeastern Baseball Complete coverage of college baseball in the Southeast ABCA American Baseball Coaches Association official web page  Professional Name/Link Description MLB.com The official website of Major League Baseball Minor League Baseball The official website of Minor League Baseball Baseball America-Minors Complete coverage of minor league prospects throughout each organization Baseball America-Majors Complete coverage of the Major Leagues Watch Baseball Live Website devoted to viewing MLB games USA Today Complete coverage of the Major Leagues  Other Name/Link Description The Baseball Cube Complete information on every player to play professional baseball Baseball-Reference.com Complete information on every player to play in the Major Leagues Historic Baseball Site geared toward the history of baseball Tim Carroll Art Baseball art like you have never seen it before Everything Baseball The internet’s largest supermarket for baseball items, collectibles and apparel John Skilton’s Baseball Links The most complete listing of baseball links on the internet History of Baseball The origins of BaseballCourtesy of Courtney’s Kid. Thanks Kids! Kid’s Guide to Baseball History Quick synopsis of baseball origins and other useful linksCourtesy of the Hastings Center, thanks Tyler! Do you know of some other baseball web pages that are not listed here? If so, contact us, we’ll add it to our links.

College Directory

-South Carolina College Baseball Programs- Division I School/Website Conference Charleston Southern Big South Clemson ACC The Citadel Southern Coastal Carolina Sun Belt College of Charleston Colonial Presbyterian Big South South Carolina SEC USC-Upstate Big South Winthrop Big South Wofford Southern Conference Websites: ACC / Big South / Colonial / SEC / Southern / Sun Belt Division II School/Website Conference Anderson South Atlantic Benedict South Atlantic Claflin Peach Belt Coker Carolinas Erskine Carolinas Francis Marion Carolinas Lander Peach Belt Limestone Carolinas Newberry South Atlantic North Greenville Carolinas USC-Aiken Peach Belt Southern Wesleyan Carolinas Conference Websites: Carolinas / Peach Belt / SAC NAIA School/Website Conference Morris N/A Spartanburg Methodist N/A Voorhees N/A Junior College School/Website Conference Florence-Darlington Tech Region X USC-Lancaster Region X USC-Salkehatchie Region X USC Sumter Region X USC-Union Region X Conference Website: Region X

Diamond Prospects Showcase

Recap: Diamond Prospects Showcase   By: Austin Alexander-July 20, 2006   Speed was all the talk on Thursday as 24 runners broke the 7.0 barrier in the 60-yard dash, not far behind were the couple dozen middle infielders who flashed quality actions during the defensive workout and had evaluator’s talking early on. Two players even made verbal commitments during the showcase! For the 30 coaches/pro scouts and 137 players in attendance, Thursday was a long, hot day between the lines but quality talent invaded USC’s Sarge Frye Field for a successful DP event!       Many names we knew were on hand for DP’s first-ever showcase; there were also a number of young players who burst onto the radar after a solid showing at USC.       During the twelve-hour showcase, coaches/scouts had the opportunity to evaluate every player running the 60, field and throw from their position, take batting practice and play in one game.     As mentioned, 24 players ran sub-7.0’s, ten guys under a 6.8, including Demetrius Washington’s (Silver Bluff, 2007) 6.53. During the defensive portion of the workout, one infielder after another stepped in and showed project-ability past high school. Three catchers recorded POP times below 2.0, including a showcase-best 1.83 by Jeffrey Campbell (Boiling Springs, 2008). Not far behind was Hunter Timmons (Camden, 2007) who gunned down three base-stealers in the same inning! Jeff Caskey (Conway, 2008) unofficially claimed the Homerun Derby title and ten pitchers worked in the mid-80’s or better on the Stalker Sport. Web gems galore were turned in too!       In the coming days we will compile all the information we gathered, crunch the numbers and rank the top runners, arms, infield actions, best round of BP and peak velocities. We’ll also confer with other evaluators to determine the top prospects and who helped themselves the most on Thursday. We’ll also include a list of awards and superlatives.     For now, Diamond Prospects would like your feedback. If you attended the DP Showcase on Thursday, we’d like to get your thoughts. This was our first rodeo; we want to continue to improve our events to provide the players of South Carolina a quality product. Tell us what you liked, tell us what you’d like to see be done differently. Your opinion is appreciated! To submit, click here.       Read Now! Diamond Prospects Showcase Rankings, to view, click here. To view the breakdown of the Top 20 prospects, click here. To view a complete list of 60 times, click here. .

Diamond Prospects Showcase

Recap: Diamond Prospects Showcase   By: Austin Alexander-July 20, 2006   Speed was all the talk on Thursday as 24 runners broke the 7.0 barrier in the 60-yard dash, not far behind were the couple dozen middle infielders who flashed quality actions during the defensive workout and had evaluator’s talking early on. Two players even made verbal commitments during the showcase! For the 30 coaches/pro scouts and 137 players in attendance, Thursday was a long, hot day between the lines but quality talent invaded USC’s Sarge Frye Field for a successful DP event!       Many names we knew were on hand for DP’s first-ever showcase; there were also a number of young players who burst onto the radar after a solid showing at USC.       During the twelve-hour showcase, coaches/scouts had the opportunity to evaluate every player running the 60, field and throw from their position, take batting practice and play in one game.     As mentioned, 24 players ran sub-7.0’s, ten guys under a 6.8, including Demetrius Washington’s (Silver Bluff, 2007) 6.53. During the defensive portion of the workout, one infielder after another stepped in and showed project-ability past high school. Three catchers recorded POP times below 2.0, including a showcase-best 1.83 by Jeffrey Campbell (Boiling Springs, 2008). Not far behind was Hunter Timmons (Camden, 2007) who gunned down three base-stealers in the same inning! Jeff Caskey (Conway, 2008) unofficially claimed the Homerun Derby title and ten pitchers worked in the mid-80’s or better on the Stalker Sport. Web gems galore were turned in too!       In the coming days we will compile all the information we gathered, crunch the numbers and rank the top runners, arms, infield actions, best round of BP and peak velocities. We’ll also confer with other evaluators to determine the top prospects and who helped themselves the most on Thursday. We’ll also include a list of awards and superlatives.     For now, Diamond Prospects would like your feedback. If you attended the DP Showcase on Thursday, we’d like to get your thoughts. This was our first rodeo; we want to continue to improve our events to provide the players of South Carolina a quality product. Tell us what you liked, tell us what you’d like to see be done differently. Your opinion is appreciated! To submit, click here.       Read Now! Diamond Prospects Showcase Rankings, to view, click here. To view the breakdown of the Top 20 prospects, click here. To view a complete list of 60 times, click here. .

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