Tag Archives: Arizona Diamondbacks

Independent Ball

Sign Me! By Chris Carminucci

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Former indy ball jack of all trades turned Arizona Diamondbacks scout, Chris Carminucci, has published some of his knowledge.

Sign Me! The Undrafted Baseball Player’s Guide to the Independent Leagues is perfect for any player looking to learn more about indy ball and the steps it takes to get there.

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The book, which is around 100 pages, is to the point and packed full of vital information for potential players. In a way, this site’s Indy Ball 101 page is the cliff notes version of Sign Me! Carminucci goes into detail of the various leagues, which ones are better for which players, and includes tips and tricks for making yourself seen and ultimately get signed. He has a unique perspective as someone who has played and worked in indy ball and now scouts the independent leagues.

(Author’s note: Indy Ball Island did a story on the Diamondbacks and Carminucci scouting indy ball in 2014. You can check that out here: Finding a Diamond(back) in the Rough.)

Each league’s section also contains a directory of sorts for each team.  It can be very helpful for players looking to find information about a specific team and is a great starting point if the player is preparing to send out their baseball resume and videos.

Carminucci has had great success scouting the independent leagues for untapped potential. Indy ball is a grind, but this guide can help get a player through. Sign Me! is worth the read for any player who is thinking about continuing their career in independent baseball.

You can get the book HERE on Amazon.

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Independent Ball

Catching up with New Britain Bees pitcher Alex Gouin

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This season, Indy Ball Island again plans on working with various guest bloggers to bring you stories all around independent baseball.

For this piece, Franklin Velez and Tyler Boronski have collaborated on a piece about New Britain Bees pitcher, Alex Gouin.

Catching up with New Britain Bees pitcher Alex Gouin

Written by Franklin Velez

Alex Gouin recently signed a contract to play for the New Britain Bees in the Atlantic League, which is something of a homecoming for him. He’s currently living in Connecticut and went to college there, although he’s originally from Cuba. Gouin played in the Arizona Diamondbacks system in 2016, but he’s back to playing in the Independent Leagues for the second consecutive year. He continues to keep the faith that there is always the chance to get back into affiliated baseball.

Just signing on with an MLB club, having been born in Cuba and being an independent ball player, was a huge dream come true for Gouin and his family. He currently plans to be a reliever after having spent the season with the Somerset Patriots. An elbow injury derailed him a bit, but he’ll be back to prove his worth with his current team.

Gouin paid his respects to the Patriots team and fan base for being so loyal and loving to their players and coaches. His transition to the New Britain Bees may be a tough one, but it’s something that he believes will give him a fresh opportunity to sign on with an MLB organization.

A little fun fact about Alex is that he becomes the team barber anywhere that he has landed. He isn’t shy about giving anyone a cut, just as long as he has time to warm up for the game!

Gouin seems to be a real stand-up guy and I wish nothing but the best for him. A fresh start on a new team and an injury free season should allow him to show what he’s made of. Hopefully this will lead to another opportunity to achieve his dream of eventually reaching the MLB.

You can check out Tyler’s full interview with Gouin below:

 

Follow Tyler Boronski on YouTube (Tbautos512), Facebook (Tbautos512 Interviews), Twitter (@TyBoronski10), & Instagram (@TyBoronski10)

Follow Franklin Velez on Twitter (@CallMeStash)