Former MLB outfielder and first-round pick Lewis Brinson joins Bobby Minor on the Chasing Baseball Dreams Podcast for a conversation every youth baseball and travel baseball parent should hear.

Brinson was selected 29th overall by the Texas Rangers in the 2012 MLB Draft out of Coral Springs High School. He went on to play six seasons in the Major Leagues with the Milwaukee Brewers, Miami Marlins and San Francisco Giants, and his career later took him to Japan and Mexico.

In this episode, Lewis talks about the parts of the baseball journey parents rarely get to see.

He explains why parents can put way too much stock in batting average, exit velocity and other metrics at 9U and 10U, what actually mattered in his development as a young player, and why youth baseball shouldn’t start feeling like a business before baseball is actually a player’s job.

Lewis also gives an inside look at what being a top MLB prospect really means. More attention. More expectations. More opportunities to fail. And, sometimes, more pressure than a young player knows how to handle.

He shares what he learned after being traded by the Rangers in the Jonathan Lucroy deal, becoming a centerpiece of the Christian Yelich trade to Miami, and returning home with enormous expectations placed on him.

The conversation also gets into hitting development, why every kid shouldn’t be taught to swing like Aaron Judge, how parents can get more value from private lessons, what longtime big leaguers have in common beyond talent, and what a parent should say on the ride home after a bad game.

If you’re raising a young baseball player and trying to make better decisions about travel baseball, player development, hitting lessons, youth baseball stats, pressure, expectations and the long-term journey, there’s a lot in this one.

Chasing Baseball Dreams Podcast with Bobby Minor

00:00 Lewis Brinson joins Chasing Baseball Dreams
01:13 Getting traded by the Texas Rangers
05:01 When the business side creeps into youth baseball
07:17 Lewis Brinson’s travel baseball experience
08:23 What actually mattered in his development
10:42 Why parents put too much stock in youth baseball stats
13:31 The problem with radar guns and exit velocity at 9U
14:37 How Lewis fell in love with baseball
19:29 Florida or professional baseball? Making the draft decision
24:15 How baseball recruiting has changed
26:59 What being a “top prospect” really means
31:27 The people who shaped Lewis Brinson
34:05 The Christian Yelich trade and the pressure of coming home
41:39 Why Lewis listens to players who’ve been there
44:51 Hitting instruction and copying Major League swings
49:42 The toughest pitcher Lewis ever faced
51:20 Lewis Brinson’s favorite MLB ballparks
54:16 Why baseball stays uncertain even after you “make it”
59:55 In-and-Out: advice every baseball parent can use
1:05:12 Lewis’s favorite baseball memories
1:07:24 Favorite baseball movie
1:08:16 What might have been with the Texas Rangers
1:09:36 Lewis gives Bobby some hitting advice
1:10:37 Where to follow Lewis Brinson

A coach can help a player get recruited. A parent has to live with everything attached to that decision. 

In this solo episode of the Chasing Baseball Dreams Podcast, Bobby Minor talks about the side of the college baseball recruiting process he didn’t fully understand until his own son went through it. He had already coached players and helped them through recruiting. Going through it as a dad gave him a completely different view of the same process. 

For baseball parents, recruiting goes way beyond whether a player is talented enough or whether a college coach likes him. There’s the financial side. Distance from home. Playing time. Roster competition. Coaching changes. Injuries. Knowing whether a school really wants your son or is simply keeping him on the board. 

And then there’s the part nobody can make easy for you: helping your son make the decision without making it for him. 

Bobby talks about college baseball recruiting, JUCO baseball, scholarship and financial decisions, roster math, college coach interest, travel baseball, playing time, and the pressure the recruiting process can put on the relationship between a parent and his son. 

He also shares why getting an offer isn’t the finish line, how difficult it can be to interpret what college coaches really mean, and the unexpected way Julian’s eventual college opportunity started with a conversation inside a Fort Worth gym. 

If you’re looking for college baseball recruiting tips for parents, especially as your son moves through high school baseball and starts hearing from college programs, this episode will help you think beyond simply getting the offer. 

TIMESTAMPS 

00:01 Why recruiting feels different when you’re the parent 

02:16 When the coaching staff leaves two weeks before school 

04:36 The waiting, comparison, and financial pressure parents carry 

07:02 Roster math and the real path to playing time 

09:25 Letting your son own the decision 

11:14 What college coach interest really means 

13:42 What recruiting costs emotionally 

16:07 How Julian actually got recruited 

If your son is going through the recruiting process right now, leave your biggest question in the comments. 

#CollegeBaseballRecruiting #BaseballParents #TravelBaseball

Aiden McIntyre was benched in high school, cut in college, and still drafted by the Oakland A’s. How much are baseball parents spending because they’re afraid their son is falling behind? 

The former professional pitcher and baseball YouTuber joins Bobby Minor on the Chasing Baseball Dreams Podcast to talk about late-blooming players, travel baseball costs, and the pressure parents feel to keep up. 

Aiden was a 5-foot-2 high school freshman who struggled throughout high school. He transferred three times in college before being selected in the 2018 MLB Draft. He shares what his parents got right during those difficult years and why being one of the best players at 12 tells you so little about what happens next. 

We get into private pitching lessons, $500 baseball bats, youth player rankings, and baseball showcases. Aiden explains why he wouldn’t consider a showcase before 16, why players need something to show when they get there, and how the fear of falling behind pushes families into spending they don’t need. 

For pitchers and their parents, Aiden walks through the development that took him from the mid-80s to the mid-90s, his experience with Driveline, and how baseball analytics helped him understand his strengths. He also explains why he’d rather face a hitter swinging for the fences than a scrappy hitter who refuses to strike out. 

We talk about minor league baseball, the injuries that helped him decide to walk away, and how a job at vidIQ helped him build a full-time YouTube career. 

And stay for his story about giving up eight runs without getting out of the first inning. A Dodgers scout was watching. What that scout told him afterward is something worth remembering the next time your son has a bad game. 

TIMESTAMPS 

00:00 Meet Aiden McIntyre 

01:47 Late bloomers and judging players too early 

05:04 Chasing big dreams while being honest about your ability 

08:58 Supporting your son without adding performance pressure 

14:31 Pitching development: how Aiden reached the mid-90s 

17:35 Pitch design, baseball analytics, and the hitters he hated facing 

22:31 Minor league baseball, injuries, and knowing when to stop 

27:06 From professional pitcher to full-time baseball YouTuber 

31:28 Youth baseball costs: $500 bats and private lessons 

34:21 When should players attend baseball showcases? 

36:38 FOMO, falling behind, and the pressure to “make it” 

44:20 Why Aiden opposes ranking young baseball players 

46:15 Your son doesn’t have to be the number-one player 

49:11 Looking ahead to the Field of Dreams event 

51:20 In-and-Out: pitching velocity, statistics, and handling failure 

53:28 Going 0-for-5 and still being a great teammate 

55:02 What a Dodgers scout saw in Aiden’s worst outing 

58:18 Favorite baseball memories and a first-year Triple-A win 

59:36 Wrigley, Fenway, and favorite MLB ballparks 

1:01:44 Where to follow Aiden McIntyre 

What’s one thing you’ve felt pressured to pay for because you were told your son would fall behind? Tell us in the comments. 

Subscribe to the Chasing Baseball Dreams Podcast on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts for more conversations that help baseball parents make better decisions for their sons. 

#BaseballParents #YouthBaseball #AidenMcIntyre

Josh Reddick was cut from his middle-school baseball team two years in a row. He went on to play 13 seasons in Major League Baseball, win a Gold Glove, collect more than 1,100 hits, and win a World Series. 

So what should baseball parents take from a story like his? 

In this episode of the Chasing Baseball Dreams Podcast, Josh Reddick talks about youth baseball development, travel baseball, exposure, hitting, positional development, slumps, routines, and why parents shouldn't decide what a young player can become based on what he looks like at 10, 11, or 12 years old. 

Josh explains why reps matter more than where your son plays, when exposure actually begins to matter, and why talented players will eventually get found if they perform. 

We also get into one of the biggest problems in youth baseball today: trying to manufacture a mechanically perfect swing instead of teaching kids how to hit. Josh explains why there is no single perfect swing, using players like Ken Griffey Jr., Barry Bonds, Jose Altuve and others as examples. 

He also shares what he actually notices when evaluating talented young players, what Ron Washington taught him about keeping baseball simple, how he handled one of the worst stretches of his MLB career, and the one trait he'd choose in a 12-year-old player over everything except talent. 

If you're a baseball parent trying to figure out what actually matters for your son's development, this conversation is worth watching all the way through. 

TIMESTAMPS 

00:00 Josh Reddick joins Chasing Baseball Dreams 

00:36 Cut from his middle-school team twice 

03:03 What matters most for young baseball players 

04:20 When does baseball exposure actually matter? 

06:43 Being told he wasn't good enough 

08:11 Why kids shouldn't specialize at one position too early 

10:58 What Ron Washington did for Marcus Semien 

12:29 There is no blueprint for becoming a Major Leaguer 

14:42 Ron Washington and keeping baseball simple 

17:18 What parents get wrong when their son starts struggling 

20:18 The problem with chasing the "perfect" baseball swing 

22:42 What Josh notices when evaluating young players 

24:02 The sound of the bat and raw athletic ability 

25:18 Josh knew Junior Caminero was different 

26:17 Why you can't evaluate a player's future at 9U 

27:07 Josh's three favorite baseball memories 

28:04 Making his Major League debut with the Red Sox 

29:56 The one trait Josh wants in a 12-year-old player 

31:05 Final thoughts 

Josh Reddick played more than 1,300 Major League games during a 13-year MLB career with the Boston Red Sox, Oakland Athletics, Los Angeles Dodgers, Houston Astros and Arizona Diamondbacks. He won the 2012 American League Gold Glove in right field and was a member of Houston's 2017 World Series championship team. 

Chasing Baseball Dreams helps baseball parents cut through the noise surrounding travel baseball, youth baseball development, recruiting, exposure, showcases and the decisions that actually matter as their sons grow through the game. 

#JoshReddick #YouthBaseball #BaseballParents #TravelBaseball

You probably know Anthony Mendez as the Latin Lover Narrator from Jane the Virgin, the role that earned him two Emmy nominations.

You may also recognize his voice from Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, American Dad, Elena of Avalor, GTA V and, if you listen to this podcast, the opening and closing of Chasing Baseball Dreams.

But this conversation isn't really about Hollywood.

It's about being a baseball dad.

Anthony's son is now a sophomore in high school, but Anthony admits he got caught up in the travel baseball machine when his son was younger. Stats. Winning. Better teams. Expensive bats. Travel. The fear that if they didn't keep doing more, his son would fall behind.

Then his son told him he didn't want to play anymore.

That changed everything.

Anthony joins Bobby Minor to talk about pulling back, becoming Dad instead of Coach Dad, why nobody who matters is evaluating your 10-year-old, why his son hasn't attended a single showcase yet, and the baseball lesson he wishes more parents understood:

Let the kid guide you.

They also talk about Anthony's voice acting career, Jane the Virgin, Antonio Banderas, growing up at Yankee Stadium, Cooperstown, youth baseball expenses and why some of the memories parents worry about end up looking completely different through their son's eyes.

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Meet Anthony Mendez

00:57 Becoming the Latin Lover Narrator and a voice actor

02:45 Why Anthony hasn't done much on-camera acting

04:16 Getting caught up in the travel baseball machine

06:23 When his son wanted to quit baseball

06:37 How Anthony changed from Coach Dad to Dad

09:10 What he worried about way too much when his son was younger

10:07 Expensive bats, gloves and custom cleats

11:39 The Dominican baseball swagger

12:06 Does anyone recognize THAT voice at the ballpark?

13:23 Growing up a Yankees fan

15:19 Petco Park, Dodger Stadium and favorite ballparks

17:40 What Anthony would tell the dad about to go all-in on travel ball

20:34 Why the baseball machine makes parents feel behind

22:04 “Don't let anybody tell you a freshman is behind”

24:00 The problem with comparing your son's development

26:07 Why Anthony's son hasn't attended a showcase

28:46 Don't showcase until you have something to show

29:46 IN & OUT with Anthony Mendez

29:54 The travel ball expense he'd rethink

30:16 Jersey name or playing opportunity?

30:32 What his son needs from him now

31:21 The biggest plot twist in his son's baseball journey

31:57 The Cooperstown memory that changed Anthony's perspective

32:38 Growing up at Yankee Stadium

34:30 The message every young baseball parent needs to hear

36:01 What's next for Anthony Mendez

37:17 Where to follow Anthony

#TravelBaseball #BaseballParents #YouthBaseball #AnthonyMendez

Former Major Leaguer and current Arizona Diamondbacks special assignment scout Todd Greene has seen baseball from just about every angle.

He played parts of 11 seasons in the Major Leagues, became one of the greatest power hitters in college baseball history, moved into professional scouting, and built a travel baseball program that has helped more than 350 players reach college baseball.

In this episode of the Chasing Baseball Dreams Podcast, Todd joins Bobby Minor for a straight conversation every baseball parent needs to hear.

Todd explains why youth rankings “mean absolutely nothing,” why the best team isn't always the best situation for your son, why kids shouldn't be playing baseball year-round, and why parents need to stop treating 10U, 11U and 12U success like a prediction of what a player will become.

They also get into early specialization, showcases, playing time, choosing the right travel organization, late bloomers, multi-sport athletes, scout teams, the car ride home after a bad game, and the questions parents should ask before writing another check.

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Meet Todd Greene

01:36 What does a special assignment scout actually do?

03:08 What successful players had in common as kids

04:16 The problem with the D1 obsession

06:02 Todd's path from 27th-round pick to the Major Leagues

09:39 Why youth baseball rankings mean nothing

12:14 How early is too early to specialize at one position?

15:46 What Todd learned from Derek Jeter

16:40 Why kids shouldn't play baseball year-round

19:12 When baseball specialization starts to make sense

21:41 What parents should look for in a travel baseball program

25:29 Does an 8-year-old really need travel baseball?

28:36 When young players should start facing better competition

30:05 The truth about youth “scout teams”

31:54 IN & OUT: 80-game seasons, national teams, showcases and the ride home

34:04 Better team or better reps?

36:33 Early bloomers, late bloomers and development

39:37 Were Major Leaguers always the best players growing up?

41:48 Todd's greatest baseball memory

44:00 Todd's advice for the parent of a 12-year-old

45:18 Questions to ask BEFORE choosing a travel team

47:17 How much should young players practice versus play?

48:10 Where to find Todd Greene and TG D-backs

If you're raising a baseball player, this one is worth watching all the way through.

#TravelBaseball #YouthBaseball #BaseballParents #PlayerDevelopment

Four-time Emmy-nominated actor Michael Kelly, best known as Doug Stamper on House of Cards, joins Bobby Minor on the Chasing Baseball Dreams Podcast for a conversation that goes way beyond Hollywood.

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Michael grew up in Georgia as a diehard Atlanta Braves fan. His dad passed that love of baseball down to him, and now Michael is watching the same thing happen with his own son, Clint, who has entered high school baseball.

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Michael talks about balancing fatherhood with an acting career that can take him around the world for weeks at a time, following his son’s games on GameChanger from hotel rooms overseas, and how hard it is knowing some moments simply can’t be replaced.

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They also get into something every baseball parent deals with: watching your kid struggle.

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Michael shares how he helped Clint through a difficult season at the plate, why failure in baseball reminds him so much of rejection in acting, and what seven years of grinding before his own acting breakthrough taught him about perseverance.

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He also explains the 30-minute no-phone rule before and after games, why he tries to let the baseball experience belong to his son, and the two qualities he sees in successful actors and athletes over and over again: work ethic and respect.

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Plus, Michael talks Dale Murphy, Chipper Jones, Hank Aaron, Jack Ryan, Lioness, throwing out the first pitch at an Atlanta Braves game, and an unforgettable 2021 World Series memory shared with his father, brother and son.

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If you’re raising a young baseball player, there’s a lot in this conversation worth hearing.

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TIMESTAMPS

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00:00 Intro

00:50 Meet Michael Kelly

02:04 How his dad made him a Braves fan

03:49 Becoming a baseball dad

05:35 Dale Murphy, Chipper Jones & Braves memories

06:54 Why Michael never played baseball

08:14 Watching your kid do what he loves

09:53 Being “Clint’s dad” at the ballpark

11:46 House of Cards, Jack Ryan & Lioness

13:04 The baseball movie Michael wanted to make

16:54 Missing his son’s games while filming overseas

19:14 The 30-minute no-phone rule

21:19 Acting rejection and baseball failure

23:18 Watching his son struggle at the plate

27:13 Choosing family over an acting role

30:05 Seven years of rejection before his breakthrough

31:03 Why work ethic and respect matter

35:06 Throwing out the first pitch for the Braves

37:41 His favorite baseball memory

What do college baseball coaches actually look for when recruiting a high school player? And how much do Perfect Game rankings, showcases, travel baseball teams, character, and parents really matter?

Former Philadelphia Phillies catcher and current University of Texas at Arlington assistant coach Cameron Rupp joins Bobby Minor on the Chasing Baseball Dreams Podcast for a conversation every baseball parent with a son who wants to play at the next level needs to hear.

Cameron played at the University of Texas, competed in the 2009 College World Series, was an All-Big 12 selection, and was drafted in the third round of the 2010 MLB Draft before spending five seasons with the Phillies.

In this episode, Cameron explains why he doesn’t care about a player’s Perfect Game ranking, what catches his eye when evaluating recruits, why he wants to see players fail, and why character matters to college coaches.

They also dig into college baseball recruiting, JUCO baseball, the transfer portal, showcases vs. college camps, specialization, multi-sport athletes, positional versatility, catching development, swing-and-miss rates, recruiting emails, and how parents can help or hurt the recruiting process.

Cameron’s message to baseball parents is simple: stop trying to project where a 12-year-old will be six years from now. Let him develop. Let him play. And let him run his own race.

00:51 Meet Cameron Rupp: Phillies catcher to college coach
02:01 Biggest developmental mistakes parents make
04:38 How early is too early to specialize?
05:50 Why projecting a 12-year-old as D1 makes no sense
06:52 D-BAT, Clayton Kershaw and DFW baseball
09:17 How travel baseball has changed
09:58 How college baseball recruiting actually starts
10:38 Do Perfect Game rankings matter?
11:37 Why Cameron wants to watch recruits fail
12:48 Does character matter in recruiting?
14:46 High school, JUCO and portal roster construction
15:21 Who should consider the JUCO route?
17:59 Power Four vs. mid-major recruiting
20:18 What college coaches want from catchers
22:21 The truth about showcase pop times
24:35 The four most recruited positions
25:28 The one tool that can change a game
26:52 Why swing-and-miss matters
28:38 Positional versatility and getting in the lineup
31:50 Why young players shouldn’t be locked into one position
34:21 What college coaches truly value
37:14 Power Four recruiting and the transfer portal
39:16 Performance wins playing time
40:49 Failure and mental toughness
43:03 How parents can help players handle failure
45:54 In & Out with Cameron Rupp
46:38 One thing youth baseball parents should stop doing
47:09 Cameron’s favorite Phillies memory
48:18 Advice for every 14-year-old catcher
49:04 The best players Cameron played with
50:05 College camp or showcase?
52:19 Are college camps money grabs?
53:09 Camp invites vs. genuine recruiting interest
54:53 When players get on recruiting boards
56:08 Can a parent hurt his son’s recruitment?
58:25 Final advice: Run your own race
59:30 Where to follow Cameron Rupp

Adam Eaton was 5-foot-9, a 19th-round draft pick and, by his own admission, never a big-time prospect. He still found a way to play 10 years in the Major Leagues and win a World Series.

And his message to baseball parents is one I wish more people heard early: “It is not a talent contest.”

Adam joins me on Chasing Baseball Dreams to talk about what actually helped him beat the odds, what he learned working with college players at Michigan State, and what he now sees every day as the first base coach for the Los Angeles Angels.

We get into why parents put way too much importance on early success, why he believes kids need to play multiple sports, what coaches notice when a player goes 0-for-4, and why learning how to fail may be one of the most important skills a young player can develop.

Adam also shares what he’s learned being around players like Shohei Ohtani, Juan Soto and Mike Trout, why young players need to actually watch and study baseball, and the advice he gives parents of 10-year-olds:

“Your only job as a parent is to make sure he signs up next year.”

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Adam Eaton joins Chasing Baseball Dreams
02:10 What actually matters for the undersized young player
04:47 Why Adam played multiple sports growing up
08:49 Why young players should play different positions
14:14 “Baseball is not a talent contest”
16:58 The best players Adam ever played with
19:06 What separates Shohei Ohtani and Juan Soto
21:18 What coaches notice when your son goes 0-for-4
25:52 Being a great teammate when the bat isn’t working
29:23 Turning failure into better work
31:11 The toughest pitchers Adam ever faced
33:58 Why bunting is making a comeback
38:26 Why young players need to watch more baseball
40:12 What Kirk Gibson taught Adam from the bench
45:18 How parents should handle injuries and setbacks
48:44 Why kids need to become athletes first
52:45 What Mike Trout does differently
55:29 In & Out with Adam Eaton
55:48 Adam’s advice for parents of 10-year-olds
56:40 What parents value too much in youth baseball
57:24 The one thing every player needs to learn
58:17 Could Adam Eaton become an MLB manager?
1:01:11 Adam’s favorite baseball memories
1:05:04 Adam’s favorite baseball movie
1:06:52 Adam’s message directly to baseball parents

Dustin Pedroia spent 14 seasons in the big leagues, won Rookie of the Year, an MVP, four Gold Gloves and three World Series championships.

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But this conversation really isn’t about any of that.

It’s about what we’re doing with kids before they ever get close to the big leagues.

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Dustin talks about why his sons don’t play year-round baseball before 14, why 12U rankings and exit velo can fool parents, why he would rather watch a talented player go 0-for-4 than 3-for-3, and why travel baseball has the practice-to-game ratio completely backwards.

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He also shares what he actually says to his own son after a bad game, why kids need to experience failure, what David Ortiz told him about developing his swing, what scouts really notice over time, and why being the 12th player on a national team may be worse than playing every day somewhere else.

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There is a LOT here for baseball parents.

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TIMESTAMPS

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00:00 Dustin Pedroia joins Chasing Baseball Dreams

02:02 Why he gave back his Arizona State scholarship

03:05 Why young players need multiple sports

06:02 The tryout that changed everything

08:30 The knee injury that ended his career

11:46 Pedroia played only 20 baseball games a year

12:16 Fall in love with the work

13:42 “Your son will not fall behind”

15:22 What hitters ages 8 to 13 should work on

17:38 The business of youth baseball

20:24 Don’t showcase before you’re ready

21:25 What scouts can’t measure in one workout

24:23 Attitude, effort and preparation

28:49 What Dustin says after his son goes 0-for-3

30:44 What has changed in Major League hitting

34:22 Development vs. just playing more games

38:40 The coaching red flag parents should watch for

41:43 What matters for talented 11- and 12-year-olds

46:47 In & Out with Dustin Pedroia

49:36 12U exit velo and player rankings

50:55 Elite roster or everyday playing time?

53:01 When should a player go all-in on baseball?

55:12 Dustin’s favorite baseball movie and memories

59:00 Dustin’s advice for Bobby

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If you’re raising a baseball player, especially between 8 and 14, there’s a good chance something Dustin says in this episode will make you rethink what development is supposed to look like.

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Subscribe to Chasing Baseball Dreams for straight talk from people who have actually lived this game.