Bringing the Love of Baseball to Ave Maria

Former Major League Baseball pitcher Josias Manzanillo spent more than a decade on the mound playing for several teams, including the Florida Marlins, Boston Red Sox, New York Mets and New York Yankees. But after retiring from professional baseball in 2004, his focus shifted from the big leagues to helping young athletes fall in love with the game.

Together with his wife, Delmaris, Manzanillo founded The Farm System Baseball, a youth training program with facilities in Davie and Weston. For more than 20 years, the program has helped young players build confidence, develop technical skills, and most importantly, enjoy the game of baseball.

“We saw an opportunity to bring kids the love of the game,” Manzanillo said. “Once they gain that confidence, they want to stay longer in the game and really enjoy it.”

Manzanillo now supports youth baseball in Southwest Florida as a sponsor of Ave Maria Little League, where he assists with coaching and training local players. He has also created clinics that offer baseball instruction at reduced rates for underprivileged athletes. His philosophy centers on recreation and enjoyment rather than elite competition. “We focus on the recreational side of baseball because that’s what is being lost,” Manzanillo explained. “Our goal is to sustain a league where kids simply have fun playing good, fundamental baseball.”

Manzanillo believes that learning the technical side of the sport is key to helping kids enjoy it. When players develop the proper skills — from catching and fielding to hitting — they gain confidence and begin to truly appreciate the game. “When they get better, they fall in love with the game,” he said. “They see they’re able to catch the ball, hit the ball, and be part of the team.” Recently, the Manzanillos made another important move — relocating their family to Ave Maria. The decision came after a visit that immediately changed their perspective.

“When we came here, it was an immediate impact. I fell in love with it,” Manzanillo said. What struck him most was something increasingly rare in modern communities: children freely playing outdoors.

“I saw kids in the street, not just in front of their homes but down the road playing together,” he recalled. “I thought that kind of environment didn’t exist anymore.”

For Manzanillo, the welcoming, family-centered atmosphere made Ave Maria the perfect place to continue sharing the sport he loves.

“The game should be for everyone,” he said. “It’s really beneficial for the community and for families.”