March 4, 2017 - TCO

Minnesota Mash develops young baseball players and athletes

Tom Buske and Steve McGuiggan love baseball. Both were standout players for Apple Valley High School, played on NCAA Division I teams and signed professional contracts.

In 2012, while completing the shift from players to coaches, the pair saw an opportunity to provide younger players more time on the field and in batting cages than they had as kids and founded Minnesota Mash Baseball Club.

Twin Cities Orthopedics is a proud supporter of Minnesota Mash (just check out the banners) and shares the strong and positive approach to training and community.

Minnesota Mash offers year-round training and player development at its facility in Eagan and has its own select traveling teams in spring (ages 9U-14U), summer (ages 15U-18U) and fall (ages 9U-18U). What initially began as a group of 20 12-year-olds now consists of nearly 200 athletes ages 9-18 and older who train in small groups with Mash’s eight full-time staff members. The club also competes with 15-16 traveling teams.

“A model centered around community and a common training space has helped us form and shape our culture and club,” Buske, co-owner/program development director, said. “Players from multiple age groups, with similar goals, all train together at the same time.”

Focus of Minnesota Mash staff members:

• Instill a positive experience with the game
• Create a baseball setting that’s fun and entertaining
• Grow the game and become better coaches
• Create better and stronger relationships with players

Baseball may be Minnesota Mash’s bread and butter, but it’s not just for baseball players.

Kids and adults work out inside Mash’s 6,500-square-foot strength and conditioning facility – with a la carte training options for families – and athletes from all sports train at the facility. The club has experienced sustained growth over the past five years that it opened a brand-new 18,000-square-foot facility in November.

Play ball!

Minnesota Mash bookends the 10-week summer baseball season with spring and fall seasons that give players up to 30 total weeks of games. The majority of games are played locally, with 15U-18U teams traveling regionally to play against consistent competition and assist in what is now a national recruiting process.

“Providing more games and opportunities for players is very important for us,” Buske said.