Coach Lou Simios is the Program Director for both Youth & High School levels of Top Tier South.
Lou Simios – Program Director
Coach Simios began coaching in 1995 with the Naperville American Little League All-Star team, which won state championships in both 1995 and 1997. At Benet Academy High School, Simios served as the pitching coach. During his five year tenure, he was a part of and East Suburban Catholic League Championship and helped to develop four players who would eventually play at the professional level. For eleven years, Simios guided the pitching staff under legendary Division III coach John Ostrowski at Benedictine University. During his tenure with Benedictine the pitching staff continued to decrease its ERA by increasing velocity and command that produced a Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference Pitcher of the Year and a NCAA Regional team in 2013.
Lou is certified by the National Pitching Association which is in line with the Science based philosophy of Top Tier South . Coach Simios has had 12 of his former athletes sign professional contracts and produced multiple players who have played at the collegiate level.
Certifications & Achievements
National Pitching Association Certified
RAPSODO – Baseball Pitching Certified
USA Baseball Certified
USA Baseball Great Lakes Region Coach & Scout
Coach Corey Mir is the Hitting Director for both Youth & High School levels of Top Tier South.
Corey Mir – Hitting Director
Coach Corey Mir is a “Players Style” coach who emphasizes on teaching the HOW and WHY in a skill development process such as hitting. For Coach Corey, dialogue is key to player improvement, confidence and empowerment. He has quickly became nationally renown for his hitting development process and ability to instruct young athletes to a swing process that translates at all age levels.
Experience
Hitting Instructor & Partner – ACES Barrel Turn Baseball Instruction
(2020 – Present)
Hitting & OF Coach – Menomonee Fall HS Baseball Team
(2020 – Present)
Hitting Instructor – HorsePower Hitting
(2016 – Present)
Coach/Instructor – STIKS Baseball Academy (WI)
(2016 – 2018)
Coach/Instructor – Meno Falls Jr. Indians
(2008 – 2015)
Coach/Instructor – SWAT Baseball
(2017 – 2019)
Coach Wes Anderson is the Pitching Director for both Youth & High School levels of Top Tier South.
Wes Anderson – Pitching Director
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Certifications & Achievements
DRIVELINE – Foundations of Pitching Certified
DRIVELINE – Basics of Pitch Design Certified
Creator of Bullpen Pitch Randomizer iOS App
RAPSODO – Baseball Pitching Certified
FLORIDA BASEBALL RANCH – Savage Pitching Certified
Experience
Pitching Coach – Joliet Slammers Professional Baseball
(2020 – Present)
Pitching Coordinator – Minooka High School Baseball
(2006 – Present)
Varsity Head Coach – Gardner South Wilmington High School Baseball
(2003 – 2006)
Coach Isaac Valdez is the Fielding Director for both Youth & High School levels of Top Tier South.
Isaac Valdez – Fielding Director
Isaac Valdez just completed his second season as an assistant baseball coach for the Harper College baseball team. As an assistant for the Hawks, he is the hitting coach, recruiting coordinator, and is also responsible for developing infielders.
Valdez has dedicated his professional life to baseball and has been working as a full-time instructor since 2005. Valdez created a Fall Instructional League, trained players all over the Midwest as well as players in the Cayman Islands and Dubai Baseball, and also developed relationships with park districts and local baseball organizations to run summer camps, programs and coaches clinics. Finally, he created and implemented 15-week offseason training programs for baseball organizations, which included programs for hitters, fielders, pitchers, coaches, and baserunning.
Prior to that, Valdez worked at the Chicago White Sox Training Academy where he led camps and classes. He also coached the White Sox 17U and 18U travel teams to back-to-back National Championships in 2005 and 2006. Valdez has worked alongside coaches and players at the professional level and has also sent numerous players to college and professional baseball and continues to work with professional players during the offseason.
Valdez is a native of Chicago and went to St. Laurence High School, where he is a member of the Sports Hall of Fame there. He played his collegiate ball at Kishwaukee College as a shortstop and third baseman.
Coach Julio Esparza is the Strength Director for both Youth & High School levels of Top Tier South.
Julio Esparza – Strength Director
Coach Julio Esparza is a Certified Strength Trainer who specializes in implementing in regimented programs and strength progressions for Top Tier South Athletes to not only gain strength overall, but health and performance increases on the field. Coach Julio comes from a military background and is an active police officer in addition to his professional experience in the health & fitness field. His professional training and past experiences is a great asset in molding committed, disciplined athletes that excel in the class room, weight room and on the field.
Certifications & Achievements
Certified Strength Trainer
Todd Fine – Founder/CEO
Top Tier Baseball was founded in 2004 in Suburban Chicago as one high-end 18U team by CEO, Todd Fine and has steadily grown to over 70 teams in 2017. Fine’s decorated career in amateur baseball includes being named Amateur Coach of the Year in 2014 by Baseball America, coaching at the USA Baseball Tournament of Stars, the 18U National Team Trials and pitching coach for the 12U National Team in 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017. In 2018 and 2019 Todd was named Manager of the USA Baseball 12U National Team, where they took home the gold medal at the COPABE PanAm Championships. Additionally, Fine also served as an area scout with the Houston Astros for three years and was named All-America Game coach for 8 years at Wrigley Field. Over the past 15 years Top Tier has placed 555 players in college programs, produced 70 MLB draft picks, 10 Major Leaguers, Gatorade Players of the Year, multiple All-Americans as well as USA Baseball National Team players at multiple age levels.
Seth Kenny is the Director of Player Development & Youth Director of Top Tier Baseball.
Seth Kenny – Director of Player Development / Youth Director
Kenny has been a Division I college pitching coach for nine years, serving five years at Illinois State University and four at Austin Peay State University. He also served as the recruiting coordinator for two years. In his nine years as a college coach, he’s had nine pitchers drafted under his tutelage, including two who made the major leagues. After his pitching career at Eastern Michigan University, he played two years of professional baseball in the Oakland A’s organization. He began working for Top Tier as academy director and as a high school coach in 2011. He now is the director of player development and director of youth baseball (9U-14U).
Matt Plante – Vice President
Matt comes to Top Tier after serving as a recruiting coordinator and hitting coach at Oakland University for two seasons, 2011-2012. In 2012, Plante helped lead the Golden Grizzlies to the best conference record in school history at 15-6, ranking them second in the Summit League. He helped guide the offensive unit at Oakland to the top half of all the offensive categories in the Summit League. The 2012 season was the best finish in school history and helped Oakland’s head coach win Coach of the Year in the Summit League, which was the 1st time a coach from Oakland had one that award.
Prior to Oakland, Plante served as a volunteer assistant and graduate manager at Kansas State University. With the Wildcats, he served as the head of video operations and also assisted with infield and hitting instruction. In that 2010 season, Kansas State finished 37-22, they ended up third in the Big XII, earned a trip to the NCAA Regionals at University of Arkansas and were ranked in the Top 25 by the end of the season.
Prior to Kansas State, Plante was at the Division III level as an assistant at Springfield College in Massachusetts, where he gained his Masters in Athletic Administration. In addition to his collegiate work, he has coached two years as an assistant at Lake Forest High School. He served as the Head Coach and assistant coach for the 17U and 18U teams from 2004-2010 at Top Tier, along with coaching many youth teams to multiple championships. His most notable accomplishment during those years was winning back to back CABA National Championships with the 17U teams in 2009 and 2010.
Griffin Phelps – High School Director
Griffin is a former New Mexico Gatorade Player of the Year, as well as a former Division I left-handed pitcher at the University of Arizona. He was a member of their 2004 College World Series team. He also played at Central Arizona College in 2005 and 2006. He graduated from the University of Nevada in 2009. He began coaching in 2008, and in 2010, as the head coach, he led the Strike Zone Cardinals to the Connie Mack World Series where they finished 2-2. Beginning in the fall of 2009 he coached for 3 years at his high school alma matter, Farmington High, in his hometown of Farmington, NM. He has been on staff with Top Tier since 2012 and is currently the High School Director and head coach of Top Tier’s 16u Americans.
Blake Hickman – Director of Performance
Blake Hickman attended Simeon Career Academy High School in Chicago. Went to the Area Code Games twice, 2010 and 2011. Selected as a Alternate at Team USA’s Tournament of Stars in 2011. Graduated in 2012, in the same year he was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 20th round. Chose to attend the University of Iowa as a catcher/first basemen. As a junior at Iowa he made the switch from position player to a starting pitcher in 2014-2015 seasons. Played in both the Northwoods League in 2013 and the Cape Cod in 2014. Earned 2015 Big 10 First-Team and Louisville Slugger Third-Team All American Honors. In 2015, he was drafted in the 7th round by Chicago White Sox and played from 2015 to the Spring of 2019, making it to High-A Winston Salem Dash. After getting Tommy John surgery in 2015, Blake finished his degree from the University of Iowa in the fall of 2016 in Sports Studies. Then after his time with the Chicago White Sox he signed to play Independent Baseball for the Windy City Thunderbolts all of 2019 season. Hickman focused on strength and conditioning his years of rehabbing from Tommy John surgery and throughout professional baseball. He also has trained some/with multiple big league and minor league players.