If you love pitching, you're going to love this episode with Bill Hezel. Bill's coaching journey is unique. He coached college baseball for seven years, while working a full-time job, oftentimes having to sleep in his car in-between practice and work. He eventually took a job at Driveline Baseball where he is now the Director of Pitching, as well as being a pitching consultant to the Philadelphia Phillies. In this episode, Bill gives a behind-the-scenes look at what he does at Driveline, the bes...
Jan 12, 2021•55 min•Ep. 199
Data..It seems that people love it or hate it in baseball. However, I'm here to re-assure you that it's okay to use data. In this episode we have Dave Hyland, currently a Professor of Finance at Xavier University. Dave teaches a Sabermetrics course at Xavier and explains what he teaches his students, and how he got the idea to start the class. If you're someone who is interested in data in baseball, then this is going to be a great episode to listen too! Dave's email: hylandd@xavier.edu Hosted o...
Jan 06, 2021•42 min•Ep. 198
Head Coach at UMBC (University of Maryland Baltimore - County), Liam Bowen, drops by to talk about what it's like taking over a program a D1 program. Liam explains why you need more evidence to convince players to make changes, and why he wants recruits to be curious from a developmental standpoint. Liam took over as head coach at UMBC in late 2019 during the season. He explains how he's transitioning his team's mindset, and why mindset is everything. Lastly, we get into recruiting, how is Liam ...
Dec 22, 2020•54 min•Ep. 197
Currently bench coach for the Minnesota twins. Mike actually went to the same high school that I went to, Moeller High School, and now his son, Luke, is playing at Xavier University, where I graduated from as well. Small world. Mike started out as a Manager in the minor leagues for the Diamondback. He also served as a field coordinator, and was the director of player development for the Arizona Diamondbacks for the last 7 years prior to getting the job with the Twins in 2020.In this episode Mike...
Dec 15, 2020•34 min•Ep. 197
After graduating from college Matt didn’t immediately get into coaching. He started as a car salesman. After doing that for a year he became an assistant coach at East Georgia College. After one year he was promoted to Head Coach, a title he retained for the next three. Matt then made the decision to become the volunteer at Miami, Oh. After one season he was promoted to Pitching Coach. In this episode you will learn what a D1 pitching coach is looking for when he is out recruiting, how he develo...
Dec 08, 2020•49 min•Ep. 196
Loved talking shop with one of the best hitting minds in the game, Darin Everson, Hitting Coordinator of the Colorado Rockies. In this episode we talk about how we as coaches can help players become their own hitting coach, home schooling his son, Jared, while he was managing for the Rockies in 2016, and the importance of teaching players to “be where your feet are at”. Marv Training Bands marvtraining.com Darin's website: www.elitebaseballacademy.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for m...
Dec 01, 2020•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 195
Current hitting coach of the Chicago Cubs stops by the podcast to discuss a variety of topics. Anthony has coached in the minor leagues, was a coordinator, and now a coach at the big league level. In this episode he gives advice on how help players during a season, working with players from different countries, and what he noticed watching players in the Dominican Republic train. If you're interested in having Anthony speak to your team via zoom please send him a DM on Twitter @anthonyiapoce Hos...
Nov 24, 2020•56 min•Ep. 194
Mechanics, lifting, defense, and hitting are all fun things to talk about. However, one of the most overlooked things in player development is nutrition. On this episode we have Brandon Guyer, former MLB player who is now a certified nutritionist. Brandon gives example of some things that he would do to help with nutrition on the road during his career. We also talk about the mental game, and how nutrition plays a role in that, and lastly Brandon gives advice on what kinds of food and nutrients ...
Nov 17, 2020•40 min•Ep. 193
Imagine getting cut from 3 different teams within 10 days?! That's what happened to Adam Rosales, former big leaguer, who is currently coaching in the Oakland Athletics organization. In this episode Adam gives tips on what helped him mentally stay in the moment throughout his career, why he sprinted around the bases after a HR, and tips for up and coming hitters who want to continue to play at a high level. Adam’s website: https://www.baseballutility.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy f...
Nov 10, 2020•44 min•Ep. 192
Another route to get to the big leagues is through Independent Baseball. In this episode we have the hitting coach for the Fargo - Moorhead Redhawks, Anthony Renz. Anthony explains his experience in Independent Baseball and talks about some of the similarities and differences between it and MiLB. I personally played Independent Baseball and realized just how good the competition is. For some of these teams they have several players who will go BACK to the big leagues at some point. We also talk ...
Nov 03, 2020•54 min•Ep. 191
Colter Bostick is currently a pitching coach in San Antonio, Texas. Colter trains pitchers in all facets of the game and emphasizes a holistic training approach for his players. In this episode we talk about Colter's background as a player and how that shaped his coaching philosophy, what happens when a player starts working with Colter, arm injuries for youth players, and what he see's from a pitching perspective when watching pitchers in the World Series. Colter's Twitter: @maximized_bsb Hoste...
Oct 28, 2020•55 min•Ep. 190
After embarking on a 16-year career as a professional baseball player, Andy Tracy decided to transition into a manager. He's currently the Triple-A Columbus Indians Manager in the Cleveland Indians organization. Andy not only played professionally in the United States but also spent several years playing winter ball in Latin America, as well as playing a season in Japan. In this episode, Andy talks about his journey as a hitter, what he thinks of today's game, and his coaching philosophy. Hosted...
Oct 20, 2020•42 min•Ep. 189
Matt Lisle has coached at various levels in baseball and softball. Along with being a private instructor, he has coached travel baseball, high school, NAIA, Div 3, Div 2, Div 1, MLB. While he was busy coaching at various levels he also amassed a big following online (over 1 million followers). In this episode, you will learn about Matt's coaching philosophy, the differences between Softball and Baseball, and some ways that amateur baseball can be better. You can follow Matt across all social med...
Oct 13, 2020•51 min•Ep. 188
Ty Moore is currently the Director of Player Development at Gardner Webb University. After a great career at UCLA that included a National Championship his Freshman year, Ty was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 12th round. In this episode Ty talks about his experience as a Bruin, what west coast baseball is all about, what pro ball is like in an organization and in Indy Ball, and we go over his role as Director of Player Development at Gardner Webb. Follow Gardner Webb on Twitter: @gwuba...
Oct 07, 2020•52 min•Ep. 187
A great way to develop hitters is by providing them immediate feedback. HitTrax does exactly that. HitTrax is a data company that captures several metrics regarding every batted ball a hitter hits. In this episode we bring on the CEO and founder Mike Donfrancesco. We get into Mike's background, how he actually was able to build the system itself, and what are some of the exciting things that he has in store for the company in the near future! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more infor...
Sep 29, 2020•30 min•Ep. 186
Catching! Arguably the most important defensive position on the diamond. However, what does it take to truly make a good catcher? Is it a strong arm? Blocking? Framing? I decided to stop guessing and bring on an expert. Tyler Goodro is the founder of Goodro Catching . A facility in Omaha, Nebraska where he works on teaching catchers of all ages the nuances about the position. In this episode he takes us through his background as a catcher, helping players with the recruiting process, pop time, a...
Sep 22, 2020•57 min•Ep. 185
Tyler Jeske – Currently MiLB Hitting Coach Los Angeles Angels, Co-founder of Slugfest Chase Rowe former Detroit Tigers MiLB Hitting Coach. Founder of Pittsburgh Spikes - Travel Baseball organization. Tyler and Chase are teaming up to push player development to a new level. Tyler recently moved to Pittsburgh to join Chase in opening up a new facility called Battleground Baseball Group. They want to provide an environment where all coaches are working together to provide a better learning environm...
Sep 15, 2020•43 min•Ep. 184
Attention all Pitchers! This week we have an outstanding pitching coach on the show! Jared Gaynor, is currently a pitching coach in the Minnesota Twins organization. He also has a business where he works with pitchers remotely to improve their mechanics, in-game strategy, and movement. In this episode we talk about different drills you can be doing to improve your pitching mechanics, how to use weighted balls, and when you should start to work on pitch tunneling. Jared Gaynor contact: Email: inf...
Sep 09, 2020•35 min•Ep. 183
We have an outstanding hitting coach on the podcast this week. Justin Dedman is currently the hitting coach at Miami OH. However, he has coached at every level of college baseball except JUCO and Played college baseball at Dennison University. He was head coach at Dennison University, Volunteer Assistant at Austin Peay University and director of baseball operations at Ole Miss University, assistant coach at Lee University, and now assistant coach at Miami (OH) University. In this episode we talk...
Sep 01, 2020•49 min•Ep. 182
We don't have many episodes with current players. However, this week was an exception. This weeks episode features Dai Dai Otaka, currently and infielder at John Hopkins University. Dai Dai may still be a player but his curiosity and internal motivation have made him a coach on the field. I enjoyed this conversation as we talked about Dai Dai's background, the infield position, and how to set up a practice so your players will develop and have fun! Make sure to check out Dai Dai on Twitter: @dai...
Aug 25, 2020•38 min•Ep. 181
Nutrition, sleep, and strength training are apart of every professional athletes lifestyle. Players at younger levels should be prioritizing the same things. On this episode we welcome on Connor Derrickson, strength and conditioning coach in the Minnesota Twins organization. Connor takes a holistic approach to training athletes and gives us a breakdown on some ways to go about your training! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Aug 19, 2020•44 min•Ep. 180
How can we give back through this great game of baseball? On this episode I decided to bring on the disability consultant for the Baltimore Orioles, Bryce Weiler. Bryce is also the founder of the Beautiful Lives Project. A non-profit that aims to give people with disabilities the opportunity to participate in activities such as playing in baseball games that may not have been available to them previously due to physical or facility limitations. If you're interested in helping please reach out to...
Aug 11, 2020•22 min•Ep. 179
Baserunning! A topic that is not talked about enough but is so crucial to having a successful offense. No better way to talk about baserunning than bring on one of the best at teaching it in the game, Matt Talarico. Matt is currently the baserunning coordinator and MiLB Hitting Coach for the New York Yankees. In this episode, he talks about coaches who influenced him early on, how he became obsessed with baserunning, and some tips to help players steal more bags! Credits parents for allowing him...
Aug 04, 2020•54 min•Ep. 178
Developing an offense that produces runs. At the end of the day, this is what really matters, not mechanics, stances, etc. Can your team produce runs?! In this episode, we bring on the man who is an expert in helping teams dominate on offense, Todd Guilliams. Todd is currently the Volunteer Assistant at the University of Kentucky. Prior coaching stops include Eastern Kentucky, Emery Riddle on and off for 23 years, Dallas Baptist, Valdosta State, and Western Carolina. He has now been at the Unive...
Jul 28, 2020•1 hr•Ep. 177
This episode has value for everyone. You want to become a better Hitter? Catcher? Teammate? Coach? If you said 'Yes' to any of those then you'll want to stick around and hear my episode with Michael McKenry. Michael is a former MLB catcher who played in the big leagues for seven years. Looking back on his career they're some things he wished he would've done differently as a a hitter, and he he shares those in this episode. We also talk about being a defensive first catcher, giving players the m...
Jul 21, 2020•53 min•Ep. 176
This week we welcome on former MLB pitcher and current Director of Pitching Development at The Ohio State University, Brad Goldberg. Brad returns to Ohio State after pitching for the Buckeyes during his collegiate career. He was named third team All-Big Ten selection in 2013, went 6-1 with a 2.99 earned-run average in 15 starts before being selected in the 10th round of the 2013 MLB draft. During the last few years of his playing career he started to use analytics and immediately saw the impact ...
Jul 14, 2020•49 min•Ep. 175
Travel Baseball is back! This week we welcome on the head coach for 17u Canes National team, Jeff Petty. In this episode Jeff talks about the summer baseball circuit. The pros and cons of college recruiting, and how the recruiting circuit can improve? One of the things that I really like about Jeff and his team is they make a point to push development; renting a field before the tournament starts to practice, and bringing a pitching machine along with them on the road, are a few of the ways they...
Jul 07, 2020•39 min•Ep. 174
I didn't forget about the guy behind the dish! So many times we forget about arguably the most important position player on the field, the catcher. The guy who takes control of the game and leads by example. In this episode, we bring on Xan Barksdale, the founder of catching-101.com . Xan is a former division 1 college baseball coach at Lousiville and East Tennessee State. After coaching college baseball for nine years he decided that in order to help more players he needed to take advantage of ...
Jun 29, 2020•45 min•Ep. 173
What qualifies someone to get a job in professional baseball? Where do you apply? In this episode we bring on Ari Adut, who is currently an MiLB hitting coach in the New York Yankees organization. For the previous five years Ari coached at Los Angles Valley College, a JUCO, where Ari served as the hitting coach as well as the strength and conditioning coach. In this episode Ari talks about how he was approached by several MLB organizations while he was coaching JUCO baseball. He gives tips for a...
Jun 23, 2020•56 min•Ep. 172
Pitching Coach and recruiting coordinator at the University of Cincinnati. - Not going to clone pitchers, just want to understand where they’re coming from - Mobility Assessments - Long toss program with Jaeger bands. Don’t put limits on your arm! - Key to recruiting – building relationships with high school, summer baseball coaches. - Once they start to get stronger, they’re able to make mechanical changes. - Let them come in and pitch during their Freshman fall, start to make changes if necess...
Jun 17, 2020•45 min•Ep. 171
