⚾ Coaching Portfolio

Kyle Houts

BA  ·  MA  ·  CPT  ·  CNS

Hitting Coach  ·  Player Development Specialist  ·  Personal Trainer

Master's in Sport Leadership with 10+ years coaching experience across MLB affiliate, NCAA D1, NAIA, NJCAA, and elite summer collegiate levels. Technology-driven hitting instruction rooted in biomechanical analysis, force plate testing, and individualized swing programming.

Rapsodo Certified Blast Motion Certified VALD Force Plates Driveline Certified Synergy Sports 4D / K-Vest HitTrax · Trackman Catching Specialist CPT · CNS
Kyle Houts — Hitting Coach
10+
Years coaching
.318
MCC team avg
MLB
Affiliate athletes
45
NWL HR record tied
Career Timeline
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Personal Trainer  ·  Fitness Together, Tysons Corner VA  ·  March 2026 – Present

Individualized strength & conditioning programs · One-on-one private sessions · Movement quality, injury prevention & progressive overload · Recovery, nutrition & lifestyle coaching · CPT & CNS Certified

Hitting Coach — Volunteer
Muskegon Community College · Jayhawks
Aug 2024 – Present
NJCAA
  • Remote programming and performance monitoring for all hitters
  • Weekly data breakdowns and bi-weekly hitting development meetings
  • Individualized swing plans and team-wide offensive approaches
  • Targeted drills to address swing flaws and muscular imbalances
  • Built and maintain the live MCC Jayhawks Hitters Dashboard

2025 Results: .318 BA · .426 OBP · .512 SLG · 330 runs (~7.7/game) across 43 games. Data-informed approach built on plate discipline, quality contact, and power development.

Lead Hitting Trainer
R&D Baseball · Hamilton, VA
Oct 2024 – Mar 2026
MLB Affiliate Support
  • Individualized hitting programs via advanced technology and biomechanical analysis
  • Mobility and posture assessments at intake and postseason
  • Advanced catching instruction and programming
  • VALD Force Plate testing and data collection for strength, pitching, and hitting
Notable Athletes

Bryce Eldridge (Giants) · Kyle Hayes (Royals) · Tucker Flint (Angels) · Griffen Burkholder (Phillies) · Colin Tuft (Orioles) · Jackson Sirois & David Mendez (Maryland) · Kyle Johnson (Virginia) · Robbie Lavey (GWU) · Luke Sullivan (Radford) · Eric Sun (Navy)

Hitting / Infield Coach
University of Maryland Eastern Shore
Aug 2023 – Jun 2024
NCAA Division I
  • Individual, small group, and team training with statistical and tech-driven insights
  • Synergy Sports scouting reports to guide in-game strategy
  • Recruiting, practice planning, travel budgets, and scheduling
  • SB% 79% (7th in conference) · 5th in DP · 6th in runners caught stealing
Hitting / Position Coach
Kalamazoo Growlers · Northwoods League
May – Aug 2023
Summer Collegiate
  • Designed and executed training sessions for small groups and full team
  • Synergy Sports scouting reports for in-game strategic advantages
  • Managed practice and daily schedules for game preparation
Notable Athletes

Jeter Yabara (Michigan) · Gabe Springer & Jimmy Nati (Stanford) · Tyler Albright (Duke) · Henry Godbout (Red Sox) · Anthony Stephan (Reds) · Colin Blanchard & Casen Taggart (Wash U) · Will Furniss (Ole Miss)

Season: Tied NWL single-season HR record (45) · Highest OBP in NWL (.405) · Best avg in Great Lakes Division (.265) · Most runs (493), hits (640) & walks (474) in division

Catching / Hitting Coach
Ave Maria University
Aug 2022 – Jun 2023
NAIA
  • Individual and small group sessions emphasizing catching and hitting development
  • Top-tier recruiting from diverse levels
  • First SUN Conference Tournament in 10 years · First NAIA Regional Championship in program history
  • Trained and rehabbed Francesco Barbieri (Washington Nationals)

Historic Results: .306 BA · 444 runs · 37 HRs · First Regional Championship game in program history

Hitting Intern / Youth Academy Hitting Director
Driveline Baseball · Kent, WA
Jun – Aug 2022
MLB Research
  • Collaborated with Hitting Managers to develop and execute hitting programs
  • Data analysis with cutting-edge technology to optimize player performance
  • Produced impactful studies and data collection for Major League Baseball
Notable Athletes

Taylor Trammell (Astros) · Cam Clayton (Marlins) · Simon Reid (Dodgers) · Travis Bazzana (Guardians) · Mason Guerra (Braves) · Will Furniss (Ole Miss)

Additional Roles
  • Graduate Assistant Coach — Iowa Lakes Community College (2020–2022)
  • Head Coach — Coastal Collegiate Baseball League, Jacksonville FL (2021) · Assisted Treyson Hughes (Virginia Tech) pre-freshman development
  • Batting Practice Pitcher — Washington Nationals, Nationals Park (Jan 2026–Present)
  • Assistant Coach — Spring Lake High School (2019–2020)
  • Instructor — Extra Innings Inc, Norton Shores MI (2018–2020, 2024)
  • Assistant Coach — West Michigan Riptide, 9U–18U (2013–2020)
Live Work Sample

MCC Jayhawks — Hitters Dashboard

Muskegon Community College · NJCAA · Built & Maintained by Kyle Houts

A fully custom, live player-tracking platform designed and built for the MCC baseball program. It serves as the operational hub for remote hitting development — turning raw game data into actionable swing decisions, updated continuously throughout the season.

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Roster Stats Tracking
Individual metrics tracked across every game of the season
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Spray Chart Visualization
Visual batted ball distribution by player and count
Swing / Take Analysis
Pitch decision tracking to build plate discipline
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Season Performance Trends
Rolling metrics to identify development trajectories
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Live Data Updates
Always reflects the current season state
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Coach Tools
Password-protected views, eval frameworks, update tools
.318
Team Batting Avg
.426
On-Base Pct
.512
Slugging Pct
330
Runs (7.7/game)
Launch Live Dashboard

What this demonstrates

The ability to design, build, and maintain a production-grade data platform for a live baseball program — combining coaching expertise with technical execution. The same caliber of tool used by professional organizations, built independently for an NJCAA program.

How it's used

As the remote hitting coach for MCC, this dashboard powers weekly data breakdowns and bi-weekly development meetings with players — creating accountability, structure, and measurable progress without being physically present at every practice.

Additional Portfolio Materials

Scouting reports, training plans, swing analysis documents, and additional coaching materials are available in the Google Drive portfolio folder.

Open Portfolio Drive
Measurable Team Achievements
Kalamazoo Growlers · Northwoods League · 2023
Summer Collegiate — Great Lakes Division
45
Home Runs
.405
Team OBP
.265
Team Avg
493
Runs Scored
  • Tied single-season NWL Home Run record — 45 HRs
  • Highest OBP in the Northwoods League at .405
  • Best batting average in the Great Lakes Division (.265)
  • Most runs (493), hits (640), and walks (474) in division
  • Scored 4+ runs in an inning in 40 different games
Ave Maria University · NAIA · 2022–23
NAIA SUN Conference — Historic Program Milestones
.306
Team Avg
444
Runs Scored
37
Home Runs
1st
In Prog. History
  • First SUN Conference Tournament appearance in 10 years
  • First NAIA Regional Championship game in program history — Runners-Up
  • Trained and rehabbed Francesco Barbieri (Washington Nationals)
UMES · NCAA Division I · 2023–24
7th
Conference — SB% (79%)
5th
Conference — Double Plays
6th
Conference — CS Rate

Integrated performance tracking and Synergy Sports analytics into daily training at the NCAA Division I level.

Coaching Philosophy
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Data-driven, athlete-centered development

Every hitter is different — different body types, movement patterns, timing, and mental approaches. My philosophy starts with understanding the individual: their strengths, their mechanical inefficiencies, and their unique path to becoming a more complete offensive player.

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Process over outcome

I use metrics like exit velocity, bat speed, attack angle, and zone awareness to have better conversations with hitters — not to replace those conversations. When hitters understand why they're doing something and can see the evidence in real time, buy-in is natural.

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Whole athlete approach

Hitting development doesn't happen in isolation. I integrate mobility assessments, posture analysis, VALD Force Plate testing, and recovery habits into every program. Identifying physical limiters that create mechanical compensations is where lasting improvement begins.

Catching as a specialty

I bring a specialist's eye to developing catchers who can both manage a pitching staff and impact the lineup offensively — framing, blocking, throwing mechanics, game management, and the mental demands of the position.

Technology & Tools

Hitting Technology

Rapsodo HittingBlast MotionHitTraxTrackman4D / K-Vest

Performance Testing

VALD Force PlatesMobility AssessmentPosture AnalysisMovement Screening

Video & Scouting

Synergy SportsVideo AnalysisScouting ReportsOffensive Strategy

Dashboard & Data

Custom Web DashboardsSpray ChartsSwing / Take TrackingPerformance Metrics
Driveline Baseball Background

Driveline Baseball (Kent, WA) is one of the most respected data-driven player development organizations in professional baseball. As an intern and Youth Academy Hitting Director, I executed hitting programs, conducted biomechanical assessments, and contributed to MLB-affiliated research studies — building the evidence-based framework I bring to every athlete I work with today.

Education
M.A. Sport Leadership
North Central College, Naperville, IL · 2020–2022
Graduate
B.A. Graphic Design
Calvin University, Grand Rapids, MI · Minor in Marketing
Undergraduate
Contact
📞
(616) 570-3339
📍
South Riding, VA 20152
Certifications & Affiliations
Driveline Baseball — Coaching & Hitting Rapsodo Hitting Certified Blast Motion Baseball Certified American Baseball Coaches Association Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) Certified Nutrition Specialist (CNS) AHA CPR Certified West Michigan Riptide — Volunteer Driveline Youth Academy — Volunteer Special Olympics — Volunteer