Welcome to "Ahead in the Count," presented by BIP Wealth. Our Baseball Division combines their collegiate and professional baseball playing experience with financial acumen to provide expertise in life on and off the field. We aim to give ballplayers and their families a better understanding about their unique lifestyle, the opportunities that come from playing this game, and insight into the complex financial world. This is "Ahead in the Count," hosted by Nolan Alexander, from BIP Wealth.

What's Covered in This Episode

• How NIL and revenue share have changed the "find your number" conversation for high school and college players heading into the MLB Draft
• Why today's draft-eligible players have more leverage than ever
• The case for turning pro early: faster developmental clocks, the wood-bat transition, and the jump from a college rotation to a five-man pro rotation
• The exceptions: elite, "uber-talented" prospects who reach the majors within a year or two of being drafted
• The case for choosing college baseball: education, scholarships at prestigious schools, the College World Series experience, team camaraderie, and life after baseball
• How NIL has raised the overall talent level and competitiveness of college baseball, including players using the transfer portal with Power Conference (ACC/SEC) rosters
• Why some top college players are now earning hundreds of thousands of dollars — even approaching $1 million — in NIL money, and how that complicates the pro-vs-college decision
• Chase Murray's and John Hester's own paths through Georgia Tech and Stanford, and how their college experiences shaped their post-playing careers

Key Topics & Themes NIL, Revenue Sharing & Player Leverage

Chase Murray and John Hester explain how the draft conversation has shifted from "you get what you get" to a market where high school and college players can weigh NIL income, revenue-share commitments, and draft bonus money against each other — often with a program-backed financial floor for their first year or multiple years on campus.

The Pro Ball Case: Start the Developmental Clock

John Hester breaks down why front offices and player development staff often push for players to turn pro immediately: more reps, a faster transition to wood bats, and exposure to a full five-man pitching rotation rather than a once-a-week college workload. He notes the exceptions — elite prospects who are major-league-ready within a year or two — but stresses that for most players, professional development reps are hard to replicate in college.

The College Case: More Than Just a Paycheck

Both guests push back on the "turn pro at all costs" mindset, pointing to the value of a college degree, the buffer years between high school and adulthood, team camaraderie unique to the college game, and unforgettable moments like John Hester's freshman-year run to the College World Series at Stanford.

This conversation continues in Episode 2, where Chase Murray and John Hester go deeper into how to actually calculate "your number" ahead of the 2026 MLB Draft.

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