At EL1 Sports Reading, young athletes find more than just a training ground.

BERKS COUNTY, Pa. — When it comes to developing baseball’s next generation of rising stars, EL1 Sports Reading has no shortage of talent come through its doors. 

Currently, the training facility is home to some of the best-ranked prospects in the country and continues to focus on development both on and off the field all run by General Manager Clint Fernandez, along with former MLB player and now-lead instructor Rich DeLucia. 

“When I was 11, I came to try out here. It was not very good. Clint took a chance, and since then, I’ve just been continuing to develop. I’ve gotten better every year,” said 17-year-old Ian Jacob, who is a pitcher at Daniel Boone High School. “They helped me with the skill side of things, and also the mental. I’m a completely different human being now than I was then.”

“At one point, I even wanted to stop pitching because I just didn’t have a feel for it,” said Victor Aponte, a 16-year-old baseball player at Governor Mifflin, who joined EL1 in 2013. “I got around this great group of guys, and they put it in my head that I’m good, it [just] takes time.”

For both DeLucia and Fernandez, helping their players conquer obstacles is part of the program. However, when it came to Jacob and Aponte, that sentiment was needed more than ever. Jacob’s father passed away just two months after training at EL1. Aponte was diagnosed with cancer in 2024.

“When we got those texts with Ian and Victor, it was like a kick in the gut. We can’t imagine what they’re going through,” said DeLucia. “But we always let them know that there’s a place here. If it’s not even baseball, just come here and talk to us if you want to just get away. They have a place here.”

Their support gave “home” training facility a whole new meaning. The life-changing moments turned EL1 into a second home. 

For Jacob, both DeLucia and Fernandes were a text away. For anything and everything he needed, baseball or not, his coaches were there.

“They’re both like father figures. They’ve been there for me a lot. I always talk to Clint [and] always talk to Rich,” said Jacob. “It’s more than a baseball academy — it’s a family. I love Rich and Clint. They’ve always been there for me, no matter what. It just helped a lot with getting through that time. It was definitely a place where I could come and just get all the weight off my shoulders and just play baseball.”

After Aponte’s diagnosis, it was not long before you saw both the coaches and fellow players at EL1 wearing wristbands and armbands with his number on it in support of his battle — another example of that family atmosphere. 

“It became a loving atmosphere when I first came in [for the] first practice back when I got cleared by the doctor. Seeing everybody smile and hearing how great it is to have me back here was just great,” said Aponte. “I realized it was more than just baseball. They were like family to me. There were really rough times where I didn’t know if I was going to be able to play baseball again, but they helped me to keep fighting.”

“It’s a reason that we do this. We want to be mentors to these kids, and we want to be positive influences,” said Fernandes. “Them being able to come in here and have a place that you know they can count on is important for us.”

Now, with Aponte finishing up treatment in February 2027, he and Jacob are both set to take the next step in their baseball careers. EL1 is a place that will always be part of both their baseball journeys.

“It’s been amazing being here,” said Jacob. “I couldn’t imagine not having this place.”