HITTING: Players work on the many skills that make them a complete hitter including weight transfer, power generation, and contact points. We work on a hitting approach tailored to each individual player. Every player is recorded and has their swing broken down to show them what they need to work on.

PITCHING: Pitchers work on improving accuracy, velocity, delivery, off-speed pitches and pickoffs. The goal is to be a consistent pitcher and command every pitch. We introduce grips to certain pitches and focus on throwing to protect young arms. Slow motion video review points out any flaws such as a bad break point, arm angle, or lack of extension.

CATCHING: We help players learn the proper techniques to become a balanced catcher. Main areas include setup, receiving, framing, blocking and throwing.

INFIELD/OUTFIELD: Players learn proper footwork, upper body position, read, drop step and crossover techniques, approach and cutoffs.

*Prices are per athlete

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Jason was drafted in both 2015 by the Los Angeles Dodgers (17th round) and in 2016 by the Seattle Mariners (9th round).  After one year in the Mariners system, he was traded to Oakland Athletics organization, where he currently plays in their minor league system.  Jason attended the University of Illinois, where he was named All-Big Ten and All-Academic Big Ten all four years (including 1st team All-Big Ten as a junior). He was also named All-Midwest Region after his junior season. Jason helped lead Illinois to two NCAA regional appearances and one NCAA super regional appearance.  As a catcher, Jason helped lead one of the nation’s top pitching staffs in 2015, including two future first round picks. During his senior year, Jason led the team in multiple offensive categories and was nominated for the Johnny Bench Award, given to the best catcher in the country. He was elected as one of the five finalists for the NCAA Senior Class awards given to the top senior who exhibits excellence in the Community, Classroom, Character and on field Competition. Jason attended Highland Park High School where he earned four varsity letters in baseball and was the first freshman in school history to start the season on the Varsity roster.  After his junior year, he was elected to participate in the Perfect Game All-American Classic.  Jason earned All-State Honors his senior year.

Mark attended high school at Maine South where he received eight varsity letters: three in baseball, two in football and three in hockey. He was named the 2002 Chicago Sun-Times Player of the Year, the Park Ridge Athlete of the Year, and Central Suburban Conference Player of the Year in 2002. He was elected as one of America's Top 150 baseball players as a senior and named to the Illinois all-state team as a junior and senior. Mark received all-region accolades as a junior. Mark was an all-state football selection as a senior and honorable mention as a junior and was selected Maine South's Athlete of the Year in 2002 for football. He also earned Chicago Tribune Top-50 Athletes recognition during his senior year  and was named Central Suburban Conference Defensive Player of the Year. His team went 25-2 in final two years of varsity football, winning the state championship as a junior and Mark set the school record for interceptions in a game (three) and in a varsity career (16). In 1998, Mark won the AAU national championship in hockey and was a four-year honor roll student. 

Mark attended Northwestern University from 2003 to 2005.  In 2004, Mark earned first conference distinction, named third-team All-Big Ten as a first baseman. He was voted team co-MVP by his teammates and turned in one of the most impressive offensive seasons in recent history, leading the Big Ten (conference games only) with a .412 average, and hitting .382 overall, which was third in conference statistics. Mark hit safely in 39 of the final 49 games and in those 39 games had 21 multiple-hit games. He was drafted in the 14th round of the Major League Baseball draft by the Houston Astros in June 2005 and he ended his NU career with a .325 (177 for 544) batting average. In 2005 he started all 54 games and he started 154 of his 155 collegiate games played.

In 2005 Mark was drafted in the 14th round by the Houston Astros.  He played six seasons in the Astros organization where he played 1B and hit 280, 47 HR, and 328 RBI.  Ori was selected to the All-Star team in three of six seasons, and in 2008 he finished the season at the top of the Carolina League in many offensive categories including batting average, RBI, and doubles. This earned him team MVP, and was selected by the Houston Astros to represent the organization in the Arizona Fall League.  The AFL consists of each organizations top prospects.  

Mark Ori is currently a special education teacher and coaches freshman football and varsity baseball at Maine South High School.  

Brandon was selected in the 24th round of the 2015 MLB Draft by the White Sox out of Northwestern University and is a graduate in Economics.  He has been recognized as the Big Ten Pitcher of the Week three times and is a 2015 recipient All Big Ten Academic Player.  

He ranks 2nd in pitching starts, 3rd in innings pitched and 7th in strikeouts in the Northwestern University Archives All Time Records.  In addition, Brandon is a former 2013 Cape Cod West All-Star for the Falmouth Commodores in the College Summer Cape Cod League and the 2012 Collegiate Perfect Game Summer League 16th ranked player.  He played his high school baseball at Providence Catholic where his team was the 2011 State Runner-up, received All-State Honorable Mention, and was a Catholic Blue League All Conference recognized player.  He is currently playing in the Chicago White Sox minor League organization.

After T.J. played five years of Blaze baseball, he continued his play at Glenbrook High School.  He is currently the only player to be named Conference Player of the Year in back to back seasons.  He was also named to the All-State team his senior year with eight home runs and a .467 batting average.  T.J. then started his collegiate career at Ohio State where he won a Big Ten regular season title and competed in an NCAA regional championship game at Florida State.  After transferring to Parkland College, he was named a First Team All American with 89 RBIs and 20 home runs.  He also received the Gold Glove for his defensive play at 1st base.  He then finished his collegiate career at Eastern Illinois in 2012 where he was voted team MVP with a .360 batting average.  T.J. competed professionally for two years for the Windy City Thunderbolts, Road Warriors, and the Lake Erie Crushers of the Frontier League.

Kyle was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in 2014.  He currently plays in the Frontier League for the Schaumburg Bloomers. Kyle attended Northwestern University, was a two-time team captain during his junior and senior seasons, and was named All-Big Ten and All-Midwest Region.  He played several positions including pitcher.  He ranks among career leaders in offensive and relief pitching categories at Northwestern.  Kyle is a graduate of Stevenson High School, finishing third in the IHSA tournament.  He was the Chicago SunTimes Player of the Year in 2010.  

Cody is a pitcher in the Baltimore Orioles organization,  drafted with 27th overall pick in the 1st round of the 2016 MLB draft. In the offseason, he is available for lessons.

College Experience

• 2016 First Team all American at University of Illinois 
• 2016 Big Ten Pitcher of the Year
• Single season strikeout holder at University of Illinois (116) 

High School Experience

• Two time Illinois All State selection at Alleman High School in Rock Island, IL (2012, 2013)

Coaching

• 8 years experience in coaching 

A 2012 graduate of Stevenson High School, Adam was a 2 time all North Suburban conference award honoree. Adam played 4 years for the University of Illinois, where he was a 3 year starter at Shortstop for the Illini. In 2015 at Illinois, Adam was the starting SS and leadoff hitter for all 61 games of the Illini school record 50 win season where they captured the Big Ten Championship and reached the school's first ever Super Regional. During his Illinois career Adam was named a Louisville Slugger Freshmen All American at SS in 2014, an All Big Ten 2nd team at SS in 2014, and an All Big Ten 1st Team award at SS in 2015. 

Adam was drafted in 2015 by the Baltimore Orioles but turned down the offer to finish his degree. Adam signed a Minor League Free Agent Contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks after the 2016 season where he played 3 seasons of MILB. Adam saw time at SS, 2B, 3B and all three outfield spots on his journey through the minor leagues.

Steve Libman is the Head of Training and Player and Coach Development for the Glenview Blaze and Glenview Youth Baseball. Over the past 18 years the Blaze has won more than 260 Championships.  Steve has coached teams winning over 35 Tournament Championships including 6 State Championships (3 second place finishes), 1 World Series Championship, 1 National Tournament Championship (Cal Ripken), and 2 top ten National Tournament Finishes, including a Number 1 seed and 5th place finish at Cooperstown Dreams Park National Tournament.

Steve has coached several players that have gone on to play in Division 1-Division 3 programs including Northwestern University, Indiana University, TCU, Ole Miss, Missouri, Arizona State, Illinois State, Purdue, Coastal Carolina University, Arkansas, Butler University and Bradley University.

Steve currently coaches High School and College Showcase teams at Top Tier -- including some of the top players in the country. Steve played college baseball at Northern Illinois University. His son Cody played with Glenview Blaze and at Top Tier and at Northwestern University.  His son Jordan also played for the Glenview Blaze, Top Tier, and Glenbrook South and currently plays at Illinois State University.

Brian is the co-owner of Top Tier North. Brian pitched at the Division I collegiate level for the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) from 2004-2008. After college, Brian coached at the United States Naval Academy, assisting in on-campus recruiting, on-field coaching, and working camps across the country to promote Navy baseball. He then went on to become the Prep Baseball Report Illinois State Director in 2010 and the High School Director for Top Tier Baseball from 2011-2014. At Top Tier, he connected with college coaches across the Midwest and built relationships with other travel and high school programs, helping over 100 student-athletes across the country play at the collegiate level. Brian understands the concept of a "student-athlete" better than most. He holds an MBA with a concentration in Sports Management from the Loyola University Chicago Quinlan School of Business and a Juris Doctorate from the John Marshall Law School.

Anthony Gragnani played high school baseball at Niles West High School where he was named All-State by the Chicago Tribune. He went on to play collegiately as a middle infielder at Carthage University from 2004-2009. Gragnani began his coaching career at Evanston High School from 2009-2011. Gragnani went on to coach as the varsity assistant at Niles West High School from 2012-2015. During his time coaching at the High School level he managed and ran the 18U Lakeside Cardinals. He went on to coach with Top Tier at the high school level from 2013-2015. Gragnani now serves as a co-owner for Top Tier North.

Coach Justin Drexler has been teaching baseball to kids on the North Shore for 10+ years. He has previously coached at Glenbrook South High School and North Shore Country Day High School. His dedication and commitment to fundamentals and instruction is outstanding. Justin also has coached in the Evanston's Feeder Program and Top Tier North. 

Attended Wake Forest University and was drafted by the Tampa Bay Ray in 2021, where he currently plays for the Charleston RiverDogs in High-A. While at Wake Forest Bobby made a national name for himself becoming the ACC Player of the Year in 2019, two time All-American by Collegiate Baseball, and two time All ACC. Bobby played with Top Tier from 15u-18U and attended Mt. Carmel HS. During his senior year at Mt. Carmel in 2017, Bobby was named a High School All-American and Chicago Catholic Player of the Year. 

Jimmy Burnette was drafted in 2021 by the Toronto Blue Jays. Most recently in 2022 he played High-A for the Vancouver Canadians and Double-A for the New Hampshire Fisher Cats. During the 2022 season Jimmy recorded an impressive 94 strikeouts in 56 innings. Jimmy attended the University of Illinois out of high school and later transferred to St. Leo University in Florida. Jimmy played with Top Tier from 15U-18U and attended St. Laurence HS. During his senior year Jimmy was named to the All CCL Blue Division Team.