NCBA Owner/ Former MLB Player
Scott Bankhead
Scott Bankhead, founder and owner of the North Carolina Baseball Academy, established the academy in 1998 after a decade-long Major League Baseball (MLB) career. Bankhead has used his extensive experience—from youth baseball to professional leagues—to train young players and foster their development both on and off the field. Over the years, his program has guided hundreds of athletes to collegiate and professional careers, with three former players reaching the Major Leagues.
A North Carolina native, Bankhead was an All-State player at Reidsville Senior High and later starred as a pitcher at the University of North Carolina, leading the team to multiple ACC Championships. His professional career spanned 10 years across five MLB teams, with his standout season in 1989 when he posted a 14-6 record with the Seattle Mariners. Bankhead also represented the U.S. in the 1984 Olympics, earning a silver medal.
Beyond his playing career, Bankhead served as a pitching coach with USA Baseball’s 18U National Team, helping lead the squad to gold and silver medals in international competitions. His involvement in coaching and mentoring has had a lasting impact, as many of his athletes have gone on to productive careers beyond baseball. Bankhead is honored with inductions into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame and the North Carolina American Legion Hall of Fame, recognizing both his athletic achievements and contributions to the sport.
Scott's Accomplishments:
- 1981 National HS Player of the Year
- 1983-’84 UNC All American
- 1984 USA Olympic Baseball Team
- 1984 1st Round MLB Draft Pick
- 1986-1995 10 Year MLB Career
- 1998 Founded NCBA
- Director of MLB Quality Instruction
- Over 200 NCBA Students Have Gone to the College and Professional Levels
Check out Scott Bankhead's exclusive interview with USA Baseball
NCBA Assistant Director
Jeff Guerrie
Jeff Guerrie has been the full-time Assistant Director and a Professional Instructor at NC Baseball Academy since 2013. Jeff began his career as an assistant coach at Page High School in Greensboro, NC before joining NCBA’s Golden Spikes coaching staff.
Jeff's expertise and ability to teach players of all ages and skill levels has
led him to be recognized as one of the top young coaches in the field. At NC
Baseball Academy, Jeff excels in leveraging advanced technologies like Rapsodo to help athletes analyze and improve their performance. His comprehensive coaching style spans all facets of the game, providing players with a well-rounded developmental experience.
Originally from Florida, Jeff moved to North Carolina during his senior year of high school. He attended West Forsyth High School before continuing his baseball career at Greensboro College, where he played catcher and third base under coaches Ken Carlyle and Matt Aker.
NCBA Instructor
Colin Smith
Colin Smith, a Triad local and graduate of High Point Central High School, is a proud former Golden Spikes team member. He played collegiate baseball as a catcher at North Carolina Central University, Southeastern Community College, and Guilford College.
Colin also gained coaching experience as the Head Coach of the Lexington Flying Pigs in the Old North State League, a collegiate summer league. At NC Baseball Academy, Colin instructs players of all ages in hitting, catching, pitching, fielding, and essential baseball skills, helping them reach their full potential on the field.
NCBA Instructor
Shane Schumaker
Shane starred as a collegiate player at UNCG and is in their record books as one of the most accomplished players in Spartans history.
After his playing career at UNCG, Shane played professionally in several independent leagues then coached 3 years at UNCG before heading back to his home state of California to continue his coaching career. Shane had very successful coaching stints as an assistant and as a head coach in multiple baseball and softball programs at the NAIA and JUCO levels of the game.
Shane also has been an Associate MLB Scout with the Atlanta Braves and has a background in running the NTIS (National Team ID Series) program in CA. for USA Baseball since 2015 and has been an evaluator for the USA Baseball 13U team as well.Shane will teach all aspects of the game of baseball and softball (including softball pitching) with a specialty in Hitting and Fielding.
NCBA Instructor
Saunders Joplin
Saunders joined NC Baseball Academy’s instructional staff in January 2022 and works with players of all ages, focusing on hitting, catching, pitching, and basic skills.
A Triad local, Saunders graduated from Grimsley High School and played for NCBA’s Golden Spikes program. He began his college baseball career at Winston-Salem State University, playing two seasons before transferring to Guilford College, where he completed both his playing career and degree. Primarily a catcher, Saunders brings his well-rounded experience to NCBA.
- NCBA Instructor since January 2022
- Grimsley High School Graduate
- 2-year player at Winston-Salem State University
- 2-year player at Guilford College
- Specializes in Hitting, Catching, Pitching, and Basic Skills
NCBA Instructor
Devin Ponton
Devin is a former College Player at Guilford College. He is currently the Head JV Baseball Coach at Southwest Guilford HS. With years of baseball experience and incredible knowledge of the game, Devin is a coach geared to help players succeed in any area of the game.