Baseball Player Development FAQ

Understanding Baseball Player Development

Baseball player development is the work of coaching, training, and refining a player's skills after they have already joined an organization, and it is distinct from scouting, which is about finding and acquiring talent in the first place. It covers everything from mechanics and strategy to physical conditioning and mental preparation as a player moves through an organization's minor league system.

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 What jobs exist in baseball player development?

Player development roles exist across every level of the sport. Major League organizations, Minor League affiliates, college programs, high schools, and club teams all employ development staff. Learning from a three time MLB Executive of the Year gives students direct insight into how top organizations identify and shape talent for specific roles within their system.

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 I have already taken the Baseball GM and Scouting course. Is Player Development different?

Yes, the two courses cover different stages of a player's journey. GM and Scouting focuses on identifying and acquiring talent, while Player Development covers what happens after a player joins the organization, including pitching development, in game tactics, player psychology, and how prospects progress through the minor league system. Many students take both courses as complementary training.

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 How does baseball player development relate to baseball analytics?

The two overlap but are not the same thing. Analytics can highlight where a player is excelling or struggling in ways a coach might not immediately notice, which makes it a valuable tool for development staff. Player development also involves factors that analytics does not fully capture, such as mental approach and culture fit. Pairing analytics knowledge with player development training gives you a fuller picture of how to evaluate and coach a player.

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 Can Baseball Player Development be my first SMWW course?

Yes, no prior SMWW coursework is required. That said, pairing it with one or more of SMWW's other baseball courses, such as Baseball GM and Scouting, Baseball Analytics, or Baseball Agent, can round out your understanding of the sport's business side, and roughly a third of SMWW alumni go on to take multiple courses.

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 Does a player development role sit on the business side or the operations side of a team?

Player development sits on the operations side of a baseball organization. In this role, you would typically work alongside coaches, players, and analytics staff rather than with the team's business, sales, or marketing departments.

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About the SMWW Baseball Player Development Course

 Who teaches the Baseball Player Development course?

The course is led by Dan Duquette, a three time MLB Executive of the Year and former General Manager of the Boston Red Sox, Baltimore Orioles, and Montreal Expos, with more than four decades of experience in professional baseball. Students get direct weekly access to his insight through SMWW's live Zoom sessions, which offers a level of access to a GM of his caliber that is difficult to find outside SMWW.

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What does a week by week breakdown of the course look like?

The eight week course opens with a foundational look at what player development actually involves, then builds into specific areas including player and game strategy, minor league progression, coaching and coordinator processes, strength and conditioning, medical care, health and nutrition, and mental skills training.

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Does the course cover the mental and physical sides of player development, or just strategy?

Both. Beyond in game strategy and minor league progression, the curriculum specifically covers strength and conditioning, medical care, health and nutrition, and mental skills training, which reflects how modern MLB organizations build individualized development plans that treat the whole player rather than just their on field mechanics.

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Will this course help me get hired in a baseball operations role?

It is designed to help, though outcomes depend on individual effort and networking. Learning directly from a GM who has built and run MLB player development systems for decades gives students real insight into what front offices look for, and SMWW's placement support and global alumni network of more than 30,000 graduates in 163 countries is there to help you make the most of it after the course.

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 What if I need one on one assistance?

SMWW staff are available by phone throughout the course for one on one help with coursework, live sessions, or career questions. Call 1 877 SMWW NOW in the United States and Canada, +44 0 871 288 4799 in the United Kingdom, or +1 503 445 7105 from anywhere else. Our offices are in Portland, Oregon, and London, England

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 Do you have more questions?

Call the office and ask! 1-877-SMWW-Now in the US or Canada. In London at +44(0) 871 288 4799 Everywhere else at +1-503-445-7105