YBMcast

oday’s Baseball Talk brings us into Illinois baseball with a special guest from the Illinois High School Association, Associate Executive Director Sam Knox, who oversees baseball for the state. This gives us an opportunity to better understand what goes on behind the scenes and the relationship between the IHSA and your local high school programs. From rules oversight to postseason structure, we t...

Today’s episode is Part 1 of a crossover conversation between The Hitting Zone and Baseball 101. Mitch Thomas is joined by Dave Wiggins (Host of Baseball 101) and Michael Yeager, Assistant Coach & Recruiting Coordinator at Johnson County Community College, for an honest discussion about what development really looks like in youth baseball. They simplify the conversation down to three core issu...

This week on Keep Klimbing, Brett Graves visits Premier Pitching’s Fenton, MO location to sit down with Andrew Schwaab, Facility Coordinator, to talk all things showcase season. Showcases are a major part of today’s recruiting landscape — but they aren’t for everyone, and they aren’t one-size-fits-all. In this episode, Brett and Andrew break down: • Who showcase season is truly a good fit for • Wh...

We like to talk baseball, so we decided to do a health check on the state of youth baseball — focusing on the 7U to 14U age groups as we head into another spring and summer season. In this episode, we sit down with representatives from the Midland organization, Matt Shadow and Jason Stahl, to discuss what development and training actually mean for young players within a structured club environment...

On this episode of Baseball 101, host Dave “Diamond Dave” Wiggins is joined by Brian French to recap the Scout Connect Winter Showcase that took place this past Saturday. After spending the day evaluating talent, talking with players, and observing the event firsthand, Dave and Brian break down what stood out — from player preparation and performance to the overall environment of the showcase. The...

We have Andy Urban of Prep Baseball joining the show as we take a look at the MOKAN Invitational held a couple weeks ago at Mac N Seitz in Kansas City, MO. We have Andy Urban of Prep Baseball joining the show along with Brian Ash, Head Coach at Southern Boone, as we take a look at the MOKAN Invitational held a couple weeks ago at Mac N Seitz in Kansas City, MO. We watched and spoke with a group of...

We are working our way toward Opening Day 2026, and today we bring together a strong lineup to get you ready for the season. Scott McGee, Head Coach at Willard High School, joins us to talk about that season opener and what it takes to prepare a program for the start of a new year. We are also joined by Daryl Bradley, Assistant Executive Director of MSHSAA, who oversees baseball for the state. We...

On today’s episode of The Hitting Zone, Mitch Thomas is joined by Josh Cathcart of Hitting Done Right for a powerful and honest conversation centered on one big question: Who is truly responsible for developing the player? Is it the travel coach? The hitting instructor? The strength coach? The parent? The high school program? Or the athlete themselves? Mitch and Josh unpack the layers of accountab...

This week’s episode of Keep Klimbing was filmed at the Premier Pitching Wentzville location, as Brett continues building on the foundation laid in recent episodes — workload balance, velocity phases, pitch arsenal construction, and sequencing — by stepping into the next critical stage of development: The Pitch Design Phase. This episode covers: • Understanding developmental fit — not every pitch f...

On this episode of Baseball 101, host Dave “Diamond Dave” Wiggins is joined by Chad Gendron, whose baseball journey began in St. Louis and extended through the collegiate and professional levels. The conversation starts with Chad’s playing background and the experiences that shaped his understanding of pitching at higher levels of the game. From there, the focus shifts to the present — his work wi...

We are joined today by Diego Solares to talk Illinois baseball and the upcoming Scout Connect Showcase happening this weekend at The Sports Barn in Wood River, IL. Youth Baseball Midwest will be on-site with our cameras as some of the best players in the state take the field — all working to continue developing their skills and grow as athletes. Evaluating players is one of the most difficult jobs...

We are taking a little trip around the state with Kevin Moulder, Director of Scouting for Prep Baseball. In this episode, we break down three major Scout Day events: Marucci Midwest in Springfield, MO Rawlings Tigers in Chesterfield, MO Midland Baseball in O’Fallon, MO Each event gives athletes the opportunity to understand exactly where they are in their development journey. From measurable metri...

Stepping back inside The Hitting Zone today is Shane Eames, as he joins Mitch Thomas for a deeper conversation around Individual Development Plans — what they should look like versus what we are currently seeing across youth baseball. Mitch and Shane break down what actually belongs in a meaningful development plan, how it should evolve with the athlete, and why so many plans today miss the mark....

On this episode of Keep Klimbing, Brett Graves is joined by Chris Roycroft, bullpen pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals, to talk about his journey to the Major Leagues. Chris walks through his path from high school baseball to Aurora College, and the development process that helped him continue to climb levels and earn his opportunity at the highest level of the game. Together, Brett and Chris dis...

We like to talk baseball, so we decided to do a health check on the state of youth baseball, focusing on the 7U to 14U age groups as we head into another spring and summer season. In this episode, we’re joined by the Rawlings Tigers, sitting down with Aaron Jaworowski, President & Founder, and David Birkby, General Manager, to discuss what development and training actually mean for young playe...

On this episode of Baseball 101, host Dave “Diamond Dave” Wiggins sits down with Tim Gurnow, Head Coach of the McKendree University Bearcats Baseball, to unpack what it takes to build and sustain a winning culture at the Division II level of college baseball. Coach Gurnow brings firsthand experience leading the Bearcats — a program in the NCAA Division II Great Lakes Valley Conference — and discus...

We have Andy Urban of Prep Baseball joining the show this week along with Staley Head Coach Dionandre Josenberger as we head to Kansas City for a weekend of baseball. We break down players to watch for the upcoming season and get Andy’s take on some of the top teams in the KC area. We also expand the conversation to the Kansas side of the state, highlighting top players and programs that continue...

We have Nate Orf, former Francis Howell standout who played professionally with the Milwaukee Brewers and Oakland Athletics, joining us on the show. After his time in professional baseball, Nate returned to his hometown to work with youth athletes, bringing his baseball journey full circle. Joined by Kevin Moulder of Prep Baseball, we talk with Nate about his path through the game and how those ex...

Stepping inside The Hitting Zone today is Cody Massey of Buzzin’ Baseball for a conversation centered on one of the biggest challenges in player development: how do we build decision makers instead of athletes who rely on constant coaching cues? Mitch and Cody define what real development looks like and why the basics are often missing at the lower levels of the game. They discuss the dangers of o...

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We like to talk baseball, so we decided to do a health check on the state of youth baseball, focusing on the 7U to 14U age groups as we head into another spring and summer season. With Recruits Baseball Club working closely with athletes in this age range in South County, we dive into what development and training actually mean for young players, including conversations around expectations for a 9...

On the latest episode of Baseball 101, Cole Dupont, Head Coach at Lafayette High School, joins host Dave “Diamond Dave” Wiggins for a conversation rooted in perspective, pride, and purpose. Growing up in the area and playing baseball at Lafayette alongside his brothers, Coach Dupont always felt a deep connection to the program. Now, he finds himself leading the very team that helped shape him—an o...

Youth Baseball Midwest has been working in the youth baseball segment since 2017, and I have been around youth baseball in the metro area since 2004. There have been many changes along the way, and we are going to dive into what has happened over the past twenty-five years within the sport to look at the good, the bad, and assess the overall health of youth baseball. Today we have the Guru himself...

Today’s show welcomes BB 101 host Dave Wiggins (Head Coach at Principia Christian & Recruits Baseball Director) as we break down the latest MHSBCA Hall of Fame inductees, announced this past weekend at the January clinic. We also take a look at five players featured in the YBM Club Player Spotlights, available now for all YBM Club members. These athletes represent some of the most dynamic tale...

Stepping inside The Hitting Zone today is Jason Christian, founder of Kilo Gear and former professional baseball player who worked his way through the Midland organization. Jason brings real-world experience and perspective to one of the most important conversations in youth baseball today — the rising cost of playing the game. Mitch and Jason take a hard look at where youth baseball stands: ⚾ Is...