Dugout Dish Baseball Recruiting Podcast powered by EMD Baseball

By Andy Kiriakedes & Keith GlasserSports Education Baseball

Dugout Dish Baseball Recruiting Podcast powered by EMD Baseball episodes

November 02Committed Isn’t Admitted — ED 1, ED 2 & Regular Decision Admissions for Baseball Recruits | EMD Shorts
Getting a commitment from a college coach is a huge milestone, but it is not the finish line. Every committed player still has to officially apply to the school, and the admissions process deserves the same attention as the recruiting process that got you there. In this episode of Dugout Dish, Andy and Keith cover what committed players need to have in place with ED 1 and ED 2 deadlines approaching, what else may be required for regular decision, and the mistakes that can put a commitment at risk.

What we cover:
Why every committed player still has to officially apply to the school after committing
What you need for the admissions process with ED 1 and ED 2 deadlines approaching
What else you might need if you are applying regular decision
Why getting your application in by the deadline is non-negotiable
Making sure your supporting documents are being submitted and received on time
Why you cannot mail in the essay or the other questions on the application — admissions is reading them
Taking the application process as seriously as you took the recruiting process
Whether your son just committed or is finalizing his decision — this episode makes sure the hard work of recruiting is not undone by a rushed or late application.

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
10 min
October 29The Next Eight Months of Recruiting — Weight Room, Academics & Defense That Give You an Edge | Ep. 191
The recruits who give the best account of themselves next spring and summer are the ones who use the next eight months well. In this episode of Dugout Dish, Andy and Keith lay out the reality of the recruiting process between now and the 2027 spring and summer seasons, and what players should be doing every week to give themselves the best possible advantage.

What we cover:
The reality of the next eight months of the college baseball recruiting process and why this stretch matters so much
The weight room and why getting your body more physical improves your skill set, not just your strength numbers
Building a body that can hold up through a long spring and summer in 2027 so you can perform when coaches are watching
Academics — staying on top of your grades, or improving them, so you can get into the most schools possible
Skill set acquisition on the offensive side of the ball
Why defense needs to be a priority this offseason, not an afterthought
Catching bullpens and daily infield or outfield prep that will raise your game
How the work you put in over these eight months shows up when it is time to perform in front of college coaches
Whether your son is a 2027 entering a critical spring or a younger player laying the groundwork — this episode is the plan for making the next eight months count.
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
48 min
October 26Challenge Yourself in the Cages — Offseason Hitting That Gets Position Players Recruited | EMD Shorts
The hitters who get recruited next spring and summer are being built right now in the cages. In this episode of Dugout Dish, Andy and Keith talk about why position players need to spend the next six months challenging themselves instead of taking feel-good BP — and how the technology available to hitters in 2026 makes it possible to train against the velocity, breaking balls, and changeups they will face in games, from both right- and left-handed looks.

What we cover:
Why the next six months of offseason work are critical for a position player’s recruiting process
Why feel-good BP builds confidence but not the skills that hold up against quality pitching
How to be honest about your weaknesses at the plate and build your cage work around improving them
How the rise of technology and better pitching machines has changed what hitters can train in the offseason
Training against velocity, breaking balls, and changeups so game at-bats feel familiar instead of overwhelming
Why seeing both right- and left-handed looks in the cage prepares you for what coaches will watch you face
How challenging offseason work translates into a better account of yourself next spring and summer
Why the way you train this winter could be the difference between being recruited or not
Whether your son is a 2027 trying to make a final push or a younger hitter building his foundation — this episode is your guide to making the offseason count in the cage.
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
13 min
October 22 Maryland Pitching Coach Jimmy Jackson on NIL, the Transfer Portal & How Recruiting Has Changed | Ep. 190
When Jimmy Jackson first joined Dugout Dish in 2023, he was the pitching coach at JMU and the college baseball world looked very different. Now the pitching coach at Maryland, Jimmy returns to talk with Andy and Keith about everything that has changed since — the 5-for-5 eligibility rule, the explosion of NIL, and the rise of the transfer portal — and how those changes have reshaped the way his program recruits and builds a roster.
What we cover:
• What has changed in college baseball since Jimmy's first appearance on the podcast as JMU's pitching coach in 2023
• The 5-for-5 eligibility rule and how it is affecting rosters, playing time, and recruiting decisions
• The explosion of NIL in college baseball and what it means for programs and players
• The rise of the transfer portal and how it has changed the way staffs build their rosters
• How these rules and more have changed the way Maryland goes about recruiting
• What the college baseball landscape is likely to look like over the next few years
• Why the 2028 recruiting class is moving slower than classes in years past, and what that means for families of 2028 recruits
• Jimmy's opinions on the transfer portal as a whole
Whether your son is a 2028 recruit wondering why things feel slow or a younger player trying to understand the new rules of college baseball — this episode gives you a Big Ten coach's view of where recruiting stands right now and where it is headed.
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
1 hr 14 min
October 19 Camps During the Quiet Period | In the Clubhouse with EMD
In this episode, we break down what student-athletes and families need to know about attending college baseball camps during the NCAA Division I quiet period. We discuss the best timing, how to prepare effectively, and what players should focus on to make the most of every camp opportunity. Whether you're navigating the recruiting process or planning your next showcase, this episode gives you the insights to stand out and succeed.
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
9 min
October 15What College Coaches Are Actually Recruiting Right Now — Defense, Athleticism & the Complete Player | Ep. 189
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
45 min
October 12 Pre-Tournament Checklist for Baseball Recruits — How to Maximize Every Recruiting Weekend | EMD Shorts
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
13 min
October 082028 Recruiting Timeline Update — Why Coaches Are Slowing Down & What It Means for Every Level | Ep. 188
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
1 hr 14 min
October 05Save College Sports Act Explained — NIL, Eligibility, the Transfer Portal & What It Means for Baseball | EMD Shorts
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
16 min
October 01Fall 2026 Recruiting Hot Topics — 2028 Class Timeline, Slower Cycles & the 5-for-5 Reality Check | Ep. 187
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
37 min

About Dugout Dish Baseball Recruiting Podcast powered by EMD Baseball

From the publisher's feed

With a combined 25 years of collegiate coaching experience at the Division I, II, and III levels we will bring you the latest insights, analysis, and interviews about the world of college baseball…