Working your way to coaching in baseball's major leagues can be harder than you think. Pro baseball organizations usually pull from an experienced talent pool that requires extensive experience and knowledge. Without a strong background in baseball, the road to the top position in the game can be long and difficult.

Playing Days

Pro baseball organizations look for playing experience first and foremost when trying to fill their coaching staffs. If you have played at the high school level, that is almost a minimum experience requirement as professional teams need to make sure that you understand the game at the highest level. College experience is better, with Division I experience taking the highest priority, but the real separation is pro baseball experience. Simply put, pro organizations will hire former players from the minor league and major league systems.

Coaching Background

Without pro playing experience, coaches still can make it to the big leagues. Most organizations would suggest to gain as much baseball coaching and managing experience as possible. It helps, in these experiences, to build a strong resume by winning championships and lots of baseball games. While it is rare for a high school coach to transition to the major leagues, some coaches try to work their way up the ladder, coaching from high school into college and eventually into the minor league.

Other Options

Some professional coaches and managers don't have coaching backgrounds at the interscholastic level. Instead, they proved their worth to the organization as an advance scout or as a players scout. If this is the road you prefer to take, get ready for lots of hard work and travel. Volunteer your services to professional organizations as a regional scout. You can tip off the area scouts as to the best high school and college players in the area. Your penchant for identifying baseball talent will go a long way in your quest to become a professional manager.

Executive Level

Other options to work your way up in a professional baseball organization include working in the front office and trying for an operations or executive management position. If you prove your worth to the organization up front, chances are good that you could work your way into some type of coaching position. Try to be involved in baseball operations in any way possible, whether it is as an intern, volunteer, or player personnel and development assistant. You are trying to produce as much relevant coaching experience as possible for the time there are openings in the organization.