A veteran of 27 seasons as a Major League Baseball scout, Scott Trcka has been hired in April 2019 as the Director of Player Personnel and Development for the Northwest Indiana Oilmen. In his role, Trcka assembles the roster and fosters relationships with schools, players and coaches. He also serves as the team’s bench coach and catching instructor.
Trcka brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the position after his long tenure as a big league scout. Most recently, the Hobart native was an area supervisor for the Philadelphia Phillies in 2016 after serving as the club’s Midwest supervisor from 2013-2015. Trcka’s big league scouting career also included a stint as an area supervisor for the New York Mets from 2006-2012 and time as a pro scout, eastern crosschecker and area supervisor with the San Diego Padres from 2002-2005. He broke into Major League Baseball with his first stint in the Phillies organization from 1989-2001, serving first as an area supervisor and then as an eastern crosschecker.
In addition to his major league experience, Trcka covered winter ball in the Dominican Republic from 1998-2001. In 2005, he was assigned four major league clubs in spring training along with 24 minor league teams during the season. In 2007, he spent two weeks in Japan covering the professional baseball there.
His track record of success is highlighted by the signing of Scott Rolen, a seven-time major league All-Star and eight-time Gold Glove Award winner. Rolen was selected in the second round of the 1993 draft. Trcka also signed the following Major League players as an area supervisor: Steve Parris (1989, fifth), Gary Bennett (1990, 11th), Mike Grace (1991, 10th), Tony Fiore (1992, 28th), David Doster (1993, 27th), Kevin Sefcik (1993, 33rd), Jason Boyd (1994, eighth) and Kevin Plawecki (2012, first, 35th overall selection).
His impressive resume also includes recommending the following major league players as a crosschecker: Pat Burrell, Jason Michaels, Jorge Padilla, Brett Myers, Marlon Byrd, Gavin Floyd, Khalil Greene, Tim Stauffer, Colt Morton, Dirk Hayhurst and Aaron Nola.
During Trcka’s youth, his late father Dick inspired him to pursue a career in baseball. Dick was a legendary coach at Calumet High School in Hammond. He assembled over 200 victories and enjoyed seven winning seasons including the school’s first sectional title in 1982 before passing away in 1986. Calumet’s baseball field was named in his honor.