In this episode, I share a story about a player who received a strong offer from a mid-major school — and the advice I gave him for navigating the current college baseball recruiting environment.

For more about Patrick Jones Baseball:

👉 Follow me on X: @pjonesbaseball

📬 Sign up for my weekly baseball recruiting newsletter – Get insights on college recruiting, player spotlights, and advice for parents and coaches. Subscribe at https://www.patrickjonesbaseball.com/recruit

⚾ Need Help with College Recruiting? – We help serious baseball players get recruited. Book a 1-on-1 consult at https://www.patrickjonesbaseball.com/recruiting

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In this episode, I chat with Ryan Johansen, former Chicago White Sox Assistant Hitting Coordinator and current Director of Hitting/Co-Director of Player Development at Elite Baseball Training. Ryan and I discuss hitting philosophy, bat speed training, and the importance of mental skills in player development. Ryan shares the core values of hitting, the effectiveness of movement screens, and the significance of empathy in coaching. Ryan also shares insights on how to structure bat speed programs and the necessity of a cohesive coaching culture in youth baseball.

How to connect with Ryan Johansen:

On X: @RPJ1317

On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JohansenBaseball

On the web: https://www.johansenbaseball.com/

For more about Patrick Jones Baseball:

👉 Follow me on X: @pjonesbaseball

📬 Sign up for my weekly baseball recruiting newsletter – Get insights on college recruiting, player spotlights, and advice for parents and coaches. Subscribe at https://www.patrickjonesbaseball.com/recruit

⚾ Need Help with College Recruiting? – We help serious baseball players get recruited. Book a 1-on-1 consult at https://www.patrickjonesbaseball.com/recruiting

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, I sit down with Keith Madison, former head coach at the University of Kentucky. Keith coached at Kentucky for 25 years! In this episode, we discuss the challenges of coaching, particularly the importance of maintaining balance to avoid burnout. Keith shares personal experiences and insights on how to navigate the pressures of coaching while emphasizing the need for coaches to find balance between their work and their personal lives. We also touch on the evolution of coaching perspectives, the good and the bad of travel baseball, and the writing process behind Keith's new book, "Coaching with Purpose."

Keith's book is available via his website: https://coachkeithmadison.com/

Connect with me on X: @pjonesbaseball

📬 Sign up for my weekly baseball recruiting newsletter – Get insights on college recruiting, player spotlights, and advice for parents and coaches. Subscribe at https://www.patrickjonesbaseball.com/recruit

⚾ Need Help with College Recruiting? – We help serious baseball players get recruited. Book a 1-on-1 consult at https://www.patrickjonesbaseball.com/recruiting

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, I sit down with Tyler Packanik, the associate head coach and recruiting coordinator at Jacksonville State University. We talk about all things baseball recruiting — from the importance of player development to the nuances of the transfer portal and the value of junior college players. Tyler shares what coaches look for in recruits, the role social media plays in the process, and how coaches evaluate infielders and baserunning. He also stresses the importance of hard work, dedication, and the right mindset for any player who wants to take the next step.

On X:

Tyler Packanik: @Tpack5

Jacksonville State University Baseball: @JaxStateBB

Patrick Jones Baseball: @pjonesbaseball

📬 Sign up for my weekly baseball recruiting newsletter – Get insights on college recruiting, player spotlights, and advice for parents and coaches. Subscribe at https://www.patrickjonesbaseball.com/recruit

⚾ Need Help with College Recruiting? – We help serious baseball players get recruited. Book a 1-on-1 consult at https://www.patrickjonesbaseball.com/recruiting

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week I sat down with Kevin Soine, Assistant Baseball Coach and Athletic Operations Coordinator at South Mountain Community College in Phoenix, Arizona. I had a chance to visit South Mountain recently and came away extremely impressed, especially with the coaching staff's focus on player development.

In our conversation, Kevin shares his journey from his high school days in Minnesota to his current coaching position in Arizona, including the challenges of transitioning from player to coach. We discuss the importance of academic success, compliance, and eligibility in college athletics, as well as the significance of mental performance and practice design in player development. Patrick also shares his advice for high school players hoping to get recruited and play at the college level.

On X:

Follow Kevin Soine: @CatchBot7

Follow South Mountain Community College Athletics: @SMCCCougars

Follow Patrick Jones Baseball: @pjonesbaseball

📬 Sign up for my weekly baseball recruiting newsletter – Get insights on college recruiting, player spotlights, and advice for parents and coaches. Subscribe at https://www.patrickjonesbaseball.com/recruit

⚾ Need Help with College Recruiting? – We help serious baseball players get recruited. Book a 1-on-1 consult at https://www.patrickjonesbaseball.com/recruiting

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, I interview Cole Schaffer, the new head baseball coach at Thomas More University. We discuss Cole's journey to becoming a head coach, the challenges of recruiting at the Division II level, and his vision for building a competitive baseball program. Cole shares insights on the importance of player commitment, the realities of coaching, and the structure of fall practices. The conversation highlights the significance of balancing academics and athletics, as well as the sacrifices made in pursuit of a coaching career.

Follow Cole and Thomas More baseball on X:

Cole Shaffer: @coleshaffer05

Thomas More Baseball: @ThomasMoreBase1

Does your family need help navigating the recruiting process for college baseball?

Sign up for a consult on the Patrick Jones Baseball website.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, I interview Greg Mamula, head coach at the University of Delaware baseball team. We discuss the unique aspects of Delaware's campus and its athletic facilities and delve into Mamula's coaching philosophy.

Coach Mamula shares insights on evaluating players, the importance of game situations, and the challenges of pitching development. He also shares about his experiences as a coach, the dynamics of building a coaching staff, and the uncertainties facing college baseball today. Finally, he offers advice for the 2027 recruiting class, emphasizing the importance of finding the right fit in a program.

Connect with Coach Mamula: @CoachMamsUD

Follow the University of Delaware Baseball team: @DelawareBASE

00:00 An Introduction to Delaware Baseball

05:50 Offensive Philosophy and Swing Decisions

09:20 Developing Swing Decisions in Hitters

13:22 Evaluating High School Players

19:42 Pitching Insights in College Baseball

24:29 Training Approaches

27:20 Building a Coaching Staff

30:01 Strategizing Non-Conference Play

31:03 Navigating the 2027 Recruiting Class

35:41 Uncertainty in College Athletics

37:31 The Future of College Baseball

38:27 The Importance of Fundamentals

Check Out Patrick's Content:

📬 Patrick's Weekly Recruiting Newsletter – Get insights on college recruiting, player spotlights, and advice for parents and coaches.

⚾ Need Help with College Recruiting? – We help serious baseball players get recruited. Book a 1-on-1 consult.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Dean Peterson, head coach of Division II University of Charleston, shares what college coaches are really looking for when they evaluate college baseball players.

0:00: What the summer is like for a college baseball coach

6:04: Leadership

12:49: The importance of faith and identity

20:42: Incorporating faith into coaching

27:46: Navigating the transfer portal

33:19: The recruiting process

38:32: Creating an environment for growth

50:38: Empowering coaching staff

58:20: Connecting with prospective players

Are you a parent of a high school baseball player hoping to get recruited?

Apply to work with me at: https://www.patrickjonesbaseball.com/recruiting

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Patrick Jones Baseball, we focus on how college coaches evaluate high school catchers. I outline 7 key criteria that coaches consider, emphasizing the importance of receiving as the most critical skill. We discuss the nuances of receiving, including how catchers should present the ball to umpires and the impact of effective receiving on game outcomes.

Takeaways

1. College coaches look for seven key criteria in catchers.

2. Receiving is the most important skill for catchers.

3. Pop time, blocking, arm action, footwork, makeup, and stamina are also evaluated.

4. Effective receiving can turn balls into strikes, impacting game outcomes.

5. Catchers should present the ball calmly and quietly to umpires.

6. Sudden movements can lead to missed calls from umpires.

7. The best catchers make receiving look effortless.

8. Research shows that every 10 balls turned into strikes equals one run.

Are you a parent of a high school player hoping to get recruited?

Apply to work with me at:

https://www.patrickjonesbaseball.com/recruiting

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of the Patrick Jones Baseball podcast, we welcome back Dr. Adam Maloof, a Princeton University professor and passionate baseball researcher with a unique insider’s perspective on the college game. As a former college catcher and a current contributor to the Princeton baseball program, Dr. Maloof blends scientific rigor with firsthand baseball experience to dig into some of the sport’s most intriguing questions.

Today’s conversation centers on Dr. Maloof’s recent wave of impactful research articles, touching on the art and value of catcher framing, the intricacies of evaluating pitching and hitting at the college level, and why traditional metrics might not be telling the whole story. We dive deep into why receiving is an underrated part of catching, how advances in data collection can help teams gain the Moneyball-style edge, and what simple statistical models like JOPS+ are teaching us about what really wins games in college baseball.

Whether you’re a coach, recruiter, player, or just a diehard baseball fan, this episode offers actionable insights and candid reflections on how the world of college baseball is evolving—and how smarter, more targeted analysis can shape success on the field. Buckle up for an engaging blend of science, strategy, and the irreplaceable human element of the game.

Check Out Patrick's Stuff:

• Patrick's Weekly Recruiting Newsletter – Get insights on college recruiting, player spotlights, and advice for parents and coaches. Subscribe at https://www.patrickjonesbaseball.com/recruit

• Need Help with College Recruiting? – We help serious baseball players get recruited. Book a 1-on-1 consult at https://www.patrickjonesbaseball.com/recruiting

Adam's research articles mentioned in this episode:

Catcher Framing

Evaluating college hitters

Evaluating college pitchers

Adam's contact information

Email: [email protected]

03:53 Future of Automated Strike Zones

09:31 Catcher Recruitment Strategy Insights

12:56 "Evaluating Strike Count Impact"

16:13 Catcher Framing Outweighs OPS

17:13 Baseball Research Unbiased Perspective

21:58 Tracking and Improving Athletic Performance

26:12 Balancing Fit and Fitness in Science

28:51 Pitching Strategy: Efficiency Over Power

31:41 "Win Expectancy and Base Runners"

34:27 Simulated Player Performance Analysis

39:20 Evaluating Biases in Scouting Practices

41:21 Rethink Recruiting for College Success

44:41 Challenges of College Baseball Recruiting

47:43 Evaluating Athlete Intangibles and History

53:32 Overwhelmed Choices in College Recruiting

54:40 "JOPS. Simplifies Baseball Stats"

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