This February, an organization called North East Baseball moved into what is now known as The Barn at 256 Ayer Road. A large black building, the facility includes not only a batting/pitching cage but a robust gym and a grass field in back to simulate game situations, such as fielding fly balls. NEB operates two other indoor facilities in New England: one in Hudson and another in Seabrook, New Hampshire.
NEB is more than a training facility; it’s also a baseball organization. NEB hosts and manages eight teams of varying ages that participate in both league and tournament games. These tournaments go through the summer, and in the fall they focus on athletic development, including individual skill training and baseball fundamentals.
In an interview with the Press, Scott Patterson, the founder and director of baseball operations, said NEB buildings are mostly used in the offseason, because once the season starts, players focus less on training and more on the game. Because of this, Patterson sees the facilities as more of a seasonal business. He is also the head varsity baseball coach at the Groton School.
Patterson said the facilities in Seabrook, Hudson, and now Harvard are home to about 50 of the 180 ballplayers who are on NEB teams. The goal of the facility, he said, was not to have an ordinary gym but to host athletes dedicated to their sport. The program currently hosts a strength workout run by Greg Robins, co-owner of Strength House in Worcester, who has been involved with NEB’s athletic strength training for over eight years.
The organization caters to students from middle school through high school. The NEB teams face off against players of all different ages, from all parts of the country. The mission statement on the NEB website says the program was founded with a vision to provide baseball players in New England both baseball and life skills necessary to achieve their baseball dreams.
Some notable NEB alumni include Ryan McKenna, Baltimore Orioles center fielder, and Ben Bowden, currently pitching for the Carolina Rockies baseball organization. Many more NEB graduates have committed to colleges across the country, where they will try out for baseball.
Currently, NEB has no Harvard athletes among its 180 clients but welcomes them to consider the opportunity. Tryouts for NEB baseball teams begin in August; more information can be found on the NEB website, ne-baseball.com. In addition, athletes from any sport who are interested in training at the Harvard facility can contact Patterson via email at scottpatterson@ne-baseball.com.
Aerial view of the new facility, The Barn, on Ayer Road. (Courtesy photo)
