Expert: John Priest - 3/12/2011

Question
Dear John Priest ,

My name is Emanuele, I'm 21 years old and I'm playing college Baseball in a Junior College. In may Im going to be 22.

I've been out Baseball for 2 years due to an injurie of my ACL turn playing A. Football with my friends.

When I was 18 I was playing in the Dominican to get signed with a MLB team accademy. I'm Just starting telling you my story and finding some mental helps too if I still can get a possibility to get signed with my age.

So my questions are this:

- How is my bat swing? (I have a video for you hitting the T-ball after practice and I bat a lot of balls like 3 bins every day). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7armR7UEA4o

- what can I do to improve more my skills after a normal practice.

- I'm scared about grounding balls sometime, because I always think a lot and always go unsure to catch it, so I appear to tight and tense, also I get shy to dive is like I'm feeling . The coach says that im sitting too much on my place and making my feet slow even if I am not.

- Do you think I can still do it to be part of a minor league team? I started play baseball again in November so right now I'm not playing the season."

Answer
Emanuele,
Sorry for the late reply to your question.  Your swing looks good on video but I never judge a swing on video I need to see it in person to give you an honest opinion.  There are too many variables that you just cant see on video.
The "tools that scouts look for are 1. Hit for power, 2. Hit for average, 3. Baserunning and speed, 4. Arm strength, and 5. Fielding your position.  If you are scared of ground balls then you should have someone hit you them after practice until you are comfortable.  
Anyone can have a chance to play in the MLB but you have to be committed to be perfect and have the skills that a scout will be interested in.
Good Luck,
John Priest