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Bio’s: Contributing Writers

Mark Bonnette Mark Bonnette is a 1993 graduate of Airport High School and a 1998 graduate of Newberry College with a B.S. degree in Physical Education and a minor in Coaching. Bonnette was a four-year letterman on the Newberry College baseball team. Bonnette was the head baseball coach at Silver Bluff High School for two years before coming to White Knoll. He is entering his sixth season as the Varsity pitching coach at White Knoll. Bonnette also runs a very successful travel baseball program called the Palmetto Sand Gnats. The Sand Gnats are comprised of select players from across the state and consist of three teams: 18u,16u and 14u. Lee Long Lee Long graduated from Hillcrest High in 1994 where he was named First Team All-State as a pitcher and played in the North-South game. He played baseball at Wofford College where he became the first baseball player in school history to earn First Team All-Southern Conference as a starting pitcher. He graduated from Wofford in 1998 with a B.A in English. Long then pitched two seasons professionally in the independent Frontier League: 1998 for the Johnstown Johnnies and 1999 for the Dubois County Dragons. He compiled a combined record of 12-4 in professional baseball before suffering a torn labrum.Following pro ball, Long went back to school and graduated from University of South Carolina School of Law in 2001. He practiced Law in Charleston and Columbia before starting his own business. Lee owns an insurance agency providing health, life and ancillary insurance to businesses and individuals. He resides in Irmo with his wife, Amy. .

Bio’s: Contributing Writers

Mark Bonnette Mark Bonnette is a 1993 graduate of Airport High School and a 1998 graduate of Newberry College with a B.S. degree in Physical Education and a minor in Coaching. Bonnette was a four-year letterman on the Newberry College baseball team. Bonnette was the head baseball coach at Silver Bluff High School for two years before coming to White Knoll. He is entering his sixth season as the Varsity pitching coach at White Knoll. Bonnette also runs a very successful travel baseball program called the Palmetto Sand Gnats. The Sand Gnats are comprised of select players from across the state and consist of three teams: 18u,16u and 14u. Lee Long Lee Long graduated from Hillcrest High in 1994 where he was named First Team All-State as a pitcher and played in the North-South game. He played baseball at Wofford College where he became the first baseball player in school history to earn First Team All-Southern Conference as a starting pitcher. He graduated from Wofford in 1998 with a B.A in English. Long then pitched two seasons professionally in the independent Frontier League: 1998 for the Johnstown Johnnies and 1999 for the Dubois County Dragons. He compiled a combined record of 12-4 in professional baseball before suffering a torn labrum.Following pro ball, Long went back to school and graduated from University of South Carolina School of Law in 2001. He practiced Law in Charleston and Columbia before starting his own business. Lee owns an insurance agency providing health, life and ancillary insurance to businesses and individuals. He resides in Irmo with his wife, Amy. .

Bundle Up

By: Austin Alexander – February 13, 2006 As I spent my first weekend parked in the grandstand, it didn’t escape my eye how poorly prepared many patrons were for February baseball. Whether the sun was hiding, rain was falling or the wind was blowing, the most comfortable people in the park were the seasoned veterans, coaches and scouts. I rolled into the stadium a couple of days with a wardrobe complete with a toboggan (winter hat to you northerner’s), gloves and Michelin-man physique…and was poked fun at for over-dressing. As the innings rolled on, the sun set and wind chill dropped, those same folks returned to find out what I had stockpiled in the car. I panned to the right and left, as the ballpark shivered, the evaluators kept their radar guns held high and stopwatches handy, laughing and joking the entire day. What is it that these cold weather pros know that the casual observer doesn’t? Allow me to assist you for your next arctic experience. A wise coach once told me the secret was in layers. It’s not a fashion show, it’s a baseball game! We’ve always been told there is strength in numbers, early season baseball attire is no different. I’ve been known to load up with seven shirts under my jacket, two pair of long john’s under my jeans, three socks on each foot, Isothermal gloves and a toboggan under the hooded sweatshirt. All this and I still had a solid stash in the car. The point is this: You can always remove clothes once you get to the yard and find yourself a little toasty, however, when the temperature dips you’ll seldom find a willing partner to share warm clothing. Some parents have been known to go the extra mile–propane heaters and blankets. This method is not a bad move if you don’t anticipate moving around throughout the game. Hot chocolate and coffee tend to be popular beverages in this time of need, both good choices. No matter what measures we take to remain warm, there is always going to be a couple of real cool dudes sporting short-sleeve shirts with the collars up, hanging out with the kid wearing shorts who is sitting next to the row of girls with belly-shirts and sandals…apparently they have it all figured out and we’ll just have to make our peace with that. I hope this quick excerpt makes your next chilly day at the field a pleasurable baseball experience. .

Bundle Up

By: Austin Alexander – February 13, 2006 As I spent my first weekend parked in the grandstand, it didn’t escape my eye how poorly prepared many patrons were for February baseball. Whether the sun was hiding, rain was falling or the wind was blowing, the most comfortable people in the park were the seasoned veterans, coaches and scouts. I rolled into the stadium a couple of days with a wardrobe complete with a toboggan (winter hat to you northerner’s), gloves and Michelin-man physique…and was poked fun at for over-dressing. As the innings rolled on, the sun set and wind chill dropped, those same folks returned to find out what I had stockpiled in the car. I panned to the right and left, as the ballpark shivered, the evaluators kept their radar guns held high and stopwatches handy, laughing and joking the entire day. What is it that these cold weather pros know that the casual observer doesn’t? Allow me to assist you for your next arctic experience. A wise coach once told me the secret was in layers. It’s not a fashion show, it’s a baseball game! We’ve always been told there is strength in numbers, early season baseball attire is no different. I’ve been known to load up with seven shirts under my jacket, two pair of long john’s under my jeans, three socks on each foot, Isothermal gloves and a toboggan under the hooded sweatshirt. All this and I still had a solid stash in the car. The point is this: You can always remove clothes once you get to the yard and find yourself a little toasty, however, when the temperature dips you’ll seldom find a willing partner to share warm clothing. Some parents have been known to go the extra mile–propane heaters and blankets. This method is not a bad move if you don’t anticipate moving around throughout the game. Hot chocolate and coffee tend to be popular beverages in this time of need, both good choices. No matter what measures we take to remain warm, there is always going to be a couple of real cool dudes sporting short-sleeve shirts with the collars up, hanging out with the kid wearing shorts who is sitting next to the row of girls with belly-shirts and sandals…apparently they have it all figured out and we’ll just have to make our peace with that. I hope this quick excerpt makes your next chilly day at the field a pleasurable baseball experience. .

Recruiting 101-Testimonials

  What People Are Saying About Recruiting 101 Following a visit in 2005: I wanted to thank you for coming to see us yesterday. I have to admit I was a little skeptical about what would come out of our meeting, and that was only fueled by friends, in our same situation, wondering what we were doing. It truly was worth the time and money. You were very professional, with an organized presentation, and willing to take as much time as needed to answer all questions. You were able to give us a side of recruiting we cannot see, and clarify a lot of myths and gossip we have heard. It was all topped by how passionate you obviously are about what you do and I have great respect for people that love what they do. I have no idea how my son will make out in this process, but I am certainly glad you are a part of what that result may be and glad you offer this service.   Pulled from a message board in 2005: I’m not a supporter of recruiting service, but, IMO, this is a unique opportunity for those wanting additional information or feel uncomfortable with the process. Austin Alexander, a former recruiting coordinator at Elon University, is one of the most highly regarded baseball men in the business. With seven years as a coordinator, Austin has immense experience and knowledge of the process. His connections with all the college coaches across the state allow him to get honest, straightforward feedback about the interest in your son. He will be able to guide you through the troubled waters while pointing you in the right direction. I wish his services were available to me a few years ago. The investment in having an experienced college coach direct my family is the cost of one weekend of travel ball, perhaps less. I have no affiliation with Austin or his services. I just thought this is such a unique opportunity for some folks to get straight facts and to get pointed in the right direction…something many families need.   .

Bio: Austin Alexander

-Austin Alexander- Austin Alexander has been back in the Palmetto State since 2006 after spending three years at Elon University as the pitching coach and recruiting coordinator. Before joining the Phoenix, Alexander served as pitching coach and recruiting coordinator at Spartanburg Methodist College for three seasons. Prior to that stint, he spent one year apiece at Charleston Southern University and James Island High School in Charleston, SC. Alexander also spent eight summers as a coach with the South Carolina Diamond Devils, an elite AAU team based out of Charleston, SC. Alexander re-joined the Diamond Devils baseball program as a coach during the summer and fall of 2006-2007. He returned to coach the 18U team in 2008. All totaled, Alexander has coached and/or signed 63 pitchers and 54 position players that have been selected in the MLB draft, including eight in the 1st Round. He presently has 10 players still playing some form of professional baseball and twelve have reached the Major Leagues. MLB Players Alexander’s recruiting placed two teams in the NJCAA World Series (2001, 2003) while at Spartanburg Methodist and had two nationally recognized recruiting classes at Elon by Collegiate Baseball. His Phoenix also won the 2006 Southern Conference regular season championship and received an at-large bid into an NCAA Regional. Alexander began as an associate scout with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2005-2020 under the late Hall of Famer Lon Joyce. He is presently an associate scout with the Atlanta Braves and area supervisor Billy Best. Presiding over Diamond Prospects for the 16th year, Alexander is proud to include that the DP resume now boasts of having all but one out of 69 high school draftees from the Classes of 2007-2021 as alumni of previous events. Overall, 193 event alumni have been drafted, 22 Big Leaguers… To view alumni, click here. Starting in 2010, Alexander became a nationally accredited voter for ESPN’s Gatorade Athlete of the Year which is celebrated at the ESPY’s, this honor came after three seasons of selecting our state’s baseball winner. Alexander graduated from the College of Charleston in 1997 receiving his Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications-Mass Media and a minor in Psychology. He also earned an Associate of Arts degree from Spartanburg Methodist in 1995. While at C of C, Alexander also served two years as the president of the Student-Athlete Advisory Board, reporting directly to the president and athletic director of The College.  Alexander played baseball at Spartanburg Methodist College and the College of Charleston where he set each school’s single-season and career win records as a right-handed pitcher. While each feat has fallen by the wayside recently, he still holds the CofC mark for most innings thrown in one game (10). He also continues to lay claim as being a two-time All-Star and throwing a record 87.1 innings as a member of the Cohocton Red Wings in the New York Collegiate League, still an NCAA summer record. A little known fact about Alexander, he had a cameo appearance in “Major League 3: Back to the Minors”. The movie was filmed in Charleston, SC where he lived at the time. Alexander had three scenes in the movie as an opposing pitcher for the Riverdogs. Alexander, 48, is an avid baseball fan, historian of the game, collector of the National Pastime plus a huge follower of the Chicago Cubs and Green Bay Packers. But his favorite thing to do is spending time with his family doing whatever they choose. On July 14, 2001, the Spartanburg, SC native married the former Rita Richardson of Conway, SC. The couple are parents of two sons, Nolan who was born on November 2, 2005 and the most recent addition arrived on December 28, 2009, Banks. The Alexander’s reside in Myrtle Beach.

The DP Team

Austin Alexander -One of the guys at dp- Austin Alexander’s Bio Email: [email protected] ________________________________ Barry Mabry -Upstate Scout & Fall League Commissioner- Barry Mabry’s Bio Email: [email protected] _____________________________ Cory Welch -dp High School Baseball Director of Stuff- Cory Welch’s Bio Email: [email protected] ____________________________________ Derick Urquhart -Pee Dee Scout- Derick Urquhart’s Bio Email: [email protected] _____________________________________ Gary Randall -Greater Rock Hill Fall League Commissioner/Rock Hill Scout- Gary Randall’s Bio ________________________________________ Stuart Lake -Midlands Fall League Commissioner/Midlands Scout, Recruiting 101- Email: [email protected] ________________________________ Tony Osterman -dp MVP- Email: [email protected] ___________________________ Gary Asbill -Aiken/Midlands Scout- Gary Asbill’s Bio Email: [email protected] _________________________________ Taylor Hollified -Upstate Scout- Taylor Hollifield’s Bio Email: [email protected] ___________________________________ Ben Waddle -dp Field General- Ben Waddle’s Bio Email: [email protected] ________________________________ Dale Nelson -The Fungoman & Dugout General/Upstate Scout- Email: [email protected] ____________________________ Austin Smithwick -DP Consultant- Austin Smithwick’s Bio __________________________________ John Gilreath -Area Scout, Social Media Director- John Gilreath’s Bio Email: [email protected] @jgilreath9 __________________________________ Mikey Pruitt -The dp Website Guru- Email: [email protected] ____________________________ Jason Kullman -Chief Editor- Jason Kullman’s Bio Email: [email protected] __________________________________ Contributing Winners: Jake Andrews Charles Assey David Beckley Fox Beyer Lou Bezjak Mark Bonnette Randy Carlson Will Cheatham Banks Faulkner Robert Hendrix Tome’ Higgins Brian Hucks Brandon Hyman Matthew Jolly Jeff Kerr Dwayne Kitts Mike McDonald Chris Nall Brian Simpson Billy Sylvester Trey Thacker Tyler Vick Chris Wells John Whittle ………………………… Diamond Prospects . 124 Artisan Ct . Lexington, SC 29072 .

About DP

-About Us- Diamond Prospects landed in South Carolina in January of 2006 and has covered high school baseball across the state like never before. Growing up in the Palmetto State we recall how difficult it is to attract attention from the next level. With a number of years in the college coaching ranks, our travel and experiences have exposed us to better ways of setting the stage for next-level players. In addition to becoming South Carolina’s #1 scouting service, we have also rolled out tons of information for our readers! While our bread and butter will remain the coverage of high school baseball and its top prospects, we also aim to better-inform players, parents and coaches in every aspect of the game. Here’s a quick rundown of our resume: Within our first five years of existence, the website has received over 100 million hits… Every single South Carolina high school player, except for one, selected in the 2007-2023 Major League Baseball Draft had attended a DP event… 26 DP Alumni have played in Major League Baseball…206 DP alums have been drafted by an MLB team… One hundred percent of the colleges in our state have a DP account and most check the site daily… Over 100 different colleges and pro clubs have attended a DP Showcase… More!  Event Alumni As you can see, Diamond Prospects continues to grow and has changed the landscape of scouting in South Carolina while benefitting scores of young players, coaches and scouts. TheDiamondProspects.com is the headquarters of high school baseball in this state but you’ll also find it to be an informative site filled with interesting articles written by interesting baseball people! Please email your spring, summer and fall schedules to [email protected] or mail to PO Box 51438, Myrtle Beach, SC 29579. With your help, we will get out and cover baseball in South Carolina the way it’s supposed to be done! If you are interested in upcoming events that will be hosted by Diamond Prospects, stay tuned to the website or you may also email us your contact information, we want to keep you in the loop! Check us out and see what you think…then tell others!

Summer Baseball Links

Travel/Legion Programs Organization Website Blue Chip Baseball Click Here Bodyshop Baseball Click Here Canes Baseball Click Here Carolina Combat Click Here Diamond Devils Click Here Flornce Post 1 Click Here Hitmen National Click Here Legacy Baseball Click Here Power Baseball – SC Click Here SEB Prime Click Here Showtime Baseball Click Here South Carolina Legion Baseball Click Here Southern Athletics Click Here T24 Gamecocks Click Here Team Elite – Platinum Click Here Upstate Mavericks Click Here USA Prime – SC Click Here

Recruiting 101

-Recruiting 101- Your Guide Through the Recruiting Process! Are you finding the recruiting process tiring, confusing 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: -How can I best promote my son? -What are college coaches actually looking for in a prospect? -How does scholarship money get distributed throughout a team? -What kinds of financial aid may be available for my son? -How do I know if a school is sincerely interested in my son? -What should my son look for in a school, baseball program and coach? -What is the difference between a junior college versus a four-year school?  -How do I handle my options as the MLB draft approaches? -What kinds of questions should I ask on a college visit? -What are the rules that players and coaches must abide by? -What does a verbal commitment really mean? -What are the advantages/disadvantages to my son signing a letter of intent during the early signing period? These are just a few of the questions that people often ponder while having to make one of life’s most challenging decisions. Our staff has quite a few years of experience as a college recruiting coordinator, and on the other side of these question marks. E4 owner and Diamond Prospects’ David Beckley has 17 years of D1 Recruiting Coordinator experience to council you now! Allow us to assist you during this critical time in his life! We are willing to sit down with you and your son to comb over the process while also providing as much information for you as we can on the colleges that he may be considering. We prefer to conduct these meetings over the phone but will also counsel in person. Please refer to the options you have below. If you are interested, email [email protected] so we can set up a time and date to talk. Remember, this time only rolls around once for your son, let us help you! Counseling Options Phone Counsel: $125 per hour. Description: Phone conversation with us. We will go over the recruiting process, offer useful advice and answer any questions or concerns you may have. You will be emailed an informative package to recap the process. In Person: $150 + $0.50 per mile (round trip). Description: We will come to your home or choice of meeting place to speak with the family and player. We will go over the recruiting process, offer useful advice and answer any questions or concerns you may have. You will be left with an informative package to recap the process. Seminar: Price is negotiable. Description: We come to your high school or choice of meeting place to speak with a group of families. We will go over the recruiting process, offer useful advice and answer any questions or concerns you may have. You will be left with an informative package to recap the process. Note: We will also be available to speak with you after Diamond Prospects events or following games we attend.

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Myrtle Beach, SC 29579

The Palmetto State's one stop shop for prep hardball
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