Swing like a baseball pro at the MLB.com Academy Mobile Tour in McKinney

by Tyson Hanish of Town Square Buzz

Catch it on the fly this weekend.

MCKINNEY — McKinney High School graduate and current MLB.com Academy CEO Tyson Hanish provides a unique opportunity for youth in his hometown this weekend.

MLB.com Academy’s Mobile Tour will bring its 2013 road trip to town on Saturday, March 16, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday, March 17, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at The Ballfields at Craig Ranch.

The free event will give fans a first look into the 2013 season and the opportunity to test the new swing analysis technology that MLB.com Academy will launch this spring. The myHits technology captures participants' hitting video to compare side by side against an MLB pro using an automated video analysis tool.

“When I created myHits, my goal was to give youth baseball players, in every home in America, the opportunity to receive professional instruction,” said Hanish. “One of the amazing things about the mobile tour is that we are finally able to share this one-of-a-kind technology with athletes around the country.”

Hanish graduated from MHS in 1999. He went on to play baseball at the college level, first at McLennan Community College in Waco and then at Northern Iowa. After graduation, Hanish was able to continue his career as a shortstop in the New York Yankees organization.

“Being that McKinney is my hometown, it’s very close to my heart,” said Hanish. “I’ve had the chance to work with a large group of kids in the area, so it’s a great feeling for me to bring a unique event like this back to them.“

During the mobile tour event, fans will be able to run through a SKLZ course to win prizes, participate in a photo shoot for the cover of Baseball Youth magazine and check out the newest youth equipment in the Franklin locker room.

Following the Dallas stop, the MLB.com Academy 2013 Mobile Tour will continue on a national road trip with heading to youth tournaments, retail locations, and key baseball jewel events including the College World Series.