THE FOUNDATION

Past Time Baseball is built on firsthand experience and a commitment to developing complete athletes. In a training landscape filled with constant information and evolving tools, our focus is on helping athletes navigate that environment through targeted repetition, proper movement, and real accountability.

Modern tools are used with purpose; grounded in a mindset built on work, consistency, and attention to detail.

Athletes are developed one rep at a time.

A young man with light skin and brown hair, wearing a Mariners baseball jersey and a red cap, standing with his arms crossed at a baseball game.
Logo with stylized letters P and B in cream, orange, and green colors.

BACKGROUND

Matt Cronin

Founder & Lead Instructor

Harwich Mariners Cape Cod Baseball League 2018

Highschool

A Framingham High School graduate, Matt was a two-sport athlete in both baseball and football, serving as a captain in each and earning league honors in both programs. Following high school, he took a gap year to gain additional exposure before committing to UMass Dartmouth as a dual-sport athlete.

College

During his freshman and sophomore years at UMass Dartmouth, Matt competed in both football and baseball. As a freshman, he served as the closer for the baseball team, earning D3 Team of the Week national honors, while also contributing on the football field as a kick and punt returner, earning Special Teams Player of the Week honors.

Following his freshman season, he played summer baseball for the Dirt Dawgs in the Futures Collegiate Baseball League, where he was selected to the All-Star Team. After his sophomore season, he continued summer play with the Martha’s Vineyard Sharks.

After undergoing Tommy John surgery, Matt spent over a year in rehabilitation, gaining valuable insight into arm care, recovery, and how the body moves. He returned to the field as a starting pitcher and, in his junior season, led the nation in ERA at the Division III level. That year, he earned First Team All-American honors, New England Pitcher of the Year, and Little East Conference Pitcher of the Year.

Following his junior season, Matt competed in the Cape Cod Baseball League with the Harwich Mariners. As a senior, he was named a preseason All-American and earned First Team All-Conference honors.

A baseball player in a white and navy uniform with a cap, preparing to pitch on the mound during a game.
A baseball player in a white and navy uniform with a cap, preparing to pitch on the mound during a game.

Lincoln Salt Dogs; American Association of Professional Baseball 2023

Professional

After graduating, Matt attended an open tryout in Michigan for the United Shore Professional Baseball League. He was signed by the Westside Woolly Mammoths and went on to post a 7–0 record and earn Pitcher of the Year honors.

He later spent time with the Evansville Otters (Frontier League) and the Houston Apollos (American Association), before joining the Lincoln Saltdogs in 2022, where he earned team Rookie of the Year. He continued with the Saltdogs through the 2023 season and also competed with the New England Knockouts of the Frontier League for their 2024 campaign.

During his professional career, Matt also coached within multiple programs and served as the pitching coach at Fitchburg State, continuing to develop players while competing at the professional level.

Coaching & Development

Coaching has been a core part of the process. Alongside his playing career, Matt has worked with athletes across multiple levels, focusing on building repeatable mechanics, improving movement patterns, and developing skills that translate to in-game performance.

His experience includes time serving as the pitching coach at Fitchburg State University, as well as coaching with multiple travel programs in the offseason.

This combination of playing and coaching experience allows for a deeper understanding of the development process. Matt approaches coaching as a student of the game; constantly evolving to meet the needs of his athletes, while valuing the opportunity to learn from them just as much as he coaches them.