Our Mission

Diablos Baseball exists to inspire a lifelong passion for baseball while developing athletes through quality coaching, strong fundamentals, and meaningful mentorship. We are committed to creating an environment where every player is challenged, supported, and given the opportunity to grow to their fullest potential.

Our Staff

A smiling young man, wearing a white baseball cap with a red "D" on the front and a dark hoodie, standing against a black background.

Zach Matson

Owner + Program Director

  • Hometown: Garden City, Missouri

  • Colligate baseball at Crowder College

  • Drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in 2014

  • 10 years professional baseball career, including seven years in the minor leagues, one year with the KC Monarchs, and two seasons with in Mexican leagues, representing Team Mexico in the Caribbean Series in 2023.

  • Has worked as a private pitching instructor since 2016, helping athletes improve mechanics, velocity, and confidence on the mound.

  • Has coached youth baseball since 2019, focusing on player development both on and off the field.

  • Passionate about helping young athletes build strong fundamentals, develop confidence, and foster a lifelong love for the game through meaningful instruction and mentorship.

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Owen Chaffin, 10U Coach

Owen Chaffin played collegiate baseball at Neosho County Community College, Saint Louis University, and MidAmerica Nazarene University before signing professionally with the Winnipeg Goldeyes. While at MidAmerica Nazarene, he spent two years as the head coach of the MNU Varsity Reserve Team. He has also served as an assistant coach for a successful youth baseball program, coaching players from ages 10–16. Owen is passionate about developing young athletes by teaching the fundamentals of the game, building confidence, and emphasizing teamwork, discipline, and a strong work ethic in a fun, competitive environment.

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Christian “CJ” Johnson, 12U Coach

Christian “CJ” Johnson is a pitcher who competed at one of the nation’s top five NAIA baseball programs, where he developed in a high-level, championship-caliber environment. Throughout his career, he learned the importance of discipline, consistency, and a strong work ethic. Passionate about developing the next generation of athletes, CJ is committed to helping young players build confidence, refine their skills, and understand what it takes to compete at the next level. He strives to create a positive, supportive environment where athletes can grow both on and off the field.

Frequently Asked Questions

Find answers to the questions we hear most often about our program, teams, and what to expect.

  • Diablos Baseball is a completely new team; we are a baseball organization that is focused on player development through high level baseball mentors and strives to not only create a positive culture but also supply the future generation with the skills to be successful.

  • The Diablos do not have a specific level of play. Obviously, we would like to compete at the highest level possible, but to us, what is most important is having a group of kids with similar skill sets so they play at the correct and desired level.

  • We believe the Kansas City area is saturated with good baseball and has a good range of talent. We intend to find the correct leagues and tournaments for our athletes around the Kansas City area. From our feedback, parents and athletes enjoy an overnight trip so we can talk about that once the team is formed to get a feel on that. To be fair on that, we would have to be close to a unanimous decision to make a travel trip. Some examples and places we could go with good tournaments is NW Arkansas, Iowa, St. Louis, or Branson.

  • Our goal is to have every Diablos team led by an experienced, knowledgeable coach rather than relying on a parent head coach.

    At a minimum, every head coach will have a strong baseball background, a passion for teaching the game the right way, and a commitment to continued development. I will continue recruiting coaches with collegiate and professional playing experience whenever possible and will keep families informed throughout the process.

    One of the biggest advantages of Diablos Baseball is the coaching support behind the scenes. Through our network of former professional players, our coaching staff has access to high level mentors and resources. Every coach will participate in monthly coaching development sessions, where we'll discuss player development, practice planning, game situations, and teaching techniques. Our goal is simple: continually develop our coaches so they can provide the best possible experience for every player.

  • We understand that many of our players participate in multiple sports, and we fully support well-rounded athletes. At the same time, we believe consistent attendance is an important part of both individual and team development.

    While we ask families to make practices and games a priority whenever possible, we also understand that other commitments will occasionally arise and we are reasonable with expectations.

Training Facilities

 

Olathe Northwest Campus Field
21300 College Blvd
Olathe, KS 66061

 

Official Indoor Training Partner
Premier Baseball
10727 El Monte St, Suite 101
Overland Park, KS 66207