The state of the program for the NH Cannons is a bit unclear heading into 2022 after the recent purchase of the travel program by 3STEP Sports, the nation’s largest youth sports club and event operator. While representatives from other New England baseball clubs or facilities that have partnered with 3STEP -- such as the Seacoast Pirates and New England Baseball Complex -- can attest to the positive long-term impact of the partnership on the sport and its participants, there is certainly a transition period in the aftermath of the purchase.
For the NH Cannons, that transition will include the departure of the club's original director, Bryan Caruso, who started Cannons Baseball in 2006. The Cannons will also relocate from their longtime home at the Concord Sports Center in Concord, N.H. There is no new director currently in place, and the new facility has yet to be determined.
"We've been one thing for more than a decade, and this will be a bit of a change as far as who's in charge," said NH Cannons coach David Brandt. "This was Bryan Caruso's baby. He started it in 2006 and helped hundreds and baseball and softball players go on to play in college. Multiple players have been drafted from the program. So, we're in a transition phase."
A program that has produced MLB Draft picks such as Owen Kellington (4th round, 2021) and Jordan Cote (3rd round, 2011) is expected to eventually benefit from the oversight from 3STEP Sports. The uncertainty leading into 2022 should not be confused for a hostile takeover.
