By Merv Moore
Sports Director & Head Baseball Coach
If you’ve ever watched youth baseball in Japan, South Korea, or Taiwan, you know it’s a masterclass in discipline, technique, and execution. But what you won’t see in those countries is quite what you find here in the Philippines: a breathtaking diversity of bodies, backgrounds, and baseball potential—all wrapped in the heart of a single island nation.
Unlike many of its Asian neighbors—where centuries of cultural and genetic continuity have shaped relatively homogeneous physical profiles—the Philippines tells a different story. Our kids don’t all look the same—because we don’t all come from the same place.
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Some have the broad shoulders and long limbs of American or European ancestry—traces of U.S. bases long gone, but never forgotten. Others carry the compact strength and quick-twitch agility of Indigenous and Malay roots. Still more reflect Chinese, Spanish, Indian, or Arab heritage—each lineage adding its own spark to the Filipino mosaic.
That’s not just beautiful. It’s an athletic advantage.
One Coach. Fifteen Years. Countless Lessons.
I’ve lived in the Philippines for over 15 years—and coached baseball on three continents. But no place has shaped me like this one.
I know the rhythm of fiesta mornings. I know how families gather around adobo and sinigang after a long Saturday. And I know what Filipino kids bring to the diamond: work ethic, grit, humility—and a hunger to prove themselves on a global stage.
With the right coaching, these kids don’t just compete with elite programs in Japan, Korea, or Taiwan—they redefine what’s possible.
Not One Body Type—Many Ballplayers
In baseball, there’s no single “ideal” physique—only the right player for the right position. And Filipino youth offer the full spectrum:
The tall and lean—6-foot teenagers emerging more each year—have the torque, extension, and leverage to dominate as pitchers and center fielders. Their stride, release, and repeatable mechanics are just waiting to be refined.
The burly and strong—stocky, thick-legged, with hands like mitts—swing with raw authority. These are your future power hitters, launching rockets to right-center when others would settle for singles.
The small and swift—compact, low to the ground, lightning off the mark—turn double plays like poetry. Their fast-twitch reflexes, footwork, and glove work make them natural middle infielders: shortstops and second basemen who thrive under pressure.
And then there are the gifted—the ones who run, throw, and hit at another level. With disciplined training and opportunity, they can—and will—find opportunities with MLB, NPB, KBO, and Baseball United.
Hard Work Is in the DNA
Filipino kids don’t complain about heat, blisters, or extra reps. When you come from a culture that rises before sunrise to feed goats, harvest rice, or help at the sari-sari store—you learn endurance. You learn sacrifice. You learn that greatness isn’t given. It’s earned.
I saw this in Switzerland. In Brunei. Bhutan and Nepal, too. But here—in Bohol—it’s next-level. These kids are different. They are hungry for any dream. And, they’re not afraid of hard work.
That’s the foundation. And with professional coaching—including video analysis, pitch design, swing mechanics, and mental conditioning—they’ll close the technical gaps that once separated them from elite Asian programs.
The Philippines – Asia’a Untapped Baseball Market
At the Bohol Coconuts, we’re building more than a club. We’re building a pipeline—from barangay diamonds to collegiate scholarships, from provincial tournaments to national-team tryouts, and yes, even to the eyes of MLB scouts.
Because baseball isn’t just for Filipinos.
It’s in them.
These kids—the tall, the burly, the quick, the gifted—are built for baseball.
We just need to give them the field.
Marvin “Merv” Moore is the head coach of the Bohol Coconuts Baseball and Softball Club. He has coached in the U.S., Switzerland, Brunei, Bhutan, and Nepal – and was a founder of both the Mister-Baseball and BaseballdeWorld international baseball websites.
