YBMcast

In this episode, he begins by breaking down the slider — what the pitch is designed to do, how and when it’s used, and how the pitch should spin to create the sharp lateral movement and depth you're looking for. Because the slider is one of the most personalized pitches in baseball, grip is the key, and Brett takes a look at multiple variations and opportunities to find the grip that works best fo...

Francis Howell head coach Tony Perkins sits down with Baseball 101 host Darin Cissell as they walk through some of the incredible history behind one of the most successful high school baseball programs in the state of Missouri. From players you may have never heard of, to names who went on to the MLB, Coach Perkins takes us decade by decade as they put together an All-Decade Team — starting from t...

oday we take a look at small schools in the Metro area that often get overlooked because of the bigger programs in town. On both sides of the river, there are teams with championship expectations and the talent to make it happen. Coach Dave Wiggins and Diego Solares join the show to break down these programs, the players leading the way, and why these small-school contenders deserve just as much a...

With the Winter Workout Tour right around the corner, we wanted to get an early look at the contenders for Class 3 and Class 4. This is where it gets difficult — two of the most competitive MSHSAA classifications, filled with programs that battle every season for district titles and the opportunity to make a run to the Final Four in Ozark, MO. Today we jump in with both feet to break down early fa...

Shane Eames is back inside The Hitting Zone for another great at-bat! This time he joins Mitch to talk about one of the most influential — and sometimes misunderstood — roles in youth baseball: the Dad Coach. Drawing from their personal experiences coaching their own kids, Mitch and Shane dive into: ⚾ The good — passion, commitment, connection, and the unique bond created through coaching your ch...

Ricky Meinhold is the Pitching Coordinator for the Toronto Blue Jays, and he joins the Keep Klimbing podcast with Brett Graves to discuss his journey and how he keeps klimbing to meet the challenges of pitching at the highest level of baseball. How to be successful as a pitcher takes dedication, hard work, and an understanding of what success is on the mound during a game. Nobody knows the outcome...

Today on the Baseball 101 podcast with Darin Cissell, Arizona Diamondbacks scout Nate Birtwell joins Coach Cissell to discuss scouting methods. Knowing what goes into scouting can make the difference not only if you want to make it to the MLB, but also play at your next level. Nate Birtwell breaks down the many different facets of scouting that go into projecting players moving to the next level o...

We have the Jackson High School baseball head coach joining the show to talk with us about SEMO baseball and to get an early look at his Indians program. The Jackson Indians are no secret in Class 6 across the state of Missouri — but what about the small-school success that defines Southeast Missouri? SEMO is full of programs winning districts, making deep postseason pushes, and turning out Final...

Willard high school head coach and YBM contributor Scott McGee joins the conversation about how a high school coach must trust the process. We take a look at the scope of youth baseball development from the perspective of a public high school head coach. How does a coach know what kind of instruction and development young athletes have gone through before they arrive as freshmen? What do coaches s...

Well, we had to pivot today on The Hitting Zone podcast with Mitch Thomas today as we had a last minute cancelation. The producer of YBM Brian French jumped in the show to talk about the secret sauce of the process. We talk about building community and how we develop young athletes within that community. Core values are a huge part of any organizational success and today we talk about these values...

This week on Keep Klimbing, Brett continues building out the pitching arsenal — moving from last week’s cut fastball to one of the most effective weapons in baseball: the sinker. Brett breaks down what makes the sinker unique, how to understand the movement profile you’re trying to achieve, and why this pitch is built on leverage, intent, and movement quality. From identifying your natural strengt...

In this episode of Baseball 101, Coach Darin Cissell sits down with Matt Sissom, the new Head Coach of Fort Zumwalt West, and his son Nolan, as they discuss navigating the challenges and rewards of a unique season ahead. Coach Sissom steps into one of Missouri’s premier baseball programs — and in his first year as head coach, he’ll also be coaching his son through his final high school season befo...

We are joined by the Head Baseball Coach at Father McGivney High School in Illinois, members of the Gateway Metro Conference. We talk with Coach Erwin about the teams to watch and who may have the inside track on the conference title and the potential to make a deep run in the Illinois state playoffs. With McGivney making the jump to Class 2A, we’ll discuss what that means for the program and the...

Today on Baseball Talk, Staley Head Coach Dionandre Josenberger joins the conversation as we break down the process. We hear this phrase a lot in sports — “Trust the process.” But what is the process, and do we really break it down in an understandable way for players, coaches, and parents? This discussion focuses on youth development, as the landscape of recruiting continues to shift with new rul...

Mitch Thomas welcomes back Gonzo Gonzalez from the Mac N Seitz Baseball Club in Kansas City, MO, for another powerful conversation on The Hitting Zone. This time, Mitch and Gonzo dig into the real meaning behind having a training program — and why it’s only the starting point for true player development. They break down: ⚾ Why training programs are essential for structure and growth ⚾ How one-on...

Brett takes the discussion to building your pitching arsenal based on your strengths and what you do best. Brett, as always, Keeps Klimbing using his own experience to help you understand how to continue working to get yourself better. He begins by breaking down the cut fastball — what it’s supposed to do, how and when to use it, and how the pitch should spin to move in the direction you want it t...

Coach Darin Cissell takes you back to the chalkboard this week as he continues evaluating the conversations he’s had with various high school coaches — and the lessons learned along the way. If we’ve learned anything from these discussions, it’s that we’re never too old to learn. The best coaches keep growing — applying lessons from each season and experience to positively impact the lives of thei...

We welcome Edwardsville Head Coach Tim Funkhouser, who is currently seventh on the all-time list of wins with 861 for the state of Illinois, and eighth all-time for most wins at one school with 806 at Edwardsville High School. We are going to be discussing the state of Illinois baseball — from the Illinois High School Baseball Coaches Association (IHSBCA) and its role in player development, to how...

We are joined by the new head coach of Rock Bridge High School in Columbia, MO to discuss the transition from assistant to the top job. Coach Bazat is a Bruin as he also graduated from the school and played for and coached with just retired Justin Towe, MHSBCA 2025 Hall of Fame inductee. We will have some fun taking a look at one of the better conferences in the state with MSHSAA Class 5 and 6 sch...

We have Cody Massey of Buzzin' Baseball, joining The Hitting Zone Podcast for another big topic that we are going to work to crush it out of the park. Are 10 second clips ruining "gamer style" players? Is too much screen time causing kids to lose basic skills, that players of yesterday developed from "Just Being a Kid."? Does the fast pace of content today, drown out the real work goes into becomi...

We are back with another episode with our resident baseball mom Jen Mayberry. Through the years of her son's playing youth baseball her husband has coached these teams. Jenny brings her unique perspective to today's topic and the different aspects she witnessed and experienced as the wife of a youth baseball coach. We don't always get to hear the different circumstances that arise during a season...

This week on Baseball 101, Coach Darin Cissell takes us back to the chalkboard to reflect on the conversations from the past several weeks with some of Missouri’s top high school coaches — and the lessons learned along the way. If there’s one takeaway from these discussions, it’s that no matter how long we’ve been in the game, we are never done learning. Each of these coaches continues to grow, ap...

We are taking our first look at one of the top conferences in IL and the teams that may be vying for the conference title and an opportunity to make a long run in the Illinois State playoffs. Edwardsville has long been the dominant team here, but O’Fallon knocked them off in the playoffs in 2025 and look loaded and ready to compete with a 2026 class that gained a ton of experience from last year....

We sit down with Bryan Harmon, Executive Director, and Tony Perkins, Hall of Fame Committee and Clinic Speaker, for a look at the Missouri High School Baseball Coaches Association. We are going to discuss its mission and how these coaches promote the game of baseball in Missouri. What does it mean to be part of this group and have a look at the history of some of the Hall of Fame coaches that have...

Today's episode of Keep Klimbing takes a look at the trajectory of pitching development and better understanding of how each pitcher has their own unique trajectory. From the movement quality and the athleticism of the individual to your strength capacity and how you produce the necessary force to produce the velocity you want. There is also the development of your pitch arsenal and the design in...