Dugout Dish Baseball Recruiting Podcast powered by EMD Baseball

The talk across college baseball recruiting circles in the summer of 2026 is that this is the hardest cycle high school recruits have ever faced — but is the data actually backing that up? In this episode of Dugout Dish, Andy and Keith take a hard look at the conventional wisdom, push back on the narrative, and explain why the perception of a harder recruiting environment has grown significantly f...

In this episode, we talk about how the recruiting process should be about the process of eliminating options to find the the right fit - and not the process of accumulation of offers. At some point in your process you will need to start to eliminate the programs that are not a fit so that you can make the best decision for you to go to college and play baseball. New episodes of Dugout Dish drop ev...

The NCAA has officially passed the new 5-for-5 age based eligibility model — and the impact on college baseball recruiting, roster construction, and the pathways players take to get to the next level is enormous. In this episode of Dugout Dish, Andy and Keith break down exactly what the new rule says, how it works in practice, and what every player and family at every level of the process needs to...

Major League Baseball has proposed some of the most significant draft changes in decades as part of the new collective bargaining agreement negotiations — and the impact on college baseball, high school recruiting, and minor league baseball could be enormous. In this episode of Dugout Dish, Andy and Keith break down exactly what MLB is proposing, why it matters, and what they believe is realistica...

The 2026 college baseball season has officially come to a close with Oklahoma claiming the national championship. In this episode of Dugout Dish, Andy and Keith sit down to discuss their biggest takeaways from the season and break down exactly how each one connects to the recruiting process for high school players and families navigating it right now.   What we cover:   Oklahoma's 2026 national ch...

In this episode, we talk about what you should be doing to take ownership of your recruiting process. We talk about the time and effort it takes to be an active participant in your process with emails, videos, social media posts, and more. We also talk about doing more than the bare minimum and giving yourself the best chance to get in front of the coaches and program you are interested in. New ep...

*Re-release of ep. 61* The transfer portal has made it easier than ever to leave a program — but the families who navigate the recruiting process best are the ones who make the right decision the first time and never need it. We are rereleasing this conversation with St. John's University Pitching Coach George Brown from 2024 because it is as relevant today as the day we recorded it — and with St....

The NCAA has reworked the language surrounding the proposed 5-for-5 eligibility rule — and the clarification around when the eligibility clock starts is an important update every baseball family needs to understand. In this episode of Dugout Dish, EMD Baseball breaks down exactly what changed, why it matters, and how the updated language could directly benefit players depending on when their birth...

2026 College World Series Preview — CWS Picks, Super Regional Recap & the All-SEC Bracket - Ep. 171   The 2026 College World Series field is set and Omaha is ready. In this episode of Dugout Dish, EMD Baseball breaks down every super regional result, reacts to the weekend's biggest surprises, and makes their full picks for the College World Series — from opening game predictions all the way to...

Arm injuries in youth and high school baseball are rising at an alarming rate — and the pitch count rules designed to prevent them may be doing less than we think. In this episode of Dugout Dish, EMD Baseball pulls back the curtain on why current pitch count guidelines at the youth and high school level are outdated, how college programs actually manage and protect their pitching staffs, and what...

2026 NCAA Super Regional Picks, Regional Recap & The Velocity Revolution Reshaping College Baseball - Ep. 170   Regional weekend is done and the road to Omaha runs through eight super regional matchups this weekend. In this episode of Dugout Dish, EMD Baseball recaps every regional result, makes their picks for all eight super regionals, and takes a deep dive into one of the defining stories o...

The NCAA 5-for-5 eligibility vote has been moved to June — and with significant support behind it, college athletics may be on the verge of its biggest eligibility change in decades. In this episode of Dugout Dish, EMD Baseball gives you the latest update on exactly what the proposed rule says, when it would take effect, and what it means for every player, family, and program navigating college ba...

The 2026 NCAA Baseball Tournament bracket is set and the EMD Baseball crew is breaking it all down. In this episode of Dugout Dish, we go region by region through all sixteen regionals, make our picks for who advances to the super regionals, and give our honest assessment of what the selection committee got right, where we have questions, and which programs got left out of the field of 64 that had...

College Baseball Postseason Is Here — Why Recruits at Every Level Need to Be Watching | EMD Shorts   The college baseball postseason is officially underway at every level — and for any player who wants to play college baseball one day, right now is the most important time of year to be paying attention. In this episode of Dugout Dish, EMD Baseball breaks down what is happening across the D1, D2, a...

The conference tournaments are here and the 2026 NCAA Baseball Tournament field is about to be set. In this episode of Dugout Dish, EMD Baseball makes their full postseason predictions — breaking down every Power 4 conference tournament, the mid-major programs making noise, the bubble teams who need a big week to save their season, and our complete predictions for the eight national seeds and sixt...

Travel ball dominates the conversation around college baseball recruiting — but the high school season still carries more weight than most families realize. In this episode of Dugout Dish, EMD Baseball breaks down exactly why college coaches continue to prioritize the high school season in their evaluation process and what they are specifically looking for when they come to watch your son play. Wh...

What LSU's Jay Johnson Said About His Team's Struggles — A Masterclass in Coaching Accountability - Ep. 167   Two national championships. One brutally honest self-assessment. In this episode of Dugout Dish, EMD Baseball breaks down LSU Head Baseball Coach Jay Johnson's recent candid interviews about his program's struggles this season — what he said, why he said it, and what every coach, player, a...

Technology has transformed college baseball recruiting. From Trackman to Rapsodo to Hawkeye, coaches now have access to more data on recruits than ever before — and knowing how to use your numbers to your advantage has become one of the most important parts of the recruiting process. But data is only part of the story. In this episode of Dugout Dish, EMD Baseball breaks down exactly how coaches us...

The college baseball recruiting process is about more than tools and metrics — it is about finding the right fit for both the player and the program. In this episode of Dugout Dish, EMD Baseball sits down with Denison University Associate Head Coach Ryne Romick to talk about how his program evaluates and recruits players, what those early conversations with recruits look like, and how culture and...

NCAA 5-for-5 Eligibility Rule Explained — What It Means for College Baseball Rosters & Recruiting | EMD Shorts   The NCAA is preparing to vote on a rule change that could fundamentally alter the landscape of college athletics — and college baseball in particular. In this episode of Dugout Dish, EMD Baseball breaks down everything you need to know about the proposed 5-for-5 eligibility rule, ho...

In this episode of Dugout Dish, EMD Baseball breaks down how the season has played out across the major conferences, which programs have done enough to host a regional, and where we think the bubble stands heading into the most important week of the regular season.   What we cover:   The SEC logjam — which middle-of-the-pack programs have the best path to the NCAA Tournament and who is running out...

One of the most important lessons a baseball player can learn has nothing to do with velocity, exit velocity, or showcase rankings — it's about being coachable and actively seeking out people who will challenge you to be better. In this episode of Dugout Dish, EMD Baseball breaks down a powerful message San Francisco 49ers Head Coach Kyle Shanahan delivered to a group of high school players and ex...

College athletics is facing its biggest shakeup in decades. In this episode of Dugout Dish, EMD Baseball breaks down the executive order set to take effect August 1, 2026 — covering everything from NIL reform and transfer portal changes to new eligibility rules and the government's plan to enforce compliance through federal funding. What we cover:   The new 5-year eligibility window and what it me...

*Re-release of ep. 94* In this episode, we sit down with Boston College Head Coach Todd Interdonato. We talk about what he values in the recruiting process, how he and his staff communicate with potential recruits and their families, as well as how to become more self assured and confident in what you do and more. New episodes of Dugout Dish drop every week. Subscribe so you never miss recruiting...

The in-game bullpen is a common practice in youth and high school baseball — and one of the most damaging to a young pitcher's development. In this episode of Dugout Dish, EMD Baseball breaks down exactly why throwing a scheduled bullpen session during a live game instead of at practice is putting unnecessary stress on your pitcher's arm and quietly holding him back.   What you'll learn:   What th...