PRO BLOGS: DURAHIT | July 7th
SUMMER TOURNAMENT SURVIVAL GUIDE: Performing When It Matters Most
By: Greg Brown, Former MLB Hitting Coach & Co-Founder, Florida Baseball Ranch
After spending two decades in professional baseball—from scouting with the Astros to coaching at Nova Southeastern to working as hitting coordinator with the Tampa Bay Rays and finally as MLB hitting coach for the Chicago Cubs—I’ve learned one fundamental truth: summer tournaments separate the prepared from the pretenders.
I’ve watched countless talented young players struggle through the summer circuit, not because they lacked ability, but because they lacked a plan. The grind of tournament baseball is unlike anything these kids face during their high school season. Multiple games per day, early morning starts, oppressive heat, and scouts watching your every move—it’s a different animal entirely.
But here’s what I’ve discovered through my years of player development: the players who thrive in these conditions aren’t necessarily the most talented. They’re the most prepared.
Let me share the system that helped developed players into high performers.
The Physical Foundation: Building Your Tournament Engine
Pre-Tournament Conditioning
Most young players make a critical mistake—they think their high school season conditioning will carry them through summer tournaments. It won’t. The tournament grind requires a different type of physical preparation.
The 3-Week Ramp-Up Protocol:
Week 1: Base Building
- 30-minute morning walks (yes, walks—recovery is crucial)
- Light throwing program (60-80 throws)
- Basic movement patterns (agility ladder, light plyometrics)
- Hydration plan (yes, you need to practice drinking water strategically)
Week 2: Game Simulation
- Batting practice in heat (mid-day sessions)
- Extended throwing sessions (100-120 throws)
- Back-to-back workout days (simulate doubleheader fatigue)
- Sleep schedule adjustment (prepare for early games)
Week 3: Competition Prep
- Live batting practice with fatigued legs
- Game-speed defensive work in heat
- Mental preparation drills under physical stress
- Tournament schedule simulation
The Cardinal Rule: If you’re not sweating during practice, you’re not ready for July in Florida.
The Tournament Day Physical Routine
During my time with the Cubs, I watched Ian Happ and Nico Hoerner execute pre-game routines that never varied, regardless of whether it was a 1:20 PM start or a day/night doubleheader. Young players need the same consistency.
5:30 AM (for 8 AM games):
- Dynamic warm-up (10 minutes)
- Light throwing progression (15 minutes)
- Mental visualization (5 minutes)
- Nutrition window opens
6:15 AM:
- Arrive at facility
- Team dynamic warm-up
- Individual preparation time
7:30 AM:
- Final mental preparation
- Equipment check
- Game face on
This isn’t negotiable. Champions don’t adjust their preparation based on convenience.
The Mental Game: Competing When Fatigue Sets In
The Tournament Mindset Shift
In high school ball, you have days between games to process at-bats and make adjustments. In tournaments, you might have 30 minutes between your last at-bat in game one and your first at-bat in game two. The mental game becomes everything.
During my time developing the hitting philosophy, we implemented what we called “The Reset Protocol”—a systematic approach to handling failure and fatigue during compressed schedules.
The Reset Protocol:
- Acknowledge (2 seconds): “That didn’t work”
- Release (3 seconds): Deep breath, physical gesture (remove helmet, step out)
- Refocus (5 seconds): Next at-bat visualization
- Compete (Game on)
Total time investment: 10 seconds. That’s all you get.
Managing Multiple Games Per Day
The biggest mistake I see young players make is carrying emotional baggage from game one into game two. In professional baseball, we call this “letting the game play you instead of playing the game.”
Between-Game Mental Routine:
- Immediate Post-Game (5 minutes): Quick physical reset (stretch, hydrate, fuel)
- Mid-Break (20 minutes): Complete mental break (music, light conversation, anything BUT baseball)
- Pre-Game Two (15 minutes): Fresh start visualization, game-specific approach
Remember: Each game is a separate. Your 0-for-4 in game one has zero impact on your first at-bat in game two—unless you let it.
Nutrition and Recovery: Your Competitive Advantage
The Tournament Fuel System
During my college coaching days at Nova Southeastern, we won the 2016 Division II National Championship largely because we out-prepared our competition in every detail—especially nutrition during double headers and playoffs.
Most parents pack the same lunch they’d send to school. That’s a mistake. Tournament nutrition is performance nutrition. Pack the FUEL!
Pre-Tournament Nutrition (3 days before):
- Increase complex carbohydrates (sweet potatoes, quinoa, brown rice)
- Hydrate systematically (half your body weight in ounces, daily)
- Eliminate processed foods and excess sugar
- Sleep 8+ hours nightly
Tournament Day Fuel Protocol:
Game One:
- 2 hours before: Complex carbs + lean protein (oatmeal with berries and nuts)
- 1 hour before: Simple carbs + minimal protein (banana with almond butter)
- During game: Electrolyte replacement every 3 innings
- Post-game: Protein + simple carbs within 30 minutes
Between Games:
- Immediate: Chocolate milk or recovery drink
- 30 minutes later: Real food (sandwich with turkey, avocado, whole grain bread)
- Ongoing: Small, frequent fuel (every 45 minutes)
Game Two:
- 45 minutes before: Light fuel (apple slices with peanut butter)
- During game: Continue electrolyte replacement
- Post-tournament: Full recovery meal within 2 hours
Recovery Between Games
This is where good players become great players. While your competition is eating gas station snacks and sitting in lawn chairs, you’re actively recovering.
The 90-Minute Recovery Protocol:
- Minutes 1-10: Cool down walk and light stretching
- Minutes 11-20: Fueling window (nutrition + hydration)
- Minutes 21-50: Active rest (light movement, mental break)
- Minutes 51-70: Physical preparation for game two
- Minutes 71-90: Mental preparation and visualization
Pro Tip: Find shade. Always. Your body temperature regulation directly impacts your decision-making and reaction time.
Peaking for Recruiters: The Performance Window
Understanding the Recruitment Timeline
During my time as a scout and as a college baseball coach, I learned that summer recruitment operates on a compressed timeline. Coaches aren’t just evaluating your best game—they’re evaluating your worst game under pressure.
The Scout’s Evaluation Framework:
- Physical Tools: 30% of their decision
- Game Performance: 25% of their decision
- Competitiveness: 25% of their decision
- Coachability: 20% of their decision
Notice what’s missing? Your exit velocity from last winter’s training session. Data points open the interest, but in person evaluation helps fill in the “gray area” of what is going to separate a great player from similar players with similar data. Scouts want to see how you compete when things go right and when things go wrong.
Game Management for Scouts
When college coaches are watching, every at-bat matters, but not how you think. They’re not just watching your swing—they’re watching how you handle failure, how you interact with teammates, and how you prepare between at-bats.
The Recruitment At-Bat:
- Pre-AB: Consistent routine (shows preparation and mental toughness)
- In the Box: Aggressive confidence within your approach (shows baseball IQ)
- Post-AB: Same energy regardless of result (shows emotional maturity)
- Dugout: Supportive teammate behavior (shows character)
Remember: Scouts are evaluating future college players, not current high school heroes. They want to see who you’ll be at 20, not who you are at 17.
The Championship Mindset: Putting It All Together
The Tournament Champion’s Daily Questions
During our championship run at Nova Southeastern, I had our players answer these three questions every morning:
- “What did I control yesterday that I want to repeat today?”
- “What happened yesterday that I need to release and forget?”
- “What’s my specific focus for today’s to perform my best?”
These aren’t feel-good questions—they’re performance questions. Champions think systematically about their preparation and execution.
The Non-Negotiables
After decades in this game, I’ve identified the five non-negotiables that separate tournament champions from everyone else:
- Consistent Physical Preparation: Your routine doesn’t change based on game time or weather
- Systematic Nutrition: You fuel like a professional, not like a teenager
- Mental Reset Capability: You can process failure and move forward within 10 seconds
- Competitive Consistency: Your energy and approach remain the same regardless of score or situation
- Character Under Pressure: You demonstrate leadership and maturity when things get difficult
The Final Word
Summer tournament baseball is the closest thing to professional baseball that amateur players will experience outside of college summer ball. The travel, the schedule, the pressure, the scrutiny—it’s all there. But that’s exactly why it’s the perfect preparation for the next level.
The players who embrace the grind, who prepare systematically, and who compete relentlessly regardless of circumstances—those are the players who get recruited. Those are the players who succeed in college. And ultimately, those are the players who develop into the professionals I had the privilege of working with in Chicago and Tampa Bay.
Your summer tournament performance isn’t just about this year’s recruiting cycle. It’s about developing the habits, mindset, and character that will serve you for the rest of your baseball career—and beyond.
The competition is getting up early to beat the heat. The champions are getting up early to embrace it.
What kind of player will you be?
Greg Brown is a former MLB hitting coach and co-founder of the Florida Baseball Ranch. His player development systems have contributed to World Series runs, national championships, and countless individual success stories at every level of baseball.
Ready to develop both the physical and mental sides of your young hitter’s game? Contact The Florida Baseball Ranch to learn about our comprehensive hitting development programs designed specifically for amateur players aged 12-18.
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