Where Are They Now? Justin Prinstein
11/13/2020 9:32:00 AM | Baseball, My GW: Celebrating our Stories
Baseball alum dedicated to growing game at home and abroad
Justin "Boomer" Prinstein's pro baseball career included stops in far-off locales in the Netherlands, Hungary, Israel, Australia and more, but a decade ago, the former GW hurler was riding out winter in Detroit and looking to find an indoor facility where he could stay sharp between law school assignments.
Searching for a suitable offseason training spot amid the harsh weather in the Motor City, Prinstein wondered: Where do the kids play?
That simple question became the driving force behind his International Stars Baseball Academy, a non-profit that has brought training and mentorship to hundreds of inner-city youth since 2012.
Now a scout for the Cincinnati Reds, Prinstein has grown the scope of the organization to also provide opportunities growing the game abroad, but there's still plenty of meaningful work left to do in his hometown. By now, he's seen the impact that his clinics can make for youngsters in need on the diamond and beyond.
"Watching kids who have never really played before really get hooked by it and then start appreciating the game, that's been so cool to see," said Prinstein, who joined the Buff and Blue as a transfer and pitched two springs before graduating in 2006. "There are kids who a couple years ago they didn't even know how to hold a bat, and now, every day they're calling us up because they want to go out and do something. They're becoming better players and they're becoming better people because of that commitment to the sport."
As a player, coach and scout, Prinstein has carved out a unique career in baseball, and so much of it comes back to his experience at GW.
He spent two seasons at Division III Albion College in Michigan before making the decision to seek a challenge at the top level of college baseball.
It was during the fall of his sophomore season that he decided the nation's capital is where he wanted to be. He walked the streets of Foggy Bottom while in town to participate in a model UN program and felt right at home in the World's Most Powerful City.
"In scouting, they say trust your gut and trust your instincts," said Prinstein, who secured his GW degree in Political Science with a minor in International Affairs. "My instinct and my gut told me 'This is where I need to be,' and it changed my life for the better, for sure."
With the Buff and Blue, Prinstein joined a talented squad loaded with future pros. Though he didn't pitch much that first season, he was able to learn by watching, building strength and continuing to develop his arsenal of pitches as part of a club that won 41 games en route to the Atlantic 10 West Division regular season title and a spot in the conference final.
A clean inning of relief in a late February contest at No. 6 Miami before several thousand fans provided a confidence boost that he was on the right track.
"That group of guys that we had made me want to be better," Prinstein remembered. "I looked at it like 'OK, here's what I need to do. Here's the measuring stick if I want to play pro ball, if I want to be really serious about this.'"
Prinstein's efforts were rewarded as a senior in 2006 when he became a co-captain and trusted member of the pitching staff. He'd added velocity to his fastball and picked up a slider from teammate Derek Lutz that would become his go-to pitch in pro ball.
After helping the Colonials to advance to the A-10 final once again, Prinstein knew he wanted to keep playing. He just had to find the right opportunity. He considered some independent ball offers but was intrigued by then-volunteer assistant coach Brad Gooding's stories of playing and coaching overseas.
Prinstein's adventure started in Belgium with the Hoboken Pioneers with a no-hitter in his pro debut and would continue for seven more seasons spanning the top pro leagues in Europe, plus stints in Israel and Australia.
Along the way, he'd add coaching and scouting duties to his resumé, eager to make a difference however he could.
"You just make the most of every opportunity that you have and try to stay connected with people," said Prinstein, who was named a finalist for European Coach of the Year in 2012 while in Hungary. "I wanted to utilize my experiences and help others. I was open to anything, whether it's going to coach a group of 8-year-olds or going to watch a high school game scouting prospects in Amsterdam. I just really submersed myself into the culture of European baseball."
That unusual path made for surreal moments, on and off the field.
There was a memorable championship run while playing in Amsterdam in the Dutch major leagues. There, fans packed the stadiums, bringing an atmosphere usually reserved for European soccer with flares, drums and songs.
"Pitching in that kind of environment, it really made me feel like a professional," Prinstein said. "I'm there getting paid pretty good money, I'm facing quality competition and I'm going out there and throwing pretty well. I just remember thinking 'You could not get this kind of experience in the States unless you're in the big leagues.'"
Of course, his travels brought light moments, too.
While serving as head coach of the Hungarian national team, he traveled the country giving clinics. In one far-flung village, the local children lined up around the block for his autograph. Through his translator, he realized they believed they were lined up for Jusin Bieber.
"I was there longer signing autographs than I was doing the baseball demonstration," he joked.
After working so hard to grow the game abroad, Prinstein turned his attention closer to home with International Stars Baseball.
The efforts started with free clinics for boys and girls in a local YMCA and have expanded to other facilities around the city. Because of the high costs of organized leagues, it's also started sponsoring teams for its participants. The goal is to eventually open its own indoor training center. (Learn more and donate here.)
Heading into its ninth season, International Stars Baseball has begun to create pathways to college for a few top prospects while providing an invaluable crash course in teamwork and sportsmanship for everyone through a game that's given Prinstein so much.
"You sit back and look at all the kids who have been in the program and you lose count and then you're like 'Oh my god, we've really done something here,'" Prinstein said. "You put the work in and you don't really think about the end result. You just do it because it's the right thing to do, and I think when you do that, you end up helping people and helping yourself in the long run."
Though he wrapped his playing career in 2014, Prinstein's ties abroad remain strong.
International Baseball Stars has worked to place dozens of overseas prospects into collegiate programs and professional opportunities, while his job as international crosschecker with the Reds has him responsible for evaluating prospects in Latin America, Europe and Australia.
Scouting talent around the globe, Prinstein brings enthusiasm to the grind and an appreciation for the rewarding moments that come with a role behind the scenes.
"It's a pretty cool job," said Prinstein, who just wrapped his 10th season as an MLB scout including time with the Astros, Orioles and Reds. "This is not what I went to GW to do, but I'm glad this is what I fell into."
Looking back, Prinstein is thankful he took the leap of faith to transfer to GW and make the first steps toward turning his passion into a career. He's built a strong bond with Colonials' head coach Gregg Ritchie and appreciated the veteran skipper's mentorship through the years, and he relishes his rare stops back in D.C. amid his busy schedule.
"That's where it all started for me," Prinstein said. "Had I not made the decision to go to GW, I don't think I'd be where I'm at today. I don't know what I'd be doing, but I definitely wouldn't be here.
"GW was where I learned how to be a better player, be a better student, be more open to traveling the world because of what I studied and being immersed with different cultures in D.C. It provided all those jumping off points for me as a 20-year-old."
Searching for a suitable offseason training spot amid the harsh weather in the Motor City, Prinstein wondered: Where do the kids play?
That simple question became the driving force behind his International Stars Baseball Academy, a non-profit that has brought training and mentorship to hundreds of inner-city youth since 2012.
Now a scout for the Cincinnati Reds, Prinstein has grown the scope of the organization to also provide opportunities growing the game abroad, but there's still plenty of meaningful work left to do in his hometown. By now, he's seen the impact that his clinics can make for youngsters in need on the diamond and beyond.
"Watching kids who have never really played before really get hooked by it and then start appreciating the game, that's been so cool to see," said Prinstein, who joined the Buff and Blue as a transfer and pitched two springs before graduating in 2006. "There are kids who a couple years ago they didn't even know how to hold a bat, and now, every day they're calling us up because they want to go out and do something. They're becoming better players and they're becoming better people because of that commitment to the sport."
As a player, coach and scout, Prinstein has carved out a unique career in baseball, and so much of it comes back to his experience at GW.
He spent two seasons at Division III Albion College in Michigan before making the decision to seek a challenge at the top level of college baseball.
It was during the fall of his sophomore season that he decided the nation's capital is where he wanted to be. He walked the streets of Foggy Bottom while in town to participate in a model UN program and felt right at home in the World's Most Powerful City.
"In scouting, they say trust your gut and trust your instincts," said Prinstein, who secured his GW degree in Political Science with a minor in International Affairs. "My instinct and my gut told me 'This is where I need to be,' and it changed my life for the better, for sure."
With the Buff and Blue, Prinstein joined a talented squad loaded with future pros. Though he didn't pitch much that first season, he was able to learn by watching, building strength and continuing to develop his arsenal of pitches as part of a club that won 41 games en route to the Atlantic 10 West Division regular season title and a spot in the conference final.
A clean inning of relief in a late February contest at No. 6 Miami before several thousand fans provided a confidence boost that he was on the right track.
"That group of guys that we had made me want to be better," Prinstein remembered. "I looked at it like 'OK, here's what I need to do. Here's the measuring stick if I want to play pro ball, if I want to be really serious about this.'"
Prinstein's efforts were rewarded as a senior in 2006 when he became a co-captain and trusted member of the pitching staff. He'd added velocity to his fastball and picked up a slider from teammate Derek Lutz that would become his go-to pitch in pro ball.
After helping the Colonials to advance to the A-10 final once again, Prinstein knew he wanted to keep playing. He just had to find the right opportunity. He considered some independent ball offers but was intrigued by then-volunteer assistant coach Brad Gooding's stories of playing and coaching overseas.
Prinstein's adventure started in Belgium with the Hoboken Pioneers with a no-hitter in his pro debut and would continue for seven more seasons spanning the top pro leagues in Europe, plus stints in Israel and Australia.
Along the way, he'd add coaching and scouting duties to his resumé, eager to make a difference however he could.
"You just make the most of every opportunity that you have and try to stay connected with people," said Prinstein, who was named a finalist for European Coach of the Year in 2012 while in Hungary. "I wanted to utilize my experiences and help others. I was open to anything, whether it's going to coach a group of 8-year-olds or going to watch a high school game scouting prospects in Amsterdam. I just really submersed myself into the culture of European baseball."
That unusual path made for surreal moments, on and off the field.
There was a memorable championship run while playing in Amsterdam in the Dutch major leagues. There, fans packed the stadiums, bringing an atmosphere usually reserved for European soccer with flares, drums and songs.
"Pitching in that kind of environment, it really made me feel like a professional," Prinstein said. "I'm there getting paid pretty good money, I'm facing quality competition and I'm going out there and throwing pretty well. I just remember thinking 'You could not get this kind of experience in the States unless you're in the big leagues.'"
Of course, his travels brought light moments, too.
While serving as head coach of the Hungarian national team, he traveled the country giving clinics. In one far-flung village, the local children lined up around the block for his autograph. Through his translator, he realized they believed they were lined up for Jusin Bieber.
"I was there longer signing autographs than I was doing the baseball demonstration," he joked.
After working so hard to grow the game abroad, Prinstein turned his attention closer to home with International Stars Baseball.
The efforts started with free clinics for boys and girls in a local YMCA and have expanded to other facilities around the city. Because of the high costs of organized leagues, it's also started sponsoring teams for its participants. The goal is to eventually open its own indoor training center. (Learn more and donate here.)
Heading into its ninth season, International Stars Baseball has begun to create pathways to college for a few top prospects while providing an invaluable crash course in teamwork and sportsmanship for everyone through a game that's given Prinstein so much.
"You sit back and look at all the kids who have been in the program and you lose count and then you're like 'Oh my god, we've really done something here,'" Prinstein said. "You put the work in and you don't really think about the end result. You just do it because it's the right thing to do, and I think when you do that, you end up helping people and helping yourself in the long run."
Though he wrapped his playing career in 2014, Prinstein's ties abroad remain strong.
International Baseball Stars has worked to place dozens of overseas prospects into collegiate programs and professional opportunities, while his job as international crosschecker with the Reds has him responsible for evaluating prospects in Latin America, Europe and Australia.
Scouting talent around the globe, Prinstein brings enthusiasm to the grind and an appreciation for the rewarding moments that come with a role behind the scenes.
"It's a pretty cool job," said Prinstein, who just wrapped his 10th season as an MLB scout including time with the Astros, Orioles and Reds. "This is not what I went to GW to do, but I'm glad this is what I fell into."
Looking back, Prinstein is thankful he took the leap of faith to transfer to GW and make the first steps toward turning his passion into a career. He's built a strong bond with Colonials' head coach Gregg Ritchie and appreciated the veteran skipper's mentorship through the years, and he relishes his rare stops back in D.C. amid his busy schedule.
"That's where it all started for me," Prinstein said. "Had I not made the decision to go to GW, I don't think I'd be where I'm at today. I don't know what I'd be doing, but I definitely wouldn't be here.
"GW was where I learned how to be a better player, be a better student, be more open to traveling the world because of what I studied and being immersed with different cultures in D.C. It provided all those jumping off points for me as a 20-year-old."
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