About Us

PBA is run and managed by Jason Siegfried

Jason SIEGFRIED
Jason was a four-year starter behind the dish for the University of Dayton.  While at Dayton, Jason was selected to play in the prestigious Cape Cod summer league for the Cotuit Kettleers.  Following his senior year, Jason was drafted in the 36th round by the Detroit Tigers, where he played two years of single A Minor League ball.  Recently, Jason has been helping coach the Louisville Leopard Varsity Baseball Team.

Shawn ALAZAUS

Shawn Alazaus, former New York Yankee minor league pitcher, will be offering pitching lessons at PBA this year.

Shawn is a Carrollton High School graduate (1990).  While playing at Carrollton he was named the NBC player of the year and a 1st team All-Ohio player.  While at Carrollton he posted an 18-2 record as a pitcher in three years.  His senior year he went 10-0 with a 0.44 era.

Shawn played college baseball at Division III power, Marietta College, and NAIA perennial power Mount Vernon Nazarene College.  While at Marietta, the team made the trip to the Division III college world series both years.   At Mount Vernon Nazarene college, Shawn was selected as a 13th round draft pick for the New York Yankees in the 1993 June amateur draft. 

In his 1st year of professional baseball, Shawn finished the season with a 0.97 era, allowing only four earned runs as a closer in Oneonta.  After the 93’ season Shawn injured his elbow in spring training, requiring Tommy John surgery.  After Tommy John surgery, Shawn pitched in Greensboro, N.C. for the 1995 minor league season.  Released in 1996, Shawn ventured to Fargo North Dakota playing in the Independent Northern League for the 96’ and 97’ seasons.  While at Fargo, Shawn played with and against former major league players.  The 98’ season, Shawn came home and pitched for the Canton Crocodiles as a starter in the Frontier league.

Since 1998, Shawn has been coaching and giving private instruction throughout the area.  Shawn has five years of head coaching experience at the high school level with an overall record of 89 – 48.  His 2005 Columbiana baseball team finished with a 23-4 overall record and was named the Division IV state poll champions.  Shawn has also coached at the collegiate level at Mount Union College and the Stark County Terriers of the Great Lakes Wooden Bat League.  Shawn has coached players that have went on to play minor and major league baseball.  He recently (July 08’) was named the Head Coach of St. Thomas Aquinas High School.

Walt DeSHIELDS
Pitching Instructor

Walt enters his first year as a pitching instructor at the Professional Baseball Academy. He graduated from Salem High School in 1979, where he played baseball (4 year lettermen) for the Quakers. The team won the Mahoning Valley Conference during his senior season. Walt attended Ohio Northern University pitching for 4 years while earning his degree in 1983. He was voted MVP during his junior and senior seasons as the Polar Bears won the Ohio Athletic Conference both years. Finishing with a 10-1 record his senior year, Walt received 1st Team All League and Division III All American status for his efforts. He signed a professional baseball contract with the Detroit Tigers in 1983, playing single - A in Lakeland, Florida. The next year, he pitched A-league in Batavia, New York with the Cleveland Indians Organization.

Walt started his coaching career as an assistant baseball coach at Salem High School from 1984-87. He attended Kent State University during that time and got a degree in Education in 1987. Walt began his teaching career with the West Branch Local Schools coaching football, basketball and baseball from 1987-94. In 1994, he went to Louisville High School to continue teaching and coaching for the Leopards. He received his Masters degree in Sports Administration from Ashland University in 1995. Walt was also the pitching coach at Malone College for the 2000-2001 seasons.  He returned to West Branch High School in 2001 and is currently the assistant varsity baseball coach and the head girls’ basketball coach for the Warriors. Walt pitched several years in the Canton Class A, Akron Roy Hobbs and the Canton 30s leagues with a lot of success. In 2007, He finished with a perfect 10-0 record on the mound as his Wood Electric team won its seventh league championship in a row.

Being a teacher for 22 years, playing baseball 40 years and coaching baseball a total of 25 seasons, has provided Walt with a wealth of knowledge and experiences that he would like to share with the young baseball players in our area.

Walt and his wife Penny married for 13 years, reside in Beloit with their three sons Kip, Tyler (TJ) and Dru.