John Massarelli, who operates the Massarelli Baseball School in Bolivar, is accused in a lawsuit of stealing tens of thousands of dollars in baseball lesson fees and appearing intoxicated while instructing children.
The verified amended complaint was filed Oct. 27 in the Tuscarawas County Court of Common Pleas by MBS Baseball Holdings, LLC — the company that owns and operates baseball training facilities in Bolivar and Akron under the names “Mashfactory Baseball” and “Massarelli Baseball School.”
The filing names Massarelli, of Massillon, as a co-owner of MBS Baseball Holdings along with David Schaub and Michael J. Bunner.
According to the lawsuit, MBS “has learned of serious misconduct committed by Massarelli,” who also served as an instructor. The complaint claims Massarelli “has been bypassing the system by accepting cash for lessons, failing to document the lessons, and withholding the full amount of the payments, without remitting the agreed-upon amount to MBS.”
The company alleges Massarelli stole “as much as $100,000 in cash payments related to MBS’ baseball instruction fees,” which he “was wrongfully keeping off the official MBS records so that he could convert the payments for his personal use.”
The lawsuit also alleges that Massarelli “regularly appeared at the MBS Facility in Bolivar intoxicated and disheveled,” including during an Oct. 19, 2025, incident when he was “teaching lessons to minor children.”
An affidavit filed with the complaint from a bartender at a nearby business states that on Oct. 19, Massarelli entered the MBS facility “appearing already intoxicated,” with his clothes and hair “completely disheveled.” The affiant said she served him a drink and observed him walking around and talking to people. She also stated that she had seen Massarelli in an intoxicated and disheveled state “on a daily basis,” including while he taught lessons to children.
The affidavit concluded that Massarelli’s “appearance and actions” were unprofessional and reflected poorly on both him and the organization.
The court filing says that on Oct. 21, MBS members voted to remove Massarelli “from all authority and participation in the day-to-day management and operations of the company.” The resolution prohibited him from entering MBS property, contacting employees or clients, or accessing company accounts.
That same day, MBS issued a cease-and-desist letter demanding that Massarelli “immediately cease and desist from all activities with or on behalf of MBS” and return company property. The complaint alleges that Massarelli ignored the order, continued coaching sessions with clients, and consumed alcohol on the premises.
The lawsuit includes six counts:
• Breach of duty of loyalty, care, and good faith
• Conversion Unjust enrichment
• Dissociation
• Request for injunctive relief
• Punitive damages
MBS claims Massarelli’s “actions and failures to act involved both acts and omissions undertaken with deliberate intent to cause injury to MBS” and that his conduct was “willful, malicious, with an intent to cause injury, and with a conscious disregard for the rights of others.”
The company seeks damages in excess of $25,000 for multiple counts, punitive damages, attorney fees, and an injunction prohibiting Massarelli from entering MBS facilities, holding himself out as a representative of MBS, or collecting payments from MBS clients.
The case is assigned to Judge Michael J. Ernest in the Tuscarawas County Court of Common Pleas.
