Meet the Team
Your development starts with the right guidance
Our coaches utilize their experience in college and professional baseball to bring you advanced and personalized instruction, with the promise to elevate your performance
Tyler Esplin
Founder (Director of Baseball Development)
Tyler Esplin is a former professional baseball player and the founder of Drive Baseball Academy. Raised in Lake Bluff, IL, he advanced his development at IMG Academy, one of the world’s premier training institutions, before being drafted by the Boston Red Sox, where he spent seven years in professional baseball. At both IMG and with the Red Sox, Tyler trained in elite development environments built on expert coaching, mechanical feedback, structured programming, advanced equipment, and technology-driven insights. After years of competing at the highest level, he returned home with a mission: to bring professional-grade baseball development to his community. Through Drive Baseball Academy, Tyler is dedicated to helping the next generation of athletes experience the same personalized, high-performance training that shaped his own career.
Aaron Perry
Pitching Coach (Director of Pitching Development)
Aaron Perry serves as the Head of Pitching Development at Drive Baseball Academy, bringing a professional playing background and a passion for helping young athletes grow both on and off the field. Originally from West Virginia, Aaron was a standout high school pitcher who committed to the University of Kentucky before being selected by the Boston Red Sox in the 2017 MLB Draft. He went on to pitch for 7 years in both the Red Sox and Chicago Cubs organizations across multiple levels of Minor League Baseball. Throughout his career, Aaron developed a strong understanding of pitching mechanics, velocity development, arm care, and pitch design while working within elite player development systems. At Drive, Aaron works with pitchers of all ages to build repeatable mechanics, improve velocity, and develop confidence on the mound. He creates a positive, challenging environment where athletes are pushed to improve while still enjoying the process.
Anthony Ranallo
Skills Coach (Head of Baseball Strength & Conditioning)
Anthony grew up in Lake Forest, IL, where he was a multi-sport athlete in both baseball and football at Lake Forest High School. He went on to play five years of college baseball at Coe College, helping his team win two regular season conference titles, two conference championships, and advance to two NCAA regionals. Since 2021, Anthony has been coaching youth baseball and giving private lessons, working with players to sharpen their fundamentals and develop game-ready skills. Alongside his baseball background, he is a Certified Personal Trainer (NASM-CPT) and has gained experience in athletic development through internships at Quest Performance Training and Illinois Bone & Joint Institute (IBJI). At Drive Baseball Academy, Anthony combines his playing experience and performance training background to help athletes build both their skills and their overall athletic foundation.