Young Alumni Spotlight: Baseball Connect and Dan Kaplan '17

As Dan Kaplan ’17 worked his way up the ranks in professional baseball, he noticed a discrepancy: there was a barrier to entry when learning the technology that surrounds the game. “There was no structure or place to go to learn about the technology and how to use it efficiently,” Kaplan says. “You have to be in the MLB space to observe how metrics are integrated into coaching, but not everyone has that opportunity.”

Kaplan is the Assistant Major League Video Coordinator with the Seattle Mariners and the co-founder of Baseball Connect, a platform that aims to “educate the global baseball community on industry-leading concepts, advanced information, and technology practices in a user-friendly and engaging way.” Using quick, two-to-three-minute videos with graphics and visualization, Baseball Connect marries the audience of current coaches and players with job seekers who want to understand the game on a higher level. 

Kaplan sees Baseball Connect as a way to give back to people who love baseball and want to keep with technology, but also to players who want a plan they can understand and act upon.
With 90 videos on five different topics, there’s a steady stream of concepts to dig into. The platform recently added a jobs page that links directly to opportunities at all 30 MLB organizations.
 
“We want to level the playing field and make things more inclusive for the game. Whether that’s on the couch enjoying a broadcast or you’re at UMass and you’re interviewing with a team next week, we want to be a source of positive change within the industry,” said Kaplan. “I felt like it’s my responsibility and privilege to provide this information.”

While a student at McCormack, Kaplan worked with the Amherst College baseball program and interned with the Staten Island Yankees over the summers. “If I would’ve had this type of information when I was a sophomore in college, it would’ve been amazing,” says Kaplan, who has spent time with the Phillies, Nationals and Astros prior to a full-time role with the Mariners.

For more information on Baseball Connect, you can visit their site or follow them on Instagram and YouTube.