About
Georgia Premier
Baseball Academy of Hope
Georgia Premier Academy was founded in 2017.
Since the beginning, our mission has been to provide exceptional player development and training for young men locally and abroad. Our instructors are dedicated to coaching young men to become better baseball players, but more importantly, they are driven to teach young men to grow into responsible and contributing members of their communities. Our instructors and staff are dedicated to making a difference in a young person’s life by teaching them to honor Christ in all that they do.
Gene Reynolds
Owner/Director of Baseball Operations
Gene played at South Florida Community College and then moved on to the University of Tampa where he was 3rd Team NCAA All-American in 2002-2003. Gene was drafted in the 9th round by the Colorado Rockies. He played one season in the Rockies organization before being led by the Lord to return home to coach at Faith Baptist Christian School. He began his journey into the coaching profession in 2004 and led the Faith Baptist Christian School to the Perfect Game Academy Showdown Championship. At Georgia Premier Acaademy, he continues to help numerous young men move on to further their education in college baseball. Gene has also had several players taken in the MLB Draft. Gene now serves as Head Coach of the Academy and Director Baseball Operations.
Gary Cates
Assistant Coach
Gary was drafted out of high school in 1999 by the Baltimore Orioles. Gary played 10 seasons with 4 organizations (Orioles, Cubs, Rockies, and Phillies). While playing, he was a three time All Star and in 2003 won the Carolina League batting title. For the last 12 years, Gary has been coaching high school baseball serving his last 6 years at Georgia Premier Academy. Gary handles the pitching staff and weight training program for the team. He will offer private lessons for hitting, pitching, and fielding.
Ryan Block
Pitching Coach
Ryan Block enters his first season with Georgia Premier Academy after stops at Stephen F. Austin State University, Florida Southern College, and the University of South Florida. Block has aided nine pitchers in going onto professional baseball across his stops.
During his stop at Stephen F. Austin, SFA received a stopper of the year watch list recipient. The Lumberjack’s pitching staff led the state of Texas in strikeouts through the first quarter of the season.
Block had a successful years with the Mocs, overseeing four All-SSC pitchers, including First Team honoree Nathan Madej. Three additional pitchers were named to the All-SSC Second Team, with Dawson Lane and Aric McAtee as starters and Ryan Langford as a reliever. Langford signed with the Los Angeles Angels in the summer of 2022. Under Block’s direction, Madej had five SSC Pitcher of the Week selections, the most in a single season by a baseball player in conference history, and two NCBWA South Region Pitcher of the Week nods, the most in FSC history by a pitcher in a single season. Lane had one regional and conference POTW bid. The success on the mound continued in 2022 as with Block’s coaching in the bullpen, two pitchers were named to the D2CCA All-South Region Team, one to the NCBWA All-South Region Second Team, and three pitchers (the most since 1996) named to the ABCA South All-Region Second Team.
Before he arrived in Lakeland, Block spent two seasons working as an assistant for the University of South Florida baseball team. At USF, he served as a liaison for the coaching staff to ensure everyday operations and execute practice and game plans. Block specifically aided in pitcher scouting reports to create a game plan for opponent batters. During his time at USF, Block was part of the first regional championship in school history, defeating Florida, Miami, and South Alabama. Block graduated from USF in 2021.
During the summers of 2017-2020, Block was the pitching coordinator for the nationally recognized GameTime Prospects Travelball organization, which is one of the premier organizations in the state of Florida. Previously to USF, Block was the pitching coach for Riverview High School, under the stewardship of Chris Cates and his alma mater, Cambridge Christian High School.
Block was a pitcher at Cambridge Christian School in Tampa, Fla., before playing three seasons at Point University. A transfer sent Block to Asbury University in Wilmore, Ky.