Instructors

Owner Matt Mahay

Title/Position: Owner, Director of Player Development
Favorite MLB Team: Chicago White Sox

Matt Mahay joined the Play Ball USA team in January of 2008 as a hitting instructor. In the following years, Matt rose to the facility manager and program coordinator before taking over as General Manager. In the Summer of 2013 Matt, along with Ross Wolfson purchased the business from former owner Nelson Gord.

Location(s): Team Training Center, Player Development Academy
Instructor Chris Michals

Title/Position: Director of Pitching, Hitting Instructor, Co-Owner
Favorite MLB Team: San Diego Padres
  • Pitcher at Oakton Community College (2010) 
  • 6 year professional international pitcher/infielder: Slovakia (2012 inter-league champion), Czech Republic (2013), Switzerland (2014-2017, Swiss Champion)
  • Assistant Coach for the Slovakian National Team in 2012
  • Director of Pitcher Development at Play Ball USA
  • Specializes in biomechanics, velocity development, pitch design, video (Rapsodo) analysis, injury prevention
Location(s): Team Training Center, Player Development Academy
Instructor Heidi Suwinski

Title/Position: Facility Assistant / Public Relations

Heidi has been working at PlayBall for about 2 years now, but is no stranger to the PlayBall community with her family being a part of the program since 2009: her brother, Jack Suwinski, playing for the Illinois Indians. Heidi grew up in the northwest side of Chicago attending Taft High School and being an athlete herself.

Location(s): Team Training Center, Player Development Academy
Instructor Angel Sanchez

Title/Position: Pitching instructor
Favorite MLB Team: Chicago White Sox 
  • Pitcher at Waubonsee Community College 2013-2014 (1st team All American, 1st team All-Area, 1st team All-Conference, Pitcher of the Year 2014, National-bound 2013-2014)
  • Pitcher at Judson University 2014-2016 (1st team All American, 1st team All-Area, 1st team All-Conference)
  • Assistant Coach for the Illinois Slammers in 2017 
Location(s): Team Training Center, Player Development Academy
Instructor Stefanie Guercio

Title/Position: Fastpitch Softball Pitching/Young Hitting instructor
Favorite MLB Team: Chicago Cubs
  • Play Ball USA alumni since 2009 
  • Player at Maine South High School 
  • Pitcher at Southeastern University for 1 year
  • Pitcher at Carthage College (DIII, 1st team All American 2019)  for the past 4 years, earning the Sun Conference Freshman of the Year in 2017, and part of their Regional Championship Team. 
Location(s): Team Training Center, Player Development Academy
Instructor Meghan Joyce

Title/Position: Fastpitch Softball Pitching instructor
Favorite MLB Team: Chicago Cubs
  • Played at Regina Dominican High School where she holds the strikeout record of 217 K’s in one season
  • Played travel softball growing up with the Lake Forest Scouts, Athletic Barn, and Chicago Cheetah’s
  • Current pitcher at Lake Forest College
  • Current coach for the Illinois Blaze Travel Softball 
Location(s): Team Training Center, Player Development Academy
Instructor Eli Mercado

Title/Position: Hitting/Defense instructor
Favorite MLB Team: Chicago Cubs
  • 4 year varsity infielder at William Howard Taft High School (2015, MVP)
  • Infielder at Olive Harvey from 2015-2017(First Team All-Region IV) 
  • Infielder at Longwood University (2017-2019) 
  • Assistant Coach at Longwood University 2019-2020
  • Current Coach for the Illinois Travel Baseball Club 
Location(s): Team Training Center, Player Development Academy
Instructor Nata Segura

Title/Position: Hitting/Defense/Catching Instructor, Facility Manager
Favorite MLB Team: Chicago White Sox
  • Four Year Starter at St. Patrick High School 
  • Catcher at Adrian College (A top 20 DIII baseball program) 
  • 6 Year Play Ball USA Alumni 
  • Illinois Travel Baseball Club Alum 
Location(s): Team Training Center, Player Development Academy
Instructor Sal Biondo

Title/Position: Pitching/Defense instructor, Facility Manager
Favorite MLB Team: Chicago White Sox
  • 4-year baseball player at Ridgewood Highschool (all conference 2016) 
  • 4-year pitcher at Concordia University-Chicago (CUC), the #1 DIII team in the nation in 2018/2019 
  • 2x College World Series appearance for CUC 
Location(s): Player Development Academy
Instructor Ryan Tuntland

Title/Position: Marketing Director / Professional Hitting & Defensive Instructor
Favorite MLB Team: Oakland A’s
  • Player at Maine West High School 
  • Play Ball USA alumni 
  • Infielder at Oakton Community College (2011, 2012)
  • Infielder at West Virginia University in 2013 (WVU)
  • 2013 Draftee of the San Francisco Giants 
  • Served as an Assistant Coach at WVU and the Woodland Strykers in the Texas Collegiate League. 
  • Assistant Coach at Oakton Community College, (2017, 2018, 2019) winning the DIII NJCAA College World Series in 2018 
  • Hitting Coordinator at Ohio University 2020 
  • Current Coach for the Illinois Travel Baseball Club
Location(s): Team Training Center, Player Development Academy
Instructor Mike Pugliese

Title/Position: Hitting and Infield Instructor

Coach Pugliese joined the Play Ball USA staff in 2014, but is no stranger to the academy. “Pug” was a student at Play Ball during his time at St. Francis High School in Wheaton, IL where he was elected as the senior captain of the baseball team, and later an All-Conference selection at shortstop.

Location(s): Team Training Center, Player Development Academy
Instructor Adam O'Malley

Title/Position: Pitching/Hitting instructor
Favorite MLB Team: Chicago Cubs
  • Went to Elk Grove High School playing football and baseball earning All Area and All Conference in 2014
  • Pitcher at Rockford University where he earned All NACC as a freshman
  • Pitcher at UW-Oshkosh 
  • Player in the Northwoods Summer League for 3 years 
  • Current Coach for the Illinois Travel Baseball Club 
  • Current Assistant Coach at Harper Community College 
Location(s): Team Training Center, Player Development Academy