FUNDRAISER LIVE Subway Series Raffle — help send the Cadets to Cooperstown. Buy raffle tickets →
Est. 1944 12U Travel Brooklyn · NY

Brooklyn Cadets

Eight decades of Brooklyn baseball — discipline, sportsmanship, and the love of the game. Now on the road to Cooperstown 2026.

Founded
1944
Eighty-plus years strong
Age Group
12U
Travel division
Tryouts
OPEN
Rolling all season
Target
'26
Cooperstown bound
Fundraiser · 2026 Season

The Subway Series Raffle.

We're raffling off a true New York baseball experience to fund the Cadets' 2026 season. Every ticket goes straight into uniforms, field rentals, gear, and getting the boys on the road.

  • Prize: Subway Series experience — full details on Cheddar Up
  • Beneficiary: Brooklyn Cadets 12U · season expenses
  • Tickets: Buy and share directly on Cheddar Up
Buy raffle tickets on Cheddar Up →
Questions about the raffle? hello@brooklyncadetsbaseball.com
Live from GameChanger · Spring 2026

Season pulse.

Full team on GC ↗
Record
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Last Game
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Chapter One — The Heritage

A borough with a swing.

Since 1944, the Cadets have given Brooklyn kids a uniform, a bat, and a reason to believe the next pitch is the one.

Long before stadium lights and synthetic turf, this team was already lacing cleats on the diamonds of Marine Park and Parade Ground. Eighty-plus seasons later, the mission hasn't changed: help every player grow on and off the field through discipline, sportsmanship, and a love for the game.

We're a 12U travel program with a full spring-and-summer slate of serious competitive baseball.

1944
Cadets founded in Brooklyn, NY
1970s
Generations of borough players developed
2024
12U travel program launched
2026
Road to Cooperstown
Brooklyn Cadets 12U baseball players huddled around Coach Jose Franco in royal-blue uniforms before a game — photo by Matthew Bencivenga
No. 01 Pre-game huddle. Cadets. Brooklyn. — Photo by Matthew Bencivenga.
Chapter Two — The Squad

Meet the Cadets.

One uniform. One squad. The Spring 2026 lineup — names and numbers straight from the dugout.

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Team page on GameChanger →
Chapter Three — The Dugout

The dugout.

Eight decades, one mission. Meet the folks building the next chapter of the Cadets.

Assistant Coach
Chris R.

Coordinates the catchers and infield defense. Dugout, bullpen, and bench-line — always present.
Assistant Coach
Michael A.

Works with the pitchers and outfielders. Arm, mechanics, and mindset — session by session.
Featured Coach

The man in the dugout.

Coach Jose Franco leading the Brooklyn Cadets 12U pre-game huddle, players in royal-blue uniforms — photo by Matthew Bencivenga
No. 02 — Coach Jose Franco runs the huddle. Photo by Matthew Bencivenga.
Coach · Brooklyn Cadets 12U

Jose Franco

Decades behind the bench. Dozens of kids developed. Coach Franco blends old-school discipline with modern mindfulness — sound mechanics, situational awareness, and the head trained as hard as the arm.

"Growth over outcomes. Process over perfection. Awareness over anxiety."
  • JV Head Coach · Berkeley Carroll, Park Slope, Brooklyn
  • Pitching Coach · Morris HS — 2008 PSAL B City Champions
  • Travel Ball · Decades developing 12U–18U players
  • Author · "The Power of Now in Baseball" + two more books
Listen to the Coach

The Developmental Gap Podcast

Coach Franco bridges the space between raw talent and disciplined development — for 10U–18U baseball players, parents, and coaches. No clichés. Just the physical and psychological "why" behind how athletes grow.

  • Why most NYC travel programs don't develop players
  • Playing time vs. practice time
  • In-game resetting, present-moment focus, patience
Follow on Instagram ↗ Watch on YouTube ↗
Chapter Four — Game Day

Schedule, stats, and signal.

Live games on GameChanger. Real-time team chat on SportsYou. Everything Cadet families need — one click away.

Game schedule · Live from GameChanger

On the diamond.

Full team on GC ↗
Practices · workouts · team events

Team calendar.

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Live feed · auto-synced from SportsYou
Selective Tryouts · Spring + Summer 2026

Two spots. One Cooperstown.

WANTED · 1–2 ELITE PLAYERS

We're finalizing our Spring/Summer 2026 roster and we have room for one or two elite ballplayers. If your kid can play at the travel-ball level, come to a real Cadets practice, work out with the team, and show us what they've got.

  • Who: 12U — born on or after May 1, 2013
  • When: Any scheduled practice — see the team calendar below
  • Where: Dyker / Bensonhurst Area, Brooklyn, NY
  • Bring: Glove, bat, helmet, cap, water. Uniform: blue athletic gear if you've got it.
Schedule your tryout →
Hablamos español · Questions? hello@brooklyncadetsbaseball.com
EST. 1944 · BROOKLYN, NY · 12U TRAVEL TWO SPOTS LEFT BROOKLYN CADETS · ROAD TO COOPERSTOWN 2026 — rolling tryouts at every Cadets practice — WANTED 1–2 ELITE 12U BALLPLAYERS CADETS · IN GAME Eighty years of Brooklyn baseball. 10–4 last fall. Now hunting two more elite arms or bats to ride with us to Cooperstown 2026. COME WORK OUT WITH THE TEAM. ELIGIBILITY 12U 12 YRS OR YOUNGER · MAY 1, 2026 CUTOFF SCHEDULE YOUR TRYOUT EMAIL TO RSVP hello@brooklyncadetsbaseball.com DYKER / BENSONHURST · BROOKLYN, NY BROOKLYNCADETSBASEBALL.COM Hablamos español · ¿Listo para jugar? Escríbenos.