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Our Programs and Seasons

What program fits you ?

Blizzard Elite (11u-18u) - August - December

The Blizzard Elite program - the premier, comprehensive baseball experience for players ages 11u-18u. Practices begin in August leading up to playing in fall league games, local and traveling tournaments.  An optional winter season includes traveling tournaments, full practice regimen, college consultations, varsity showcases and more. Teams will travel to some of the top tournaments in the country including PBR, Perfect Game, Prospect Select, Bullpen Tournaments, and West Coast Premier events including the Desert Fall Classic in Las Vegas.

  • more tournament play
  • more baseball training / performance training
  • 11u-18u - fall intensive
  • UpperClass / games vs. colleges
  • 12 players / team (Elite Program)
  • 12-14 players / team (Gold Fall Program)
  • 15u-18u may have a few pitcher only positions

Blizzard *Gold* Fall Only (9u-18u) - August - October

The Blizzard Fall Only program is for players who may be involved in multiple winter/fall sports and want a high-level fall baseball experience. Our Blizzard Fall Only teams will compete in 4-5 local tournaments and have the same August and September practice schedule as the Blizzard Elite teams. The fall teams also act as a minor league system for the Blizzard Elite teams as we have had several players called-up after the fall to participate in tournaments.

Definition of Teams

Our Blizzard Elite teams are separated into two groups – Blue and Black.  The Blizzard Blue teams will have the top 12 or 13 players/prospects from the tryouts on the team.  Players who are graded out 13-24 will be placed on the Blizzard Black roster if the staff feels like they can compete on a national level.

The Blizzard Regional teams are separated into two groups - Red and Gold if our depth charts are deep enough.  Fall Teams (12-14 players) are picked on skill level, position depth charts and proximity to teammates.  Our fall teams are very competitive and are usually comprised of many top-tier players who cannot travel due to other sports.  We use our Regional Blizzard teams as a minor league system and are the first players called up when an Elite Blizzard player is unable to make a trip.  Last year, over 20 players were brought up to play on Blizzard Elite teams throughout the season.  Fees for one tournament are on a case by case basis but typically range from $300-$425 / tournament which covers practice, uniform, hotel, tournament, facility, etc.

PITCHER ONLY players are rostered players who are on the team primarily as pitchers.  The fee structure is the same but there are more options including lessons.

Values, Vision and what drives Blizzard Baseball – The Blizzard Big 5

The competition, college and pro exposure, player development, alumni involvement and family are what drive our program.  The Blizzard is more than baseball – it’s a life experience with coaches who care and players who want to get better.  Our vision and values of the Blizzard Big 5 drive our core values, guide players through their youth years, into high school and onto both college and professional baseball.

Why play for the Blizzard?

Quite simply, the Minnesota Blizzard is the best elite travel baseball program in state, with a strong tradition of producing the top players in Minnesota. 

The Blizzard travels to top-tier tournaments throughout the U.S., providing players the opportunity to play against some of the highest-level competition in the country.  The competition, college and pro exposure, player development, alumni involvement and family are what drive our program.  The Blizzard is more than baseball – it’s a life experience with coaches who care and have players who want to get better.

The tournaments also provide exposure to college recruiters for the upperclassmen, as 100% of the varsity players have gone on to play college baseball over the past three years.  The coaching staff includes scouts for MLB teams, current and former college coaches, as well as former college and professional players who all have an expansive baseball network.

Standard of Excellence

The BLIZZARD BASEBALL ACADEMY was started in 2003 by Adam Barta and Johnny Anderson in order to give kids an opportunity to compete on a level playing field with warm weather states. By starting small and working with kids seven days a week, Barta and Anderson graduated some of Minnesota’s most decorated prep baseball players including: Joe Loftus (Vanderbilt), Madison Boer (Oregon), Logan Shore (Florida) in their first years running the Academy.

Standard of Excellence

Currently, there are four divisions of Blizzard Baseball Academy (sometimes referred to as Minnesota Baseball Academy):

  • Blizzard Baseball Academy (instruction and development)
  • Minnesota Blizzard (fall ball and elite travel teams)
  • The Advanced Fall Baseball League (AFBL), a metro-wide youth select ball league and tournaments for ages 10u-18u and tournaments
  • Blizzard Performance - Strength | Speed | Agility | Quickness

All four divisions use sports specific training to achieve a broader impact on our student athletes. In each case, this is achieved through a standard of excellence set by our leaders and mentors in our program – primarily our instructors and coaches.  As a result, this standard of excellence is the founding principal of the Blizzard Baseball Academy and it continually resonates throughout all four of our divisions, guiding the continued growth of our student athletes.

But teaching baseball skills isn’t the only thing the Blizzard do for their players.  They teach that attitude, effort and the importance of preparation is what makes great baseball players and more importantly – great people. The lessons learned at Blizzard Baseball go past the lines and into the real world.  Our Blizzard Big 5 are a key component and is the centerpiece to the Blizzard program.