DITR (Diamonds in the Rough) empowers African youth through baseball by providing training, equipment, and mentorship—helping them grow as athletes and individuals, on and off the field.
Founder: Diamond in the Rough
Position: Pitcher • Coach • Global Baseball Advocate
Bats: Right • Throws: Right
Height/Weight: 6-5, 205lb (190cm, 98kg) (estimated)
Born: May 27, 1991 (Age: 34) in Roslyn Heights, NY, USA
Draft: 19th Round (2013), Philadelphia Phillies
College: University of Delaware (Division I)
“Level the playing field. One diamond at a time.”
Founder of Diamond in the Rough
Philadelphia Phillies (Minor Leagues)
Long Island Ducks (USA)
GECEBS (Sao Paolo, Brazil)
Mid East Falcons – Baseball United (Dubai)
Team Israel (International, 2019–Present)
Team Siege (2018): Long Island-based travel baseball program focused on skill, integrity & character.
Diamond in the Rough (DITR): Nonprofit organization leveling the playing field for African youth through baseball.
Africa Baseball Development:
Coached/played 4 seasons in Cape Town, South Africa
Worked with PlaySport4Life (South Africa), IfWeBuildIt (Kenya), ECDC (Uganda), WBSC Africa
Donated 5,000+ pounds of gear, ran coaching clinics, workshops & youth programs
15+ years pro pitcher in 10+ countries and BBJO advisor
Position: Starting Pitcher
Bats: Right • Throws: Right
6-3, 205lb (190cm, 92kg)
Born: March 20, 1987 (Age: 38-134d) in St. Louis, MO us
School: Pittsburg State University (Pittsburg, KS)
Full Name: Tim Brown
A native of St Louis, Missouri, Tim is a graduate of Pittsburg State University (Kansas). He played 9 years professionally in the United States, including a brief time in the Philadelphia Phillies organization, before transitioning into baseball internationally. He has played coached, and volunteered in over 20 countries worldwide.
Bats: Right • Throws: Right
6-2, 190lb (188cm, 86kg)
Born: February 16, 1985 (Age: 40-166d) in Moorpark, CA us
Draft: Drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 13th round of the 2006 MLB June Amateur Draft from Mississippi Valley State University (Itta Bena, MS).
School: Mississippi Valley State University (Itta Bena, MS)
Full Name: Zachary William Penprase
Olympian (Team Israel, 2021, Tokyo, Japan)
A mental skills coach and an Olympian in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics & Founder of connectedperformance.life
Zach Penprase is a 10+ year professional baseball player, Team Israel Olympian and current mental performance coach, where he helps teen baseball players train their mind to work for them instead of against them. Zach grew up in Southern California and played all sorts of sports and grew very competitive throughout those experiences. Once he gained a college scholarship to Mississippi Valley State university, he started to take baseball serious and also began to understand how important the mental game is to baseball, and also “real life.” After Zach retired from baseball, Zach realized he wanted to help make better humans, and teaches that it’s not just about your playing success but who you become in the process. He currently lives in California with his wife and 3 kids.
Olympian (Team Israel, 2021, Tokyo, Japan)
We live and breathe baseball. From early training to game day, passion drives our every move.
We build strong bonds with players, families, and fans to foster a supportive, united environment.
We train hard, play harder. Every athlete is committed to constant improvement and discipline.
On the field and in life — we grow as players, leaders, and individuals every single day.
We believe in fair play, honesty, and representing our team with pride — on and off the field.
Baseball is a team sport. We win together, we lose together, and we always support each other.
DITR (Diamonds in the Rough) empowers African youth through baseball by providing training, equipment, and mentorship—helping them grow as athletes and individuals, on and off the field.
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