CARY, N.C. – Carson-Newman baseball coach Tom Griffin was named one of the four managers for the newly developed partnership between Major League Baseball and USA Baseball for the 2021 Prospect Development Pipeline League announced on Friday.
"I am extremely grateful for this opportunity," Griffin said. "I am looking forward to seeing the best players in the country in one setting and learning from the great staff that USA Baseball has put together."
The PDP League is set up for 96 high school players eligible for the 2022 MLB Draft serving as a primary identification event for the 18U National Team in 2021. It provides athletes with an unprecedented amateur experience, including competitive gameplay, player development sessions, educational seminars, and other programming to prepare players for a professional baseball career.
Ready for business ��
— USA Baseball (@USABaseball) July 23, 2021
The #PDPLeague21 coaching staff and roster are set: https://t.co/8PvQF2cMa3 pic.twitter.com/6nPxC2F6Mq
Griffin is the manager for Team Light Blue with events being held from July 24-31. He will be assisted by Swarthmore College Assistant Coach Andre Butler, and four-time USA Baseball alum and current Idaho Falls Chukars hitting coach, Billy Butler. Former MLB All-Star and World Series Champion Brad Penny will serve as the pitching coach for Team Light Blue.
Concluding his 16th season at Mossy Creek, Griffin has won 448 games for the Eagles and north of 632 as a college head coach. In 2021, the club won at least 25 games for the sixth straight full season of baseball. He has coached five MLB draft picks in his time and 22 total professional players highlighted by current Los Angeles Angel and USA Baseball alumnus Steve Cishek, who represented the country in the 2013 World Baseball Classic.
For more information regarding the PDP League, you can visit the website or follow on Twitter and Instagram with the full coaching staff and roster of players available from USA Baseball's official release.
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