Sandlot Baseball Center, established in 1999 by Jim and Grace Pransky, is currently owned and operated by Tim Gronski.

Sandlot Baseball Center is both a physical business site and an educational philosophy, developed over years of experience in baseball and in various settings. Our qualified instructors work with young players using presentations, demonstrations, drills and practical experience as their teaching tools. Our goal for all players is to be competitive at the level they will be participating in that particular season and also to give them a glimpse of the requirements to reach the next level.

Our practice routines and drills do not require elaborate equipment or large spacious areas. We want our students to be able to take what they have learned and apply these concepts when they practice at home or with friends on the" sandlots." Organized practices and games certainly have value, but some of the most rewarding baseball experiences in a young person's life are spent with a parent or some friends on a neighborhood lot or in your backyard with just a bat and a ball. It is a warm feeling thinking back and recalling fielding fungos at shortstop or playing pick up games with a few friends using only half of the field or just setting up a target at a base and seeing who can throw the most strikes.

Not every positive learning experience or opportunity to improve your game has to involve a scoreboard, umpires or uniforms. It is customary for us to ask two questions at the end of an instructional lesson-1) Did you learn some things that will help you improve? and 2) Did you have fun?. If the answers are yes, then we believe that we have been successful.

Jim Pransky:  Jim has been associated with baseball as an avocation and as a career throughout his life. He has coached at every level, including youth programs, collegiate and professional teams. In addition, he has

B.S. and M.S. degrees in Education/Counseling with five years of experience as a classroom teacher. He has been employed the past 13 years as a full-time scout (including two seasons as a minor league coach).   

Tim Gronski: Tim has worked as an instructor at the Sandlot since 1999, and has managed the Sandlot daily operations for the past three years. Tim has also coached high school baseball at all levels for the past 14 years. In addition, Tim has an MBA in Finance from the University of Iowa and has worked in education for 14 years.