everyone loves A hitter.
except the baseballs.
Hitting lessons & player development
Let’s put a scare into some baseballs together
My name is Matt Gagne. I live on Long Island and am available to give individual or group hitting lessons.
PHILOSOPHY
My teaching style and methods have been heavily influenced by my friends and mentors at 108 Performance in Tennessee and at Fuel Factory Sports in Arizona.
Their brilliance has shaped my approach: Give players the space to discover who they are and how they move best.
Give them the right nudges to
1) challenge their movement
2) control their movement
and show them why both approaches are important.
how i coach
My goal is to simplify complexity.
I want to turn the baseball adage “working through failure” into a different thought: learn to trust yourself, which is the essence of true confidence.
The cues, stances, feels and drills are unique to every hitter and often change over time.
There is no cookie-cutter approach to hitting. There is no greater proof of this than kids learning to make adjustments as they go through growth spurts at various stages.
Here’s but one example of how I coach different than most:
A new player on my high school team asked for drills to stop dropping his hands because his private hitting instructor told him he needed to keep his hands up. I asked a different question: Why fight the way your body wants to move? We lowered his hands even farther to start and blended in a hand-pump. The transformation was instant: a stream of laser line drives.
BACKGROUND
Before diving into the world of player development, I covered MLB from spring training to the World Series for the New York Daily News and Sports Illustrated. This is where I first saw the importance of hitters needing to trust their process rather than using outcomes beyond their control to judge themselves.
I’ve been around high-level baseball my entire life. I was taught how to play the game as a kid by former pros, and kids I grew up playing with and against became pros themselves.
My passion for the game explains how I first got into sportswriting. My relentless curiosity as a journalist and my access to world-class coaches put me in a position to become a coach myself.
Bigger than baseball, my passion for teaching has enabled me to help players of all ages become better hitters while acquiring skills that translate to life beyond the game.
what i do
I work with baseball and softball hitters of all ages and ability levels.
I am certified in Youth Baseball Development by Driveline.
I coach with the Long Island Elite travel baseball program in Westbury, NY.
I coach with the high school baseball and softball teams at Friends Academy in Locust Valley, NY.
I am CPR and AED certified.
I am a member of, and insured through, the American Baseball Coaches Association.
our goal together
I look forward to working with you and helping you become the kind of hitter that gives pitchers nightmares.
The best of both worlds: I still get opportunities to play in media baseball games.
“
you’re the best. this morning my daughter hit a double and an rbi triple. how exciting for her! appreciate you. thanks a lot man.
-Text message from a player’s father
SCHEDULE A session
I am based out of Nassau County.
Hitting sessions typically run 90 minutes. Assuming we don’t have a hard stop, I won’t leave the field or cage if we are close to unlocking a breakthrough.
Testimonials
“Coach Matt has played a pivotal role in the development of my son as a hitter. His extensive knowledge of the game, combined with his unwavering commitment to teaching and his unique ability to connect with players, has elevated my son’s skills and confidence at the plate. Under his guidance, my son has not only improved technically but has also gained a deeper understanding of the game. Coach Matt’s impact extends beyond baseball fundamentals, instilling discipline, resilience, and a true love for the sport.”
— Parent of a hitter
“Matt has turned my son into a hitter! Not only has he worked diligently to tweak my son’s swing physically but has also helped him tremendously with his mental approach at the plate. My son loves working with Matt. He is patient, motivating and supportive. I am looking forward to seeing his continued growth with Matt’s coaching!”
— Parent of a hitter
“My son was struggling with hitting. He backed away from the plate, lacked confidence and played the odds waiting to be walked. Coach Matt knew that my son had the power, skill and desire to become a great hitter. Coach Matt refused to let the struggles get in the way. He worked with my son building his confidence, figuring out what worked best, helping select a bat size / weight and now my son is consistently hitting with confidence. Matt has thrown countless pitches to my son and is one of the most dedicated coaches I have ever seen. Matt doesn’t let the clock stand in the way. When they are near a breakthrough, he spends the time and breaks through. The time we have spent with Matt is greatly appreciated!”
— Parent of a hitter
“Coach Matt has been my son’s baseball coach for three years now. His baseball knowledge is as vast as the oceans are blue — however, his best characteristic is his ability to relate to children as well as parents. Coach Matt is able to balance recreational baseball with strict instruction. Our goal-orientated society dictates a singular goal which is to win. He’s able achieve this dictate yet still make baseball seem less. From the greatest feats to the lowest of folly, Coach Matt is able to make every situation a teaching moment. His efforts are priceless.”
— Parent of a hitter
“Coach Matt has both the experience and technical ability to break down a batter’s swing mechanics with a coaching approach that my 10 y/o can understand. Coach understands the way different kids move and identifies their strengths to get the most out of their swing. More importantly, he genuinely cares about the development of my son. I would recommend him to any family looking to improve their hitting game.”
— Parent of a hitter
