WE PIN-POINT MLB DRAFT READY TALENT & UNCOMMITTED RECRUITS
Boots-on-the-ground scouting across Southern California since 2007. Nineteen years of rosters, and the record to show for it.
IN THE PROS
Thirty-five 5 Tool Players alumni have signed with professional organizations. Here are eight of them.
COLLEGE COMMITS
Grouped by school. Eighty programs, and counting. Search a name or a school.
UCLA
USC
Stanford
Long Beach State
Cal State Fullerton
San Diego
California Baptist
UC San Diego
SCOUTING SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
5 Tool Players is a high school baseball scout team based in Southern California. Founded in 2007 by Eric Martins, then an area scout for the Oakland Athletics, and run today by Steve Doherty, the program puts the region’s top prospects in front of college coaches and professional scouts. Its rosters have produced 245 college commitments across 84 programs, from Stanford, Vanderbilt and LSU to Long Beach State, Fullerton and San Diego State.
The 5 Tool Players roster is constructed with the top high school prospects in Southern California. We pin-point MLB draft-ready talent, committed and uncommitted recruits alike through boots on the ground scouting.
245 commitments · 84 college programs · 6 alumni on MLB rosters · 8 drafted and signed in 2026
STEVE'S COMMITMENT TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF ATHLETES BOTH AS PLAYERS AND YOUNG MEN IS SECOND TO NONE. THE VISION HE HAS FOR 5 TOOL PLAYERS IS EXTREMELY EXCITING TO SEE UNFOLD.
THE STAFF'S KNOWLEDGE IS QUITE IMPRESSIVE. IF YOUR SON HAS ASPIRATIONS TO PLAY AT THE NEXT LEVEL; COLLEGE OR PRO, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND 5 TOOL PLAYERS.
TODD HUNTER · PARENT OF NATE HUNTER ’23 AND NOAH HUNTER ’25
I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCE I HAD PLAYING 5 TOOL PLAYERS. THE STAFF'S COACHING AND MENTORSHIP WAS INVALUABLE AND CERTAINLY HELPED ME ACHIEVE MY GOAL OF PLAYING DIVISION 1 BASEBALL. GO BLUE!
COACHING STAFF
Will Vanderbilt
Rodney Davis
Michael Schultz
portraits · 900×1200 · 3:4
ARE YOU NEXT?
Player submission is open year-round and free. Send us your information and our staff will evaluate you for the 5 Tool Players scout team.
Common questions
Southern California baseball, answered
What is a scout team?
A scout team is a roster assembled by scouts. Games are scheduled so college coaches and professional scouts can attend and evaluate in person. It is different from club or travel ball, where the calendar is built around tournaments and the roster is generally open to anyone who pays to play.
What is 5 Tool Players?
5 Tool Players is a Southern California high school baseball scout team founded in 2007 by Eric Martins, then an Oakland Athletics area scout, and run today by Steve Doherty. The program identifies MLB draft-ready talent and uncommitted recruits across Southern California through in-person scouting, and plays a fall season in front of college coaches and pro scouts.
How do I get seen by college baseball coaches in Southern California?
You need to be playing where those coaches already are. Scout team games in Southern California are scheduled specifically so college and professional scouts can attend, which is different from a tournament where you hope the right person is watching. 5 Tool Players accepts free player submissions year-round from Southern California high school players.
Do I have to be committed to a college already?
No. 5 Tool Players rosters carry both committed and uncommitted players. The program’s stated focus is MLB draft-ready talent and uncommitted recruits alike, so an uncommitted player is not at a disadvantage in being considered.
Where are the games played?
Games are played at venues across Southern California, including Cypress College, the MLB Youth Academy and Birmingham High School, with a series each season in Las Vegas at the College of Southern Nevada. Every date and venue is listed on the schedule page.
What colleges have 5 Tool Players players gone to?
245 players have committed out of high school to 84 college programs — Division I, Division II, NAIA and junior college — including Stanford, Vanderbilt, LSU, Texas, Long Beach State, Cal State Fullerton and San Diego State. The full list, grouped by school, is on the College Commits page.
Have any 5 Tool Players alumni been drafted or signed professionally?
Yes. 48 alumni have played professionally, six of them currently on Major League rosters — Matt Chapman, Hunter Greene, Tristan Beck, Brendan Beck, Tylor Megill and Samad Taylor. Eight more signed with organisations after the 2026 draft.
Who runs 5 Tool Players?
Steve Doherty is President, General Manager and Scouting Director. A Long Beach State alumnus, he was drafted twice — by the St. Louis Cardinals in 1996 and the Arizona Diamondbacks in 1997 — and spent ten years teaching and coaching in Southern California before taking over the program.
When does the season run?
The season runs on Sundays in the fall, opening in late August and finishing in early November. Every date, opponent and venue is listed on the schedule page.
What grade do you need to be in to play?
Any high school grade. Freshmen through seniors are eligible.
Does it cost anything?
The player submission form is free. Tryouts are $150 for pitchers, $200 for position players and $250 for two-way players. Season fees run $400 to $1,150 depending on position and on whether the player is already committed, and the Las Vegas Series is $250 to $450. Every amount is listed on our costs page.
What happens after I submit the form?
Your information goes directly to Steve Doherty, who runs the program, and puts you in front of the staff for evaluation. It is not a tryout registration and it does not guarantee a roster spot.