Potential Sports Academy  

The Potential Sports Academy Staff is on hand to assist you in your Baseball and Softball Training needs.  

Randy "Papa Phil" Phillips

Potential Baseball/Softball General Manager

Coordinator of Instruction

     Phillips is now available for individual or group workouts.  Recently retired from the Boston Red Sox as a minor league hitting instructor, Phillips will be at the Potential Baseball/Softball Developmental Center full time. 

     Prior to his retirement,  Phillips was a coach in the Atlanta Braves organization, the Toronto Blue Jays organization, and Hitting Coordinator for the Major League Baseball Australian Academy.  

      Phillips has worked in his coaching career with too many managers, instructors, coaches, and players to list.  It is a list that from A-Y (Hall of Famers Luke Appling to Carl Yastrzemski with Eddie Mathews in the middle).

     Your player will be instructed in every aspect of baseball and softball: Mental, Physical, and Visual Approaches.  Having worked with the top mental approach instructors and close personal friend Karl Kuehl, Phillips has learned a great deal about the mental side of baseball.

      Having been a hitter, being a student (continuing until death) of Hitting, being a teacher of Hitting, Papa Phil can guarantee that everything you'll hear and see is evidenced every night on ESPN's Baseball Tonight.  

      A personal Message from Phillips, Randy, Papa Phil, or Phil your choice:     "My Words Are My Players."

     Former Major League Pitcher with the Philadelpihia Phillies and the Milwaukee Brewers. 

     Former scout with the Chicago Cubs. Former Minor League Pitching Coach with the Mets, Rockies, Braves, and Brewers.  Is availalable for lessons.

 Barry Mabry

Pitching Instructor

     Barry Mabry is a Boiling Spring, SC native. He played baseball at Boiling Springs High School where he was an All-Region and All-County pitcher his junior and senior years. He holds the record for most innings pitched and ranks second in strikeouts in a season.

     After committing to Lander University, Mabry was signed by the Atlanta Braves out of high school. He played six years of professional baseball, including four seasons in the Braves organization and two seasons in the Northern League with the Sioux City Explorers. While in the Braves organization, he ranked in the top 25 prospects after his second season.

     After career ending shoulder surgery, Mabry coached in the Coastal Plains College Summer League for three years as a pitching coach with the Spartanburg Stingers and Forest City Owls.

     He graduated from Limestone College in 2009 and work as Director of Operations with the Rome Braves during the 2009 season. He is currently the Pitching Coach at JL Mann High School, Vice-President of Baseball Operations for Palmetto Sports Management Group agency and a Scout/Writer for The Diamond Prospects.

     Mabry has been giving private pitching lessons for over ten years.

Stan Kyles

Baseball Pitching Instructor

     Stan Kyles is the current bullpen coach for the Milwaukee Brewers.  For the past eight years, Kyles was the pitching coach for the Brewers' AAA affiliate the Nashville Sounds. 

       Before arriving there Kyles coached six years in the Chicago Cubs organization and three years in the Colorado Rockies organization.  He also played 10 minor league seasons for various organizations such as the Iowa Cubs, Tacoma Tigers, and the Albuquerque Dukes in the Cubs, A’s, and Dodgers organizations. 

      In the offseason, Kyles resides in Spartanburg and is able to work with pitchers of all ages and skill levels.

     Kevin Pucetas 

 Baseball Pitching Instructor

      Kevin is a graduate of Broome High School where he was named All-Region in 2001 and 2002 and led the Centurions to a 3A region title in 2001.

      He futher continued his playing career for Limestone College.  As a four year letterman, he had one of the best careers in Limestone history.  Kevin also played in prestigious summer leagues such as the Southern Collegiate Baseball League and the Coastal Plains League and was named to the all-star team in both leagues.  He was named to the 1^st team all Carolinas-Virginia Athletic Conference team twice, as well as being named five-time CVAC pitcher of the week.  Pucetas led his team to many postseason games appearing in the CVAC tournament final three of the four years he played, as well as winning the CVAC conference championship in 2005.  Collegiate Baseball tabbed him as being a top draft prospect in Division II Baseball. 

      Pucetas was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the 17^th round of the 2006 amateur player draft.  He made his professional debut in the Class A Northwest League for the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes going an impressive 8-1 with a 1.90 ERA in fifteen starts and led the Giants affiliate to the best record in the history of the league and to the Northwest League Championship.  Kevin furthered his professional career this year playing for the Single A Giants affiliate Augusta Greenjackets.  While playing for the Greenjackets, Kevin had an impressive season while playing in the Single A All-Star game.  Pucetas was a Team USA member in the Futures Game during the 2008 Major League Baseball All-Star Break at Yankees Stadium.  Kevin is available to work with players of all ages and skill levels.

Chris “Eddie” Edwards

Baseball/Softball-Hitting/Catching/Fielding Instructor 
  

       Chris Edwards is the assistant coach of the Presbyterian College Blue Hose.  Prior to coaching at PC, ‘Eddie’ was previously been the Assistant Coach at Anderson College, and Furman University where he was the Assistant Softball Coach.

       Edwards was a four-year letterman and three-year starter at Wade Hampton High School for Randy Phillips. 

       As a junior, he earned defensive MVP and all-region as a 2^ndbaseman. His senior year he earned defensive MVP, all-state as a catcher, and chosen to participate in the North-South All-star game. 

     Edwards was a four-year starter at Anderson College as a 3^rd baseman, catcher, and shortstop.  As a sophomore, Edwards was named to the NAIA 1^st team All-Sectional team as a Catcher and Team MVP his junior year.  Edwards finished his career at Anderson as the career leader in at-bats and games played, and second in hits, doubles, and RBIs.  Edwards’ college career ended with him batting over .410 with runners in scoring position each of his four years as a member of the Trojan baseball program. 

     In the summers of 2002 and 2003, Edwards was the head coach of the Belton American Legion Post 51 baseball team in which he coached numerous players that went on to play at the collegiate level. 

Taylor Harbin

Hitting/Fielding Instructor

     Harbin attended Travelers Rest High School where he was awarded a varsity letter all four years, and set the South Carolina home run record with 52 career home runs, that was formerly held by big leaguer Preston Wilson.  Taylor was All-State and All-Conference four years in a row, and was awarded the Player of the Year Award his senior year. 

     Harbin continued his career with the Clemson Tigers where he started all three years and earned awards such as Freshman All-American, Second Team All-American, First Team All-ACC, Second Team All-Atlantic Region, and All-ACC Academic Team. 

     Taylor then decided to leave Clemson after his junior year to pursue his dream of becoming a professional baseball player.  He was drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks and played in Missoula, Montana (Rookie) and South Bend, Indiana (Low A) his first year.  While finishing his first full season with the Diamondbacks, Taylor was invited to the instructional league in Tucson, Arizona, where the organizations top prospects for the year report for more one on one instruction with the Diamondback staff.  Taylor is available to work with players of all ages and skill levels. 

    Austin "Goat" Lynch

Baseball Hitting/Fielding Instructor  

      A former Wade Hampton High School star player and Greenville American Legion standout, Lynch played his college ball at Limestone College where he was an infielder. 

     "Goat" has coached area travel teams and has been an instructor at various camps and clinics.  Currently the Assistant Coach at Wade Hampton High School and the Spartanburg Blue Eagles in the Summer of 2009, a Southern Collegiate Baseball affiliate, Lynch is available for lessons with kids of all ages.

Al PhillipsCatching Instructor     Al Phillips is a former Wade Hampton High School and Collegiate standout.  In addition, Phillips has worked as a bullpen catcher in the Atlanta Braves' and Boston Red Sox's organization.  A catcher all of his life, Phillips is available for private and group catching lessons.

Potential Baseball Advisory Board

Available by Special Request Only

All are currently in Minor League baseball and will return in November

 Travis BarbaryRoving Minor League Catching Coordinator - Los Angeles Dodgers

Randy IngleManager Rome Braves - South Atlantic League - Single - A Affiliate, Atlanta Braves

Nick Mann 

Hours of Operation

   Monday - Friday

3 p.m. - 9 p.m.

Saturday

10 a.m.- 5 p.m.

Sunday

1 p.m. - 5 p.m.