Dugout Dish Baseball Recruiting Podcast powered by EMD Baseball

Velocity gets attention. But in 2026 it is no longer enough to get you recruited. In this episode of Dugout Dish, Andy and Keith share what college baseball coaches have been telling them directly this summer and fall about what they are actually prioritizing in the recruiting process right now — and the picture that emerges is one where defense, athleticism, and the ability to do multiple things well have become just as important as any individual tool or metric a player can put on a recruiting profile. What we cover: What college coaches across multiple levels have been communicating to Andy and Keith directly about the recruiting process this summer and fall and why the feedback is consistent enough to be a genuine trend rather than an isolated opinion Why velocity alone is no longer a sufficient calling card for pitchers in the college baseball recruiting process and what coaches expect to see alongside it What the complete picture of a recruited pitcher looks like right now — the ability to control the strike zone, command secondary pitches, throw strikes with every pitch in the arsenal, field the position, and hold runners effectively Why coaches are recruiting pitchers who can do all of those things rather than pure velocity arms who cannot execute in game situations How athleticism has become an increasingly valued quality in the recruiting process and why coaches specifically seek out multi-dimensional athletes who give them flexibility on the roster Why athletic players allow coaches to solve defensive problems more creatively — moving players around the field to put the best defense on the diamond rather than being locked into one configuration The growing and unmistakable priority on defense in college baseball recruiting — why coaches across the country are placing more emphasis on defensive ability than they have in years and what is driving that shift Why the middle of the field — shortstop, second base, centerfield, and catcher — is where coaches are placing the highest defensive premium in the current recruiting environment Why coaches in the current roster construction landscape will not sacrifice defense for a bat — why a player who can hit but cannot field is a roster liability when you are limited to 34 players on a D1 roster What every recruit needs to understand about how their defense is being evaluated and how it directly impacts their recruiting opportunities at every division level Whether your son is a pitcher trying to get to the next level or a position player building his recruiting profile — this episode tells you exactly what coaches are prioritizing right now and what you need to be working on to get their attention. New episodes of Dugout Dish drop every week. Subscribe so you never miss recruiting and development intel that could change your player's future. Gloves - www.kaligloves.com Diamond College Showcase Camps - www.diamondcollegeshowcase.com Chapters (00:00:02) - Intro and Cali Gloves Sponsor (00:00:57) - Catching Up and Episode Preview (00:02:34) - Velocity vs. Other Pitching Skills in Recruiting (00:04:08) - Pitching Fundamentals Coaches Demand (Holds, Looks, Game Management) (00:07:53) - Learning to Pitch in College Games and the Portal (00:11:19) - College Strike Zones and Stretch Command (00:14:23) - Reading Runners, Lefty Reads, and Tight Games (00:16:51) - Athleticism and Defense at a Premium (00:19:59) - Diamond College Showcase Sponsor (00:20:54) - Defense as the Fastest Path to Playing Time (00:25:42) - Position Flexibility and Moving Around the Field (00:28:45) - Standards and Expectations at the College Level (00:31:33) - Playing Hard and Hustle as Non-Negotiable (00:35:40) - Timing Everything: Coaches Tracking Effort (00:40:08) - Body Language and First Impressions in Recruiting (00:42:59) - Wrap-Up and Closing Thoughts (00:44:09) - Outro and Subscribe Info

Most baseball recruits show up to a tournament, play their games, and hope a coach was watching. The recruits who get recruited do something different — they do the work before the weekend even starts to make sure the right coaches know exactly where to find them and they show up physically and mentally ready to perform at their best when it matters most. In this episode of Dugout Dish, Andy and Keith walk through everything a recruit should be doing in the days leading up to a fall, spring, or summer tournament to maximize their recruiting exposure and make the most of every weekend on the schedule. What we cover: • Why pre-tournament preparation is one of the most consistently overlooked and most impactful parts of the college baseball recruiting process • How to get your tournament schedule in front of college coaches before the weekend begins — why waiting until you arrive at the field is too late and what to do instead • The best channels for getting your schedule out to coaches — email, text, and social media — and how to use each one effectively depending on where you are in the relationship with a particular program • What to include in your pre-tournament outreach to coaches — your schedule, recent stats, updated video from recent games, and how to package all of it in a way that is easy for a busy coach to quickly digest • How to put together a recruiting email that actually motivates a college coach to add your field to their evaluation schedule for the weekend • What recent game video to include in your outreach and how to make it as easy as possible for coaches to find, watch, and evaluate quickly from their phone or laptop • Physical preparation in the days leading into a tournament weekend — how to get your necessary work in without leaving your best performance on a practice field before the games that actually count • Rest and recovery before the tournament — why sleep, nutrition, and hydration in the two to three days before a big weekend matter as much as anything you do between the white lines • Why playing hard every single inning of every single game regardless of the score, the situation, or whether you think a coach is watching is the single most important habit a recruit can develop on the tournament circuit • The competitive mindset every recruit needs to bring to a tournament weekend where coaches may be watching from anywhere in the complex at any moment Whether your son has a fall tournament coming up this weekend or is planning for a big spring or summer showcase run — this episode is the complete pre-tournament checklist that every recruit and family should go through before every single event on the schedule. New episodes of Dugout Dish drop every week. Subscribe so you never miss recruiting and development intel that could change your player's future. Gloves - www.kaligloves.com Diamond College Showcase Camps - www.diamondcollegeshowcase.com Chapters (00:00:02) - Intro & Cali Gloves Sponsor (00:01:18) - Preparing for Fall Tournaments (00:03:45) - What Coaches Need to Know Ahead of Games (00:06:13) - Diamond College Showcase Sponsor (00:07:09) - Knowing Who to Contact & Getting Vouched For (00:08:11) - Leveraging Social Media and Outreach (00:10:09) - Taking Ownership of the Process (00:11:31) - Closing Banter (00:12:17) - Outro & Show Info

The college baseball recruiting timeline for the 2028 class looks dramatically different from previous cycles at this same point — and coming out of the Perfect Game tournament in Fort Myers, the evidence is impossible to ignore. In this episode of Dugout Dish, Andy and Keith sit down with Elite National’s Jonathan Grosse to break down exactly why college coaches are taking significantly more time in the 2028 recruiting process, what is driving that shift, and why the change is ultimately making the college baseball ecosystem healthier and more functional at every level from D1 all the way down to JUCO and NAIA. What we cover: What Jonathan Grosse and the Elite National staff are observing on the recruiting trail coming out of Perfect Game Fort Myers and what it tells us about where the 2028 recruiting cycle actually stands right now How the current state of 2028 commitments and offers compares to where previous recruiting classes were at this same point in the calendar — and why the gap is significant Why the new NCAA roster limits and scholarship rule changes are the primary driver behind coaches slowing down their recruiting timelines across all of college baseball Why the hard D1 roster cap of 34 players has fundamentally changed how coaches think about every single recruiting decision — and why missing on an evaluation now carries a cost it simply did not carry before How coaches are shifting their approach from filling their recruiting class by Thanksgiving to making sure they have done enough evaluation to make the best possible decision for their roster Why a longer and more deliberate recruiting timeline is actually a healthier outcome for players, for programs, and for the overall college baseball ecosystem compared to the rushed commitments that defined previous cycles How the shift in D1 recruiting timelines creates a trickle down effect into D2, D3, JUCO, and NAIA programs — what it means at every level of the college baseball landscape and how families navigating those divisions should be thinking about it What 2028 families specifically should be doing right now given the new reality of a longer and more deliberate recruiting cycle — and why the slower timeline is an opportunity rather than a problem What this new recruiting norm means for the 2029 class and beyond as coaches, players, and families across college baseball adjust to the post roster cap landscape Whether your son is in the 2028 class wondering why things feel slower than expected or a 2029 family trying to understand what the process will look like for them — this episode gives you the most current and most informed picture of where college baseball recruiting actually stands right now. New episodes of Dugout Dish drop every week. Subscribe so you never miss recruiting and development intel that could change your player's future. Gloves - www.kaligloves.com Diamond College Showcase Camps - www.diamondcollegeshowcase.com Chapters (00:00:02) - Intro and Cali Gloves Ad (00:00:57) - Welcome and Guest Introduction (00:01:50) - Fort Myers Recap and Slower Recruiting Trend (00:02:53) - 2028 Class: Uncommitted Talent and Changing Dynamics (00:07:14) - Why Commitment Numbers Are Misleading (00:10:32) - Elite Programs Not Rushing, No More FOMO (00:12:01) - National Recruiting and Big Tournament Evaluations (00:14:16) - Velocity Alone No Longer Guarantees Offers (00:17:34) - Small Sample Sizes and Patience from Coaches (00:18:33) - Roster Limits, Character Fit, and Healthier Recruiting (00:21:11) - Perspective: It's Not Doom and Gloom (00:23:12) - Portal Impact and Longer Recruiting Timelines (00:26:10) - Portal as Reaction, Not Strategy (00:28:42) - Trickle Down Effect to D2/D3 Recruiting (00:31:07) - Diamond College Showcase Ad (00:32:09) - Command and Pitchability Over Raw Velocity (00:37:09) - Hitters Adapting to Velocity, Risk of Wild Arms (00:42:07) - Coaches Watching Results Over Radar Guns (00:45:26) - Finding Out Who Truly Loves to Play (00:51:12) - Defense as a Non-Negotiable Recruiting Tool (00:54:34) - Run Prevention Wins Games (01:00:45) - Elite Defense and Game-Changing Plays (01:07:36) - Every Out Counts: Closing Thoughts on the Game (01:11:07) - Final Advice and Sign Off

The Save College Sports Act passed the United States Senate last week — and with it moving to the House for a vote, college athletics may be on the verge of its most significant legislative moment in the history of the sport. In this episode of Dugout Dish, Andy and Keith break down exactly what the bill says, why it matters, and what it could mean specifically for college baseball and the families navigating the recruiting process right now if it is ultimately codified into law. What we cover: What the Save College Sports Act actually says and why its passage through the Senate marks a turning point in the long running legal and legislative battle over the future of college athletics What happens next as the bill moves to the House of Representatives for a vote and what the path to becoming law actually looks like from here How the bill addresses NIL payments at the college level — what changes for athletes, what changes for programs, and how it differs from the current landscape that has existed since the House settlement The limited anti-trust exemption granted to the NCAA under the bill — what it means in practice and why giving the NCAA the ability to make rules that cannot be challenged in court is one of the most consequential and most debated elements of the entire legislation How the five year eligibility rule that was passed last year is codified into law under this bill and what that means for the long term stability of college baseball rosters and recruiting timelines The one time transfer exemption included in the bill and the sit out requirement for athletes who want to transfer a second time — how it reshapes the transfer portal landscape that has defined college baseball roster construction for the last several years What the bill says about coaches leaving programs and what protections or limitations it creates around staff movement at the college level How Olympic sports are protected under the bill and why that protection matters for the broader health of college athletics beyond the revenue sports Andy and Keith's honest thoughts on what the Save College Sports Act could specifically do for college baseball — the rosters, the recruiting process, the NIL landscape, and the overall health of the sport — if it makes it through the House and is signed into law This is the most consequential piece of college athletics legislation in decades — and whether it passes or fails the conversation it has started will shape college baseball for years to come. New episodes of Dugout Dish drop every week. Subscribe so you never miss recruiting and development intel that could change your player's future. Gloves - www.kaligloves.com Diamond College Showcase Camps - www.diamondcollegeshowcase.com Chapters (00:00:02) - Intro and Cali Gloves Sponsor (00:00:57) - Protect College Sports Act Overview (00:02:26) - NIL Framework and Transfer Rules (00:04:38) - Eligibility Window and Transfer Details (00:06:33) - Conference Realignment, Olympic Sports, NCAA Antitrust (00:09:11) - Diamond College Showcase Camps Sponsor (00:10:14) - House Process and Impact Discussion (00:12:57) - Final Thoughts and Closing

The college baseball recruiting landscape looks different in the fall of 2026 than it did just a few years ago — and the families who understand how and why it has changed are the ones who will navigate the next twelve months most successfully. In this episode of Dugout Dish, Andy and Keith break down two of the most important and most talked about topics in the college baseball recruiting world right now — the timeline for the 2028 class and what families actually need to know about the 5-for-5 eligibility rule now that it is in practice at the college level. What we cover: The current state of college baseball recruiting heading into the fall of 2026 and how the landscape has shifted under the new NCAA rules over the last few years The 2028 class timeline — why there are still a significant number of college baseball spots available and why that availability will continue well into the spring, summer, and fall of 2027 Why the recruiting cycle has slowed meaningfully under the new NCAA contact and evaluation rules and what that change means for players and families who feel behind in the process right now How a slower recruiting cycle actually benefits players by giving them more time to develop physically and be evaluated by coaches later in the process than was previously possible Why being recruited later in the cycle can lead to better program fits and better overall outcomes for both the player and the coaching staff doing the recruiting The 5-for-5 eligibility rule in real world practice — what it actually looks like now that it has been implemented at the college level and how programs are adapting to it Why having five years of eligibility available under the new rule does not mean five years of playing time is in any way guaranteed — and what that distinction means for how recruits should be thinking about their college decision What the 5-for-5 rule actually means for high school recruits who are making decisions right now about where to commit and why understanding the rule in practice is more important than understanding it on paper How 2028 families specifically should be thinking about both of these topics as they enter the fall recruiting season and what actions make the most sense right now based on where the market actually stands What Andy and Keith specifically recommend for every 2028 family who is either feeling the pressure to be further along or is unsure what to be doing between now and next spring Whether your son is a 2028 recruit just getting started or a family that has been in the process for a while and is trying to make sense of a recruiting landscape that keeps changing — this episode gives you the honest, current, and practical perspective you need heading into the fall. New episodes of Dugout Dish drop every week. Subscribe so you never miss recruiting and development intel that could change your player's future. Gloves - www.kaligloves.com Diamond College Showcase Camps - www.diamondcollegeshowcase.com Chapters (00:00:02) - Intro & Sponsor: Cali Gloves (00:00:57) - Welcome to the Dugout Dish (00:02:08) - Don't Panic: Recruiting Timelines for 2028s (00:03:20) - Recruiting Trickle-Down & Why There's No Rush (00:07:02) - Sponsor: Diamond College Showcase Camps (00:08:04) - Social Media Comparison and Recruiting Anxiety (00:09:36) - Recruiting Never Really Stops (00:12:06) - Explaining the New 5-for-5 Eligibility Rule (00:14:13) - Fifth Year Isn't Guaranteed: Roster Realities (00:17:28) - Ivy League and Division 3 Restrictions (00:19:25) - Financial and Academic Angles of a Fifth Year (00:24:37) - Portal Impact and Coaches' Tough Conversations (00:27:25) - Playoff Baseball vs College Baseball Parallels (00:30:45) - Small Margins and Strategy in the Playoffs (00:33:54) - Replay Challenges and Umpiring in Playoffs (00:35:01) - Closing Thoughts and Outro

The SAT and ACT are not just admissions requirements — for baseball recruits they are recruiting and financial aid tools that most families are not fully using to their advantage. In this episode of Dugout Dish, Andy and Keith break down how standardized test scores impact the admissions and recruiting process, why some schools are returning to test mandatory policies, and why getting a score on the books well before your spring baseball season is one of the most important and most overlooked steps in the entire recruiting process. What we cover: How the SAT and ACT actually function in the college admissions process for baseball recruits and why they matter beyond just satisfying an entry requirement Why a strong standardized test score can unlock meaningful merit scholarship money at schools on your son's list — and how families who skip the test or delay it are often leaving significant financial aid on the table without realizing it The difference between using a test score to satisfy an admissions requirement and using it strategically to maximize the financial aid package your family receives Why some colleges and universities are moving back toward test mandatory admissions policies and why that trend makes getting a score more important now than it has been in recent years How to find out which schools on your son's list are currently test mandatory, test optional, or test flexible so you can plan accordingly Why scheduling your SAT or ACT now — before the spring high school baseball season begins — is the single most important thing you can do to protect both your son's testing timeline and his baseball season How to use your first test attempt as a baseline score to honestly evaluate whether your son needs to retest and how to plan retesting around the baseball calendar The best times of year for baseball recruits to take the SAT or ACT and the windows to avoid entirely because of conflicts with the spring season and summer showcase circuit Why waiting too long to address standardized testing costs recruits admissions options, scholarship money, and recruiting leverage they did not know they were losing What Andy and Keith specifically recommend every baseball recruit do right now to get ahead of the testing calendar and make sure testing never becomes a problem in the recruiting process Whether your son has never taken a standardized test or has a score he is not sure is strong enough — this episode gives your family the complete picture of how to use the SAT and ACT as a recruiting and financial aid advantage rather than just another item on a checklist. New episodes of Dugout Dish drop every week. Subscribe so you never miss recruiting and development intel that could change your player's future. Gloves - www.kaligloves.com Diamond College Showcase Camps - www.diamondcollegeshowcase.com Chapters (00:00:02) - Intro & Cali Gloves Ad (00:01:18) - Test Mandatory Trends at Academic Schools (00:03:45) - Diamond College Showcase Ad (00:04:41) - Timing Your Testing Strategy (00:06:27) - Test Scores' Role in Admissions & Merit Aid (00:08:46) - Wrap Up & Outro

Most baseball recruits spend the fall and offseason focused entirely on what they are doing on the field — but the players who separate themselves between now and next spring are the ones who are also taking care of everything that happens off it. In this episode of Dugout Dish, Andy and Keith break down the non-baseball things every recruit should be prioritizing this fall and offseason to put themselves in the strongest possible academic, physical, and recruiting position heading into next spring and summer. What we cover: School list creation — why building a solid and well-researched list of target programs right now gives you a head start on outreach over the winter and into the spring recruiting season How to research schools and programs to make sure your list reflects the right academic and athletic fit for where you are in the process and what you are looking for in a college experience Nutrition and hydration — why what you eat and drink this offseason has a direct and measurable impact on your body composition and your performance by the time spring baseball starts Sleep and recovery — why prioritizing rest and recovery during the offseason is one of the highest leverage investments a player can make in his own development and why most players dramatically underestimate its importance Academics — why your grades this fall semester matter for your recruiting options, what coaches look for academically, and what to do right now if your GPA needs to improve SAT and ACT dates — why signing up for a test date this fall gives you the time to get a score, evaluate it, and retake if necessary before the spring baseball season consumes your schedule entirely Why the spring season and summer showcase circuit are the absolute worst times to be focused on standardized testing and how poor planning around test dates costs recruits options they do not even realize they are losing Staying in communication with the coaches you have already talked to — why going silent on programs that have shown interest in your son over the winter is one of the most damaging and most common mistakes recruits make during the offseason How to stay consistently on a coach's radar throughout the winter and early spring without being overwhelming or coming across as desperate What a productive and intentional fall and offseason looks like for a baseball recruit who wants to be in a significantly stronger recruiting position by the time next summer arrives Whether your son has offers on the table or is still building his list — the work he does off the field this fall could be the difference between a strong spring recruiting season and one that starts from scratch. New episodes of Dugout Dish drop every week. Subscribe so you never miss recruiting and development intel that could change your player's future. Gloves - www.kaligloves.com Diamond College Showcase Camps - www.diamondcollegeshowcase.com Chapters (00:00:02) - Sponsor: Cali Gloves (00:00:57) - Intro and Episode Focus (00:01:19) - Why Non-Development Factors Matter (00:03:45) - Building a School List (00:08:15) - Key Questions for Curating Your List (00:11:35) - Visiting Campuses Proactively (00:15:03) - Sponsor: Diamond College Showcase (00:16:24) - Standardized Testing Strategy (SAT/ACT) (00:21:19) - Don't Delay Test Dates (00:22:45) - Watching College Fall Scrimmages (00:26:26) - Cardines Field and Baseball History Tangent (00:31:31) - Value of Expanded Fall Scrimmages (00:33:25) - Sleep, Nutrition, and Recovery Habits (00:38:10) - Academics and Classroom Effort (00:41:40) - Maintaining Coach Communication (00:44:31) - Closing Remarks and Outro

Football and basketball recruits have been posting their offers, official visits, and commitment announcements on social media for years — and that culture is now making its way into college baseball recruiting in a significant way. In this episode of Dugout Dish, Andy and Keith take on one of the newest and most talked about trends among today's high school baseball players and offer their honest, candid, and sometimes differing opinions on what recruits should be sharing on social media during the recruiting process and what they should think twice about before posting. What we cover: How social media has fundamentally changed the way today's student athletes are able to share their accomplishments and broadcast their recruiting journey to a wider audience than ever before The growing trend of baseball recruits posting official visit schedules and offer announcements on social media platforms and how it mirrors the culture that has existed in football and basketball recruiting for years Why this trend is still relatively new and still somewhat divisive in the baseball recruiting world compared to other sports Andy's honest and personal take on the trend — what he thinks players gain from posting their recruiting journey publicly and where he sees potential pitfalls Keith's perspective and where he agrees and disagrees — the conversation between two people with different opinions on the same topic makes for one of the most genuinely useful episodes for families trying to form their own view How college coaches actually process and react to seeing recruits post offers and official visits on social media — and what it communicates about a player's character and priorities The legitimate upside of social media visibility during the recruiting process and how strategic posting can actually increase a recruit's exposure to programs that may not have known about him yet The potential downside that most players are not thinking about before they hit post — what can go wrong and how a post can create complications in the recruiting process Practical and specific advice for baseball recruits on what kinds of content to post, what to avoid entirely, and how to use social media as a tool that helps rather than hurts their recruitment How to think about social media during the recruiting process not just as a platform for sharing but as a representation of who you are to every coach who looks you up Whether your son is posting his recruiting journey publicly or staying quiet and wondering if he should be doing more — this episode gives every player and family the perspective they need to make a smart and intentional decision about social media during the process. New episodes of Dugout Dish drop every week. Subscribe so you never miss recruiting and development intel that could change your player's future. Gloves - www.kaligloves.com Diamond College Showcase Camps - www.diamondcollegeshowcase.com Chapters (00:00:02) - Intro: Cali Gloves Sponsor (00:00:57) - Welcome to the Show (00:01:19) - Social Media Recruiting Trends: Setting Up the Topic (00:01:37) - Posting Visit Schedules and Offers - Initial Take (00:03:52) - Diamond College Showcase Sponsor (00:04:20) - Counterpoint: Understanding Why Kids Post (00:05:51) - Coach and Program Perspectives on Offers (00:07:12) - Consequences of Breaking Coach Trust (00:09:38) - Baseball Trending Like Football in Recruiting Culture (00:10:38) - Closing Thoughts and Sign-off

The youth baseball years are where the foundation of a player's relationship with the sport is built — and the decisions families make during those years, from travel teams and organizations to the conversations that happen after every game, have a lasting impact on whether a young player falls more in love with the game or slowly starts to pull away from it. In this episode of Dugout Dish, Andy and Keith have one of their most important and most personal conversations yet about youth baseball, parent mindset, and what it genuinely takes to help a young player develop a healthy, sustainable, and joyful relationship with baseball during the years that matter most. What we cover: When to get into travel baseball and what should actually be driving that decision for your family rather than what everyone else around you is doing How to evaluate travel teams and organizations during the development years and what qualities matter most when choosing the people you surround your son with at a young age The parent mindset — how to actively support and facilitate your son's baseball journey without consciously or unconsciously making it your own Why understanding that this journey belongs to your son and not to you is the single most important shift a baseball parent can make — and how to actually live that out in practice How to help your son build a healthy and genuine relationship with the sport so that he still loves showing up, loves competing, and loves the process as he gets older The car ride home — why the conversation that happens in the twenty minutes after a game is one of the most powerful and most underestimated moments in a young player's development What constant negative feedback and criticism after games does to a young player's relationship with baseball over time — and how it becomes one of the biggest reasons players walk away from the sport before they ever reach their potential Alternative approaches to the car ride home that actually strengthen your son's relationship with the game and help him process both success and failure in a healthy way How to guide and support your son toward his long term goals in baseball in a way that keeps the love of the game intact through the inevitable ups and downs of the development years What Andy and Keith wish more baseball parents understood about the youth years and what they have seen make the biggest difference in the players who go on to play college baseball Whether your son is just starting out in travel baseball or is deep in his development years — this episode will make you think differently about your role in his journey and give you practical strategies to be the parent he needs you to be. New episodes of Dugout Dish drop every week. Subscribe so you never miss recruiting and development intel that could change your player's future. Gloves - www.kaligloves.com Diamond College Showcase Camps - www.diamondcollegeshowcase.com Chapters (00:00:02) - Intro & Cali Gloves Sponsor (00:01:18) - Setting the Stage: Recruiting Mindset for Young Players (00:04:09) - Letting the Kid Drive the Journey, Not the Parent (00:05:19) - Early Age Development Over Showcases and Fear-Based Programs (00:09:00) - Focus on Development, Not Every Tournament (00:10:32) - Finding the Right People and Keeping It Fun (00:13:11) - It Can't Mean More to You Than to Your Kid (00:14:04) - The Car Ride Home: Avoiding Post-Game Criticism (00:18:47) - Diamond College Showcase Sponsor Break (00:19:51) - Coaching vs Criticizing: Effort Over Outcome (00:22:08) - Timing Conversations and Managing Emotions After Games (00:25:39) - When Baseball Stops Being Fun: Burnout and Fading Careers (00:28:25) - Why Baseball Is Uniquely Hard to Stay Engaged With (00:29:45) - Nostalgia: Wall Ball, Wiffle Ball, and Backyard Games (00:31:48) - Creative Backyard Games and Building Athleticism (00:34:53) - Wrapping Up: Enjoyment as the Foundation for Recruiting (00:36:09) - Outro and Show Info

Private coaching, facility work, and off field development have never been more accessible or more popular in youth and high school baseball — and the results show up in the numbers. Velocity is up. Exit velocity is up. Metrics across the board are trending in the right direction for more players than ever before. But there is a gap that separates the players who get recruited from the ones who do not — and it has nothing to do with their facility numbers. It is whether or not all of that work actually shows up in games. In this episode of Dugout Dish, Andy and Keith tackle one of the most important transitions in the entire recruiting and development process — making the jump from performing in a facility to performing when the game is on the line. What we cover: Why private coaching and facility work are valuable investments in a player's development — and why they are only half of the equation when it comes to getting recruited How coaches evaluate the gap between a player's facility metrics and their actual in game performance — and what that gap tells them about a recruit's readiness for the college level Why velocity and spin rate in a bullpen session and exit velocity in a cage mean very little to a recruiting staff if those numbers do not translate to getting hitters out and making quality swing decisions in live game situations What college coaches are actually watching for when they evaluate a player at a showcase or game — and why the ability to compete and play the game still matters more than any metric on a radar gun or launch monitor How pitchers can make the transition from throwing well in practice to executing in games — what that jump looks like mechanically, mentally, and competitively How hitters can make the transition from impressive cage work to quality at bats and smart swing decisions in live game environments Why the ability to actually play the game — to compete, adjust, and execute under pressure — remains the single most important quality college coaches recruit regardless of what the numbers say What bridging the gap between facility performance and game performance looks like in practice and how players can start making that transition right now Why making this jump is the next evolution in your recruiting process and what it signals to college coaches about your readiness to compete at the next level Whether your son has great facility numbers and has not yet figured out how to make them translate — or is just beginning to understand what college coaches actually evaluate — this episode gives you the complete picture of what it takes to get recruited in today's game. New episodes of Dugout Dish drop every week. Subscribe so you never miss recruiting and development intel that could change your player's future. Gloves - www.kaligloves.com Diamond College Showcase Camps - www.diamondcollegeshowcase.com Chapters (00:00:02) - Intro & Cali Gloves Sponsor (00:00:57) - Taking Training Into Game Performance (00:04:56) - Diamond College Showcase Sponsor (00:05:41) - Pressure and Production in Real Games (00:07:30) - Facility Metrics vs Recruiting Reality (00:10:28) - Chasing Metrics vs Complete Ballplayers (00:13:37) - Story: The Talented Kid Who Never Produced (00:16:01) - Closing Thoughts & Sign Off

Last week Andy told his story. This week it is Keith's turn. In this episode of Dugout Dish, Andy turns the tables on EMD Baseball Co-Owner Keith Glasser for one of the most personal and most honest conversations in the history of this podcast — his background in baseball, how he found his way into college coaching, what sixteen years on the sidelines taught him, and why every difficult moment along the way shaped him into exactly who he needed to become. What we cover: Keith's background in baseball and the experiences that set him on the path toward college coaching How he got his start in college baseball coaching and what those early years in the profession actually looked like What sixteen years of college coaching taught him about the game of baseball, about developing young men, and about navigating the real challenges of a life spent in college athletics Why he stepped away from coaching after sixteen years and the journey that led him to become co-owner of EMD Baseball What he appreciates now looking back on his college baseball experience with almost twenty years of hindsight and life experience that simply were not available to him at the time What matters more in the college baseball process than players and families think it does right now — the things that seem small at the time but turn out to be everything What matters far less than players and families think it does right now — and why it takes years away from the game to truly understand which things were worth worrying about An honest and unfiltered conversation about how genuinely difficult it is to play college baseball and build a career in college coaching — what nobody tells you before you start Why Keith would not change a single thing about his path despite how hard parts of it were and what that perspective means for every player navigating their own journey right now The relationships and the people he met along the way — through coaching, through baseball, through life — and how those connections shaped him through both the best and hardest moments of his career How the difficult things that happen to you in baseball and in life after baseball are not obstacles to your growth but the very things that prepare you to handle everything that gets thrown at you once you graduate This episode is for every player who is in the middle of the hardest parts of their journey right now and needs to hear from someone who has been there — and come out the other side grateful for every bit of it. New episodes of Dugout Dish drop every week. Subscribe so you never miss recruiting and development intel that could change your player's future. Gloves - www.kaligloves.com Diamond College Showcase Camps - www.diamondcollegeshowcase.com Chapters (00:00:02) - Sponsor: Cali Gloves (00:00:57) - Intro and Flipping the Script (00:02:51) - Keith's Background: High School and Marist (00:05:59) - Coaching Journey: West Alabama, Siena, RPI (00:11:30) - Stepping Away from RPI and Starting EMD Baseball (00:13:18) - Sponsor: Diamond College Showcase (00:14:21) - The Small World of Coaching Connections (00:20:12) - Paying It Forward and Dues in Old-School Coaching (00:22:25) - Recruiting on a Budget: Motel Six Stories (00:26:11) - Appreciating How Hard the College Experience Was (00:32:16) - Advice to 18-Year-Old Self: Time Flies (00:38:10) - The Grueling Schedule of a College Season (00:39:47) - The Underappreciated Life of a Catcher (00:41:53) - Wishing for Trackman Data as a Catcher (00:45:28) - Trust Between Catchers and Pitchers (00:51:34) - Overrated: Playing Time in Recruiting (01:04:24) - What Matters More: People and Sacrifice (01:11:11) - Closing Thoughts and Outro

The financial side of college baseball recruiting is one of the most confusing and most consequential parts of the entire process — and most families do not fully understand it until it is too late to ask the right questions. In this episode of Dugout Dish, Andy and Keith break down what financial aid packages actually look like at every division level, with a focused deep dive into D3 baseball where the absence of athletic scholarships creates a financial aid landscape that is widely misunderstood but often surprisingly favorable for families who know how to navigate it. What we cover: What athletic scholarship packages actually look like at the D1 level and how families should think about the gap between a partial scholarship and the total cost of attendance How D2 financial aid works and what the combination of athletic scholarships and academic aid typically looks like for baseball families at that level Why D3 financial aid is the most misunderstood financial landscape in all of college baseball and why families who dismiss D3 programs because there are no athletic scholarships are often making a costly mistake How D3 schools put together financial aid packages without athletic scholarships and what those packages can actually look like for qualified student athletes What the process looks like from a coach's perspective — how D3 coaches work with their financial aid offices to help recruit players and what information programs need from families to start that process Where to find total cost of attendance information online for specific schools and how to use that number as your baseline for every financial comparison you make How to accurately compare financial aid packages across different schools and division levels to understand what your family is actually paying rather than what the sticker price says Why a D3 school with institutional aid can sometimes result in a lower out of pocket cost than a D1 school offering a partial athletic scholarship What every baseball family needs to understand about college finances before their son makes a commitment so there are no surprises when the bill arrives If your family is trying to make sense of the financial side of college baseball — this episode gives you the framework to understand every offer on the table and make the most financially informed decision possible. New episodes of Dugout Dish drop every week. Subscribe so you never miss recruiting and development intel that could change your player's future. Gloves - www.kaligloves.com Diamond College Showcase Camps - www.diamondcollegeshowcase.com Chapters (00:00:02) - In the Clubhouse: College Finances (00:03:27) - College Is Expensive (00:14:29) - Dreams of Division 1 scholarships

Every week Andy Kiriakedes helps families navigate the college baseball recruiting process — but this week Keith turns the tables and puts Andy in the seat. In this episode of Dugout Dish, we get the full story of EMD Baseball Co-Founder Andy Kiriakedes — where he grew up, how he got recruited, what his college baseball experience was really like, and what eleven years of coaching at the D1 and D3 levels taught him before he walked away from coaching and eventually built EMD Baseball into what it is today. What we cover: Where Andy grew up and how baseball became the driving force in his life from an early age His path through the college baseball recruiting process — the story of how he got recruited, where he went, and what that experience was actually like from the inside What his college baseball career looked like and the moments that shaped who he became as a coach and as a person How he spent eleven years coaching at the D1 and D3 levels and what that experience taught him about the game, about recruiting, and about developing young men Why he stepped away from coaching and the journey that eventually led him to co-found EMD Baseball What he appreciates more now looking back on his college baseball experience with the benefit of years of perspective What he knows now that he genuinely wishes he had known when he was going through the recruiting process and playing college baseball What he thought mattered far more than it actually did — and conversely what mattered significantly more than he realized at the time How injuries and toughness shaped his experience and what they taught him about resilience and the mental side of the game How dramatically the recruiting process has changed from when Andy went through it to what current players experience today What current players have access to now that Andy wishes had existed when he was being recruited and what that means for how families should be using every resource available to them This is a different kind of Dugout Dish episode — a personal, honest, and revealing conversation about the journey behind one of college baseball recruiting's most trusted voices. Stay tuned next week for Keith's interview. New episodes of Dugout Dish drop every week. Subscribe so you never miss recruiting and development intel that could change your player's future. Gloves - www.kaligloves.com Diamond College Showcase Camps - www.diamondcollegeshowcase.com Chapters (00:00:02) - Kevin Smith (00:11:17) - Blowing Out My Knee Led Me to Marist College (00:18:09) - A Day on the Green (00:19:15) - What Do You Know Now That You Wish You Knew Then? (00:28:41) - Moose and Feeney on Recruiting in the 2000 (00:36:35) - Tom Brady on Talking to Guys Before the Games (00:43:00) - Reasons Why I Committed to a College (00:48:46) - Tommy John on Coach Changes (00:55:56) - Joe Maddox on His Decision to Leave Marist (01:03:12) - How To Play Baseball

Most baseball families enter the recruiting process with one goal in mind — get as many offers as possible. But the families who navigate the process most successfully understand something that most people miss entirely — the recruiting process is not about accumulating offers, it is about using every opportunity you have to create the right options for your son and making the best decision along the way. In this episode of Dugout Dish, Andy and Keith break down exactly what that distinction means in practice and why shifting your mindset around offers and opportunities could completely change how your son approaches his recruitment. What we cover: Why the college baseball recruiting process is fundamentally not about collecting as many offers as possible and what it is actually about How to use every opportunity available to you — games, showcases, camps, and conversations with coaches — to create meaningful options in your recruitment Why it only takes one right fit to open the door to everything college baseball has to give a young player and why chasing volume of offers over quality of fit is a losing strategy The difference between accumulating offers and making the right decision at every stage of the recruiting process — and why those two things are very different goals How families get caught up in measuring recruiting success by offer count and why that mindset leads to poor decisions and poor fits down the road What making the right decision actually looks like at each stage of the process — from the first conversation with a coach to the moment your son commits How to honestly evaluate whether a program is the right fit for your son as a student athlete — academically, culturally, and competitively Why one great opportunity pursued with intention and purpose beats ten offers pursued without a clear sense of what your son actually needs from a college program The mindset shift every player and family needs to make to stop chasing offers and start making decisions that lead to the best possible college baseball experience Whether your son has zero offers or ten — this episode reframes the entire recruiting process in a way that will make every family a smarter and more intentional navigator of what lies ahead. New episodes of Dugout Dish drop every week. Subscribe so you never miss recruiting and development intel that could change your player's future. Gloves - www.kaligloves.com Diamond College Showcase Camps - www.diamondcollegeshowcase.com Chapters (00:00:02) - College Options vs. Opportunities (00:07:17) - Diamond College Showcase (00:16:51) - Choosing College Baseball

Before Ryan Forrest was named the 17th head coach in Princeton Baseball's 127 year history, he was building Boston College into an NCAA Tournament program and coaching Paul Skenes — the number one overall pick and 2025 Cy Young Award winner — at Air Force. Now he is bringing that experience, that pitching knowledge, and that recruiting philosophy to one of the most prestigious academic institutions in the world. In this episode of Dugout Dish, Andy and Keith sit down with Coach Forrest to talk about his coaching journey, how Princeton finds and recruits the right players, and how he thinks about pitching development in the modern game. What we cover: Coach Forrest's coaching journey — from Maine and Millersville to Air Force, Boston College, and now Princeton — and what each stop taught him about building winning programs How coaching Paul Skenes at Air Force and building Boston College into a 37 win NCAA Tournament program shaped his philosophy as a head coach What it means to take over one of college baseball's most storied programs as only the 17th head coach in Princeton's 127 year history How Princeton identifies and finds the players that fit their program — what the recruiting process looks like for a program that demands excellence in the classroom and on the field The specific type of player Coach Forrest is looking for when he recruits — athletically, academically, and from a character standpoint What he is most excited about as he enters his first season as a D1 head coach with his own program and his own staff How he uses data and analytics to evaluate, recruit, and develop pitchers at the college level and what the numbers actually tell him about a pitcher's potential How he marries the analytical side of pitching with the compete factor he demands from every pitcher in his program — and why both matter equally What he expects from Princeton baseball heading into the spring season and the vision he has for the program going forward His direct and honest advice for the families going through the college baseball recruiting process right now Whether your son is a pitcher with Ivy League aspirations or is being recruited at any division level — this conversation with one of the brightest and most accomplished young head coaches in college baseball is packed with insight you will not find anywhere else. New episodes of Dugout Dish drop every week. Subscribe so you never miss recruiting and development intel that could change your player's future. Gloves - www.kaligloves.com Diamond College Showcase Camps - www.diamondcollegeshowcase.com Chapters (00:00:02) - Coach Ryan Forrest (00:08:16) - How Do You Identify a 2020 Pitcher? (00:17:04) - Philip Harrison on Building a Baseball Culture at Princeton (00:26:07) - Head Coaches: The Process of Becoming a Coach (00:31:25) - How to Get Out of Pneumonia at College Baseball Camp (00:38:21) - How Technology and Data Have Changed How We Recruit (00:46:07) - Do we Need More Data in Baseball? (00:52:42) - What's the biggest adjustment that freshmen have to make to the baseball (01:02:05) - Adam Jones on Double Cuts (01:05:58) - Pinch-hitting (01:10:49) - Ronald McDonald on the Recruiting Process

In this episode, we talk about the mindset surrounding the Division III and Junior College levels of college baseball. We can also argue that the NAIA level fits into this conversation as well because they are not "fall back" options if you do not get recruited where you like. Eight precent of high school seniors will play college baseball so there are limited spots and we dispel the myth that they are automatic options to call back to and not options that you must compete for. New episodes of Dugout Dish drop every week. Subscribe so you never miss recruiting and development intel that could change your player's future. Gloves - www.kaligloves.com Diamond College Showcase Camps - www.diamondcollegeshowcase.com Chapters (00:00:00) - Kevin Smith Gives Kids the Right Glove (00:01:12) - Division 3 Baseball (00:11:04) - Will Division 1 Baseball Players Play? (00:18:10) - Why You Should Consider Playing College Baseball

What does a program with 22 years of coaching experience behind it look for when recruiting players — and how do they make sure the fit is right for both sides before making an offer? In this episode of Dugout Dish, Andy and Keith sit down with Wesleyan University Head Coach Matt Reynolds, who is entering his first full season with his own recruiting class, to talk about how he and his staff identify and recruit the right players for their program during the summer evaluation period. What we cover: How Coach Reynolds and his staff approach the summer recruiting evaluation period and what they are specifically looking for when they go out to watch players What Wesleyan values as a program beyond baseball ability and how they identify those specific traits in recruits during the evaluation process How they assess fit from both sides of the recruiting relationship — making sure it is right for the student athlete and for the coaching staff before an offer is made The role metrics play in Wesleyan's recruiting evaluation and what the numbers actually communicate to their staff about a player's potential Why gameplay matters just as much as metrics in their evaluation process and how the two work together to form a complete picture of a recruit How Coach Reynolds weighs both data and in game performance when making recruiting decisions and what that balance looks like in practice Coach Reynolds' direct advice to the families going through the recruiting process right now — what to do, what to avoid, and how to approach it in a way that gives your son the best chance of finding the right program What 22 years of collegiate coaching experience across the Naval Academy, Washington College, UMass, and now Wesleyan has taught Coach Reynolds about what truly matters when recruiting and developing young men Whether your son is being recruited at the D3 level or any other level of college baseball — the insight and advice Coach Reynolds shares in this episode is universally applicable to every family navigating the process right now. New episodes of Dugout Dish drop every week. Subscribe so you never miss recruiting and development intel that could change your player's future. Gloves - www.kaligloves.com Diamond College Showcase Camps - www.diamondcollegeshowcase.com Chapters (00:00:02) - Kevin Smith Gives Kids the Right Gloves (00:01:03) - Matt Reynolds (00:08:21) - Wesleyan Basketball Recruitment: The New Rules (00:17:18) - D3 Student-Athletes (00:24:53) - Jayhawks coach on student-athlete experience (00:30:09) - Diamond College Showcase Camps (00:31:32) - Wesleyan Baseball Coach on Academic Success (00:40:52) - Reaching for velo in the recruiting process (00:47:27) - Do metrics matter to college coaches? (00:52:50) - What do you see that trip kids up when they get to college (01:00:08) - Tyler Dunstan on the Recruiting Process

In this episode, we talk about how to handle committing to a college program and the do's and do nots of the commitment process. We talk who to call, when to post, and when you should be doing it. New episodes of Dugout Dish drop every week. Subscribe so you never miss recruiting and development intel that could change your player's future. Gloves - www.kaligloves.com Diamond College Showcase Camps - www.diamondcollegeshowcase.com Chapters (00:00:00) - Kevin Smith Gives Kids the Right Glove (00:01:10) - Committed Baseball Player Etiquette (00:11:12) - MD Baseball Recruiting Podcast

UCL injuries and Tommy John surgery have become an epidemic in baseball at every level — and one company has spent years chasing the science to find a better way to protect pitchers from the inside out. In this episode of Dugout Dish, Andy and Keith sit down with FlexPro Grip Co-Founder Adam Moreau to talk about how FlexPro Grip was developed, what the science actually says about UCL health, and why MLB teams, college programs, high schools, and individual athletes from 8 year olds to Cy Young winners are all using it to strengthen their arms, prevent injury, and recover faster. What we cover: What FlexPro Grip is, how it works, and what makes it different from every other arm care product on the market The science behind UCL injuries — what the research says about how and why pitchers get hurt and what can actually be done to prevent it How Adam and the FlexPro Grip team spent two years studying every piece of research written about UCL injuries to develop a device that addresses the root cause rather than just the symptoms How FlexPro Grip strengthens the tendons and forearm muscles that protect the UCL — helping pitchers throw harder and safer at the same time The connection between improved forearm strength and increased spin rates and what that means for a pitcher's performance and recruiting profile How MLB teams are incorporating FlexPro Grip into their arm care programs and what that adoption says about the product's effectiveness How college programs and high school pitchers are using FlexPro Grip to stay healthy throughout long and demanding seasons How athletes recovering from Tommy John surgery are using FlexPro Grip to rehab at a higher rate and return to the mound stronger than before The youth arm injury epidemic — pitch counts, overuse, and what actually matters most for protecting young arms before the damage is done Why FlexPro Grip works for athletes at every level from 8 year olds just learning to throw all the way to professional pitchers competing at the highest level of the game Whether your son is a youth pitcher, a high school recruit, a college pitcher, or a recovering athlete — this episode could change the way you think about arm care and injury prevention forever. New episodes of Dugout Dish drop every week. Subscribe so you never miss recruiting and development intel that could change your player's future. Gloves - www.kaligloves.com Diamond College Showcase Camps - www.diamondcollegeshowcase.com Chapters (00:00:02) - Kevin Smith's Cali Gloves (00:01:18) - Highly Prominent Guest on The Layback Podcast (00:04:24) - How to Get Through An Injured Baseball Career (00:13:28) - Hand Grip Dynamometry and Baseball (00:21:29) - Flex Pro Grip (00:28:17) - How to Use FlexPro Grip on the Pitch (00:39:07) - Diamond College Showcase Camps (00:46:46) - Pitchers on Flex Pro Grip (00:50:24) - Josh Hedgka on His Return to Throw Program (01:00:10) - Travel Ball Coaches on Resting Pitchers (01:08:26) - Pitching Coaches: Best at It (01:17:02) - Pitching Coach on Youth Baseball (01:24:39) - "Long Form" (01:25:09) - Flex Pro Grip: Let's Talk Baseball (01:31:15) - FlexProgrip Recruiting: How to Reach Me

Should your son play fall baseball — or is this the time to step back, recover, and develop in a different way? It is one of the most common questions baseball families face at the end of a long summer and the answer is rarely the same for every player. In this episode of Dugout Dish, Andy and Keith walk through every option available to players and families heading into the fall season so you can make the most informed and most personalized decision for your son based on his health, his development needs, and where he is in the recruiting process. What we cover: The fall baseball decision — why it is not a one size fits all answer and what factors should drive the decision for your specific player The case for playing fall baseball — what it offers from a visibility, development, and recruiting standpoint and which players benefit most from staying on the field The case for stepping away from fall ball — why it is not a wrong decision and which players are better served by a different kind of fall Health and recovery — how to honestly assess whether your son is physically ready to keep playing after a long spring and summer or whether his body needs a real break Why physical recovery in the fall can set a player up for a significantly stronger spring season than grinding through fall ball on a tired arm or body On campus college camps — why attending a fall camp at a school your son is interested in is one of the most underutilized and most effective recruiting moves available right now Fall showcases — which ones are worth the investment and how to be strategic about which events make sense based on your son's graduation year and recruiting timeline Getting in the weight room — why the fall is the single best time of year for a baseball player to make meaningful physical gains and what a productive fall training plan looks like What a full fall development plan looks like for a player who chooses not to play fall ball — and how to make sure that time is spent intentionally rather than just sitting out How to weigh all of these options and make the decision that is genuinely right for your son rather than the decision that feels right based on what everyone else around you is doing Whether your son is deep in the recruiting process, just getting started, or somewhere in between — this episode gives every baseball family the complete picture to make the best possible fall decision. New episodes of Dugout Dish drop every week. Subscribe so you never miss recruiting and development intel that could change your player's future. Gloves - www.kaligloves.com Diamond College Showcase Camps - www.diamondcollegeshowcase.com Chapters (00:00:02) - Fall Ball