Posted on Friday, January 24, 2025
Known throughout the professional baseball community as “the scout who can find diamonds in the rough,” former LC student Chris Carminucci finds enjoyment in helping undiscovered talent reach their dreams of making the big leagues. You could say he understands the perspective of these players because former LaGrange College Baseball Coach and Athletic Director Phil Williamson took a chance on Carminucci and helped shape him into the person he is today.
“I would not be here without Coach Williamson,” he said. “I give him thanks for helping me work in the major leagues.”
From the Big Apple to the Peach State
Growing up near Manhattan with his single mother and four siblings, Carminucci found his place on the baseball field.
“My coaches were always my mentors and father figures,” he said. “I really grew to enjoy and respect the game.”
When he was a high school sophomore, Carminucci had received some scholarship offers to play baseball out of state, but he made the decision to stay close to home and attend New York-based Concordia College, so he could help his family, including an older brother who became paralyzed from the chest down in a serious car accident.
During his freshman year at the Division II college, Carminucci was off to a good start, but then he started making poor choices that ultimately cut his time short.
“I was doing everything you shouldn’t do,” he said. “It got to the point that my baseball coach gave me the boot.”
Feeling uncertain about his future and not knowing his next steps, Carminucci reached out to his high school coach Doug Smith, who at the time was coaching at LaGrange College.
“When I talked to Coach Smith about my situation, he told me he would ask Coach Williamson if there was a spot available on his team,” Carminucci said.
Following that conversation, Carminucci’s prayers would be answered after his coach informed him that he could come and play for LaGrange.
“My mother put me on a greyhound bus, and I came down to Georgia,” he said.
For Carminucci, coming to LaGrange was a bit of a culture shock at first, but he soon began to grow attached to the campus community.
“I enjoyed the family atmosphere,” he said. “I wouldn’t have gotten that at a bigger school. I was able to get the one-on-one help that I needed.”
Building a career in baseball
After graduating from LaGrange, he spent some time playing in the Independent Professional Leagues. With 30 years in the sport, he has gone from player to manager, followed by CEO and Director of Baseball Operations roles in the U.S. as well as Italy. It was in 2012 when he was hired as the special assignment scout/independent league coordinator for the Arizona Diamondbacks major league baseball team.
“I work directly with our major league manager, GM and ownership,” he said. “My job involves going to see other major league clubs and figuring out who we can trade for and who’s a free agent. One of the most gratifying things about scouting is that I like finding the players who fell through the cracks.”
Carminucci, who recently returned to LaGrange to speak at an LC Sports Management Club event, shared his experiences to help prepare students for a career in professional baseball.
He believes communication and networking are key to working in this industry.
“I am constantly speaking with other teams and then relaying that information back to my bosses,” Carminucci said. “We’re in a people business.”
When traveling around the world for his job, he keeps this Japanese concept at top of mind.
“Kaizen is the art of nothing is ever going to be perfect, but you have to keep trying to make it perfect,” he said.
Carminucci left students with this piece of advice.
“Don’t be afraid to fail,” he said.
What’s Your Style
Monday, Jan. 27
7 p.m., Bailey Room
Numbers Don’t Lie
Tuesday, Jan. 28
11 a.m., Bailey Room
SGA Town Hall
Tuesday, Jan. 28
11:15 a.m., Dickson Assembly
Men's Basketball
The Panthers fell to Maryville 67-52 in the first home game of 2025 on Friday, Jan. 17. The following day, the team picked up a massive win this past weekend, besting Asbury by a final score of 105-69 to snap their eight-game losing streak. With five of their last seven remaining games at home, the Panthers will look to turn the tide of their season starting on Saturday, Jan. 25 against rival Huntingdon in Mariotti Gym.
Women's Basketball
LC opened up home play for the first time in 2025 Jan. 17-18, beating Maryville in come-from-behind fashion in a 63-57 final. Unfortunately, the team was unable to achieve a similar result as they were edged by Asbury the following afternoon 62-57. The Panthers will look to pick up their 10th win of the season on Saturday, Jan. 25 when they host rival Huntingdon in Mariotti Gym for a 2 p.m. tipoff.
(Please note that schedules may change due to circumstances beyond our control. Please check www.lagrangepanthers.com to confirm.)
Saturday, Jan. 25 – Women’s Basketball vs. Huntingdon (Home), 2 p.m., Mariotti Gym
Saturday, Jan. 25 – Men’s Basketball vs. Huntingdon (Home), 4 p.m., Mariotti Gym
Wednesday, Jan. 29 – Women’s Basketball vs. Belhaven (Home), 5 p.m., Mariotti Gym
Wednesday, Jan. 29 – Men’s Basketball vs. Belhaven (Home), 7 p.m., Mariotti Gym
Area students named to LaGrange College VPAA’s list, LaGrange Daily News, Jan. 21
Category: Academics, Students, Events
Keywords: Athletics, Career