49
Elite Baseball Development

TAKE
YOUR GAME
FURTHER

Train with former MLB Player Mike Rouse — 5th round MLB Draft pick, Cal State Fullerton Titan, Oakland Athletics. Major League fundamentals. Skills that last a lifetime.

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D1
Collegiate SS
MLB
Pro Player
8–18
Age Range
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Individual Lessons Group Sessions Team Training MLB Hitting Approach Elite Footwork Glove Work 5th Round MLB Draft Pick Oakland Athletics Cal State Fullerton College World Series Individual Lessons Group Sessions Team Training MLB Hitting Approach Elite Footwork Glove Work 5th Round MLB Draft Pick Oakland Athletics Cal State Fullerton College World Series
Mike Rouse — Oakland Athletics, Fleer Legacy Future card
FLEER LEGACY · FUTURE LEGACY
MIKE
ROUSE
Head Coach & Founder · Academy 49
5th
Round Draft Pick
OAK
Athletics Org
#8
A's Top Prospect
3-3
MLB Debut
About the Coach

About
Mike Rouse

Mike Rouse is not just a baseball coach — he is also a life coach. He teaches players great habits both on the field and off the field, shaping not only better athletes but better people. A former Major League Baseball player, MLB Scout, and decorated collegiate star whose career at the highest level of the game informs every lesson taught at Academy 49.

Growing up in the Bay Area, Rouse developed into one of the most decorated young shortstops in California — earning multiple years of All-State honors and a National All-American designation that announced him as one of the top prospects in the country. His combination of elite footwork, sure hands, and natural baseball IQ made him a blue-chip recruit who went on to play Division I baseball at Cal State Fullerton — one of the most storied programs in college baseball history.

// The Moment
Major League Debut —
Yankee Stadium

Mike Rouse made his Major League debut on one of baseball's most iconic stages — Yankee Stadium — against Hall of Famer Randy Johnson, one of the most dominant pitchers in the history of the sport. Rouse went 3 for 3 in that game and was named Player of the Series. That performance defines the standard he brings to every Academy 49 session.

3-3
Career Highlights & Honors
🏆
National All-American & Multi-Year All-State
Recognized at the highest level of amateur baseball as one of the top shortstops in the nation, earning All-State honors across multiple seasons.
⚾
Cal State Fullerton — D1 Shortstop, MVP & College World Series
Played for the nationally ranked #1 Cal State Fullerton Titans — one of the premier programs in college baseball. Earned MVP honors and competed in the College World Series.
📋
5th Round MLB Draft Pick
Selected in the 5th round of the MLB Draft — a testament to the combination of elite tools, baseball IQ, and character that professional scouts demand.
🌟
Bay Area Hot Stove Pro Player of the Year — 2003
Named the Bay Area Hot Stove Pro Player of the Year in 2003 — one of the most respected honors in Northern California professional baseball circles.
🅰️
#8 Ranked Prospect — Oakland Athletics Organization
Rose to become the 8th ranked player in the entire Oakland Athletics farm system — one of the most analytically rigorous organizations in professional baseball.
🔭
MLB Scout
After his playing career, Rouse brought his knowledge to scouting — learning to identify, evaluate, and develop elite talent with the trained eye of a professional organization.

Today, Mike Rouse channels everything he learned across a decorated playing career into developing the next generation through Academy 49. His players don't just learn baseball — they learn how to think, compete, and carry themselves the way professionals do. From an 8-year-old picking up a glove to a 17-year-old chasing a college scholarship, the Academy 49 standard remains the same: real baseball, taught the right way.

Training Options

Choose
Your Path

Three structured pathways — each built on the same Major League foundation Mike Rouse played at.

// 01
🧍
One-on-One

Individual
Lessons

Personalized, focused training built entirely around your mechanics, goals, and development timeline.

  • Custom swing analysis
  • Elite footwork & glove work
  • Hitting approach & plate discipline
  • Fielding positioning & reads
  • Mental game & confidence
// 02
👥
Small Group

Group
Lessons

Learn alongside peers in a competitive environment. Build skills and the communication that great baseball demands.

  • Shared hitting & fielding reps
  • Competitive situational drills
  • Peer accountability & culture
  • MLB-grade fundamentals for all
  • Affordable group investment
// 03
⚾
Full Roster

Team
Training

Elevate your entire roster with Major League game theory, defensive alignments, and championship strategy.

  • Game theory & situational IQ
  • Defensive alignments & shifts
  • In-game strategy
  • Offensive approach as a unit
  • Coaching consultation
Curriculum
Offense

Major League
Hitting Curriculum

Built from professional scouting and MLB-level mechanics — the same approach Mike Rouse used going 3-for-3 in his MLB debut against Randy Johnson.

Swing Theory
Bat path, hip rotation, load, and extension — the biomechanics of an elite swing built from the ground up.
Hitting Approach
Plate discipline, pitch recognition, count strategy, and how MLB hitters mentally prepare for each at-bat.
MLB Fundamentals
The same foundational mechanics used at the highest level, adapted progressively for each age group.
In-Game Adjustments
Recognizing what a pitcher is doing and making real-time mechanical and mental adjustments mid-game.
Defense

Fielding
Fundamentals

Shortstop-caliber fundamentals from a player who played the position at D1 and professional levels. The mechanics scouts look for — from youth leagues through high school showcases.

Glove Work
Proper catching mechanics, soft hands, transfer technique, and the habits that make defenders reliable and consistent.
Elite Footwork
First-step quickness, crossover footwork, drop steps — the movement patterns that separate average fielders from elite ones.
Positioning
Reading hitters, understanding tendencies, and knowing where to be before the ball is ever hit.
Fielding Mindset
How professional defenders approach the game mentally — staying locked in, communicating, and leading on defense.
Mindset

The Mental
Game

Mike Rouse faced Randy Johnson in Yankee Stadium and went 3-for-3. That mental approach — calm, prepared, confident — is what we teach every player at Academy 49.

MLB Approach
How Major Leaguers think — staying present, processing failure, and maintaining the competitive edge across a long season.
Performing Under Pressure
Techniques for tryouts, playoff games, scout days, and high-stakes at-bats when it matters most.
Growth Mindset
Building players who embrace coaching, chase improvement, and never stop developing — on and off the field.
Character & Leadership
Carrying yourself with the professionalism that scouts and coaches notice — being a great teammate and leader.
TEAM
For Coaches & Organizations

Team
Training
Sessions

Bring Major League strategy to your dugout. Whether preparing for a season or building a championship-caliber program, Academy 49 delivers at the team level.



Book Team Training
📐
Defensive Alignments & Shifts
When and how to shift, set the defense against different hitters, and maximize your personnel on the field.
🎯
Game Theory & Strategy
Situational baseball — when to bunt, hit-and-run, steal, and how to think two plays ahead. Professional decision-making at every age.
🗺️
Positioning & Communication
Pre-pitch alignment, defensive signals, outfield communication, and coordinating a fielding unit that plays as one.
🏆
Winning Culture
Team-first mentality, accountability, and the competitive habits that define programs that win consistently.
📋
Coaching Consultation
Build practice plans, evaluate your roster, and develop a long-term player development strategy alongside Academy 49.
Beyond Baseball

Great On &
Off the Field

Academy 49 is a long-term investment in the kind of human being your athlete becomes — prepared for high school, college, and life beyond the diamond.

01
Life Skills
Discipline, accountability, respect, and goal-setting. Tools that make great players make great people.
02
HS Readiness
Every lesson from age 8 builds toward being competitive and confident when high school tryouts arrive.
03
Long-Term Vision
Development arc consulting — from youth leagues through recruiting, planning the full journey.
04
Character
Coaches and scouts notice athletes who carry themselves with professionalism. We help players earn that reputation.

We're not just teaching baseball. We're giving players the mindset, habits, and character that will serve them long after the last pitch is thrown. Skills that last a lifetime.

— Mike Rouse, Academy 49
Get Started

READY TO
LEVEL UP?

Whether you're 8 years old picking up a glove for the first time or 17 preparing for college recruitment — Academy 49 has a place for you.

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