Baseball meets Marvel in this episode with Austin Blake, former college catcher and creator of Batter on Deck, the comic-book themed batting glove brand that’s blowing up at youth tournaments and travel ball fields. 

🎧 What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• How Austin went from college catcher at UNF to strength coach to full-time baseball entrepreneur
• The hand injury that sparked the idea for a new kind of protective batting glove
• Why he combined comic-book art (BOOM, POW, Hulk vibes) with serious protection to stand out in a crowded market
• The process of designing and manufacturing his first gloves (and going through 20–30 manufacturers to get it right)
• Why posting content every day has been a bigger cheat code than paid ads
• How showing up at tournaments every weekend became his #1 growth strategy
• The advice he gives to players who want to start their own brand
• His big vision: retail shelves, massive tournaments, and eventually licensed superhero gloves

Whether you’re a player, parent, coach, or creator, you’ll get a ton of ideas on building a brand around the game you love.

👉 Check out Batter on Deck:
Shop the gloves & gear: https://batterondeck.com
Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/batter_on_deck/

🧢 Episode Sponsor – Stinger Sports

Huge shoutout to our sponsor Stinger Sports. They've pro-level gear at prices real families can actually afford.

They’ve got:
•Custom team jerseys, pants, hats, and uniforms
•Gloves, batting gloves, team backpacks, and more
•And they are the gloves Colt uses in his games all across the country

👉 Check out Stinger Sports here: https://www.stingerwoodbats.com/

Tell them The Brolletts sent you!

Blitzball star Sammy Reazer breaks down how he became the #1 hitter in Blitzball, got into Como Blitzball, and is now turning whiffle ball-style backyard baseball and content into a real career.

If you love Blitzball, Como Blitzball, Whiffle Ball, or backyard baseball with your friends, this is your episode.

In this interview, Sammy tells us:
 • How Como Blitzball really started and why it blew up on YouTube
 • What the Blitzball World Series is and how YOU can get invited
 • How he’s building his brand (and getting paid) playing Blitzball
 • The gear and camera setup he uses to film content at Ballparks of America
 • His plan to go from Blitzball player to full-time creator

We also talk tournaments, collabs, viral vids, and why posting your own Blitzball videos (even if they’re not “perfect”) is the fastest way to grow an audience.

⏱ CHAPTERS
00:00 Meet Sammy Reazer – #1 ranked Blitzball hitter
02:00 How Blitzball actually works (leagues, rankings, World Series)
07:40 How to get invited to the Blitzball World Series
10:13 “#1 hitter in Blitzball” – what that really means
14:05 Sammy’s origin story: going from backyard Blitzball to KOMO
20:54 When Sammy realized Blitzball could become a job
22:30 Can you REALLY make money playing Blitzball?
24:40 Building your personal brand as a Blitzball player
25:55 Ballparks of America partnership (and why it’s a cheat code)
33:29 Sammy’s filming setup + how he shoots Blitzball content
37:55 How to come up with viral Blitzball ideas
44:16 What makes a viral Blitzball YouTube video in 2025
50:04 If Sammy had unlimited budget to grow his brand
53:12 Rapid fire: Shohei Ohtani, nastiest pitcher, dream stadium, craziest fan moment
58:40 How you can play Blitzball with Sammy

–––––

📲 FOLLOW SAMMY REAZER
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sammy_blitzball/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SammyReazer

🎙 ABOUT THE BROLLETTS
We’re Greg and Colten Rollett – we interview baseball and sports creators, athletes, and brands to help young players build their game AND their brand.

👇 SUBSCRIBE for more:  @thebrolletts8253  

💬 COMMENT “BLITZBALL” if you want us to interview more Blitzball players.

–––––

🔥 BIG TAKEAWAYS FROM SAMMY
• You don’t have to be the best player – you just have to post.
• You can literally get invited to the Blitzball World Series by filming games with your friends and uploading to YouTube.
• Collabs = growth. Getting in videos with bigger creators is the fastest way to build an audience.
• Your name is your brand. Start building it now.

Get Our Newsletter for Athletes Who Want to Build Their Brand 👉 https://thebrolletts.com

😎 Did you know we have a sunglass brand for athletes? It’s called Arete Shades — and right now, all glasses are 2 for $40 → https://areteshades.com

In this episode of The Brolletts Podcast, Colten (13-year-old baseball creator) and Greg Rollett (Emmy Award-winning entrepreneur) sit down with The Bat Boys — Liam and Eric — the creators who went from high school baseball players to interviewing MLB superstars like Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, and Juan Soto.

We cover 👇

🎥 The Origin Story: How COVID canceled their senior season but launched their content journey
⚾ Breaking into MLB Media: From fan seats to official field passes and team credentials
📱 TikTok Growth Blueprint: Posting timing, editing flow, and what actually makes a baseball clip go viral
🎤 Interview Secrets: How they prep, build player relationships, and turn 2 minutes on the field into millions of views
💼 Turning Content Into a Career: The business model behind Bat Boys — sponsors, travel, and building a media brand
🌎 Baseball Culture in the DR: Why they spotlight Dominican baseball and what creators can learn from it

If you’re a young athlete, parent, or creator, this episode is your inside look at what it really takes to turn baseball content into a career.

🎯 Subscribe for Weekly Episodes:  ⁨@thebrolletts8253⁩  

Get Our Newsletter for Athletes Who Want to Build Their Brand! 📧 https://brolletts.com

Check out our sponsor Stinger Sports for custom baseball gear & uniforms that are pro-level quality at affordable prices! https://stingerwoodbats.com

In this episode of The Brolletts Podcast, we sit down with Clayton Mehlbauer, founder of Stellar Baseball and former professional player who's turning his love for the game into a growing baseball brand.

We dive into:
⚾ From All-Stars to Entrepreneurship: How Clayton's love for baseball at age 8 inspired the Stellar Baseball brand name and logo

🎯 The Pro Ball Experience: Playing alongside MLB legends like Pablo Sandoval and Chris Davis in the Atlantic League

🎥 Building in Public: Why Clayton films daily "Day in the Life" videos documenting his startup journey

🧤 Batting Glove Innovation: The product development process and what makes Stellar gloves different (durability + breathability)

💡 Startup Lessons: From scary bank wires to first sales - the real challenges of starting a baseball brand

🎯 Scaling Strategy: Plans to expand into protective gear, hats, and creating complete player packages

Clayton's journey from weighing 100 pounds as a high school freshman to playing pro ball and now building a baseball brand shows that with consistency and belief, you can turn your passion into a business.

📺 Want More? Subscribe to The Brolletts Podcast for weekly insights:  ⁨@thebrolletts8253⁩  

📲 Follow Stellar Baseball: 
Instagram: @stellarbaseball 
TikTok: @stellarbaseball 
Website: https://stellarbaseball.com

What's your biggest takeaway from Clayton's story? Drop a comment below! 👇

Get Our Newsletter for Athletes Who Want to Build Their Brand!  https://brolletts.com

In this episode of The Brolletts Podcast, we sit down with Jace Jones, a D1 baseball player at Mississippi Valley State who took the unconventional path from D1 to JUCO and back to D1 - proving that resilience and adaptability can lead to incredible opportunities.

We dive into:

⚾ Jace's Unconventional Journey: How Jace went from Florida Gulf Coast (D1) to JUCO to Mississippi Valley State and why "betting on himself" changed everything

🧠 Mental Toughness After Setbacks: Overcoming the mental blocks from early college struggles and learning that not throwing strikes = not pitching (period)

🔄 Ultimate Adaptability: Playing pitcher, catcher, first base, and every position except shortstop - why being a utility player can keep you on the field longer

🎥 Starting Content as a Senior: Why Jace decided to document his final year and create "The Road to 100 MPH" series to show how hard college baseball really is

🎯 Creating Your Own Opportunities: How cold-messaging companies like Stinger Sports landed him partnerships at a smaller D1 school

💪 The JUCO Advantage: Why junior college gave him 80+ games of reps and made him better both as a player and person

Whether you're facing setbacks in your athletic career, considering the JUCO route, or starting your content creation journey, Jace's story proves that every detour can become your biggest advantage.

🔔 Want More? Subscribe to The Brolletts Podcast for weekly insights:  ⁨@thebrolletts8253⁩  

📲 Follow Jace Jones: 
https://www.instagram.com/jace.joness/

What's your biggest takeaway from Jace's story about betting on himself? Drop a comment below! 💬

Get Our Newsletter for Athletes Who Want to Build Their Brand! https://brolletts.com

This episode is also sponsored by Arete Shades, our sunglass brand designed to help young athlete block out distractions. Get 2 pairs for $49 at https://areteshades.com

In this episode of The Brolletts Podcast, we sit down with Hayden Cantrelle, aka The 5 Guy, AAA shortstop for the Chicago Cubs organization and one of baseball's most authentic content creators documenting his journey through the minor leagues.

We dive into:

⚾ Creating Content in the Minors: How Hayden balances vlogging with the demands of professional baseball and navigating team dynamics

🎥 Getting Traded on Camera: The wild story of documenting one of baseball's most emotional moments and what it's really like to switch organizations

📱 Starting Content Before NIL: Why Hayden began creating YouTube videos 7 years ago when college athletes couldn't monetize their platforms

🏪 The Five Guy Brand: Building a merchandise empire from his garage, from custom batting gloves to leather belts that compete with $180 products

🎬 Why Most Players Don't Create Content: The honest truth about effort, editing, and why minor leaguers avoid the camera

📊 Content vs. Performance Balance: How to manage creating when you're struggling on the field and when to prioritize baseball over content

Whether you're a minor league player, college athlete, or content creator trying to build while pursuing your dreams, Hayden's journey from small college to AAA baseball shows how authentic storytelling can open doors and create opportunities.

🔔 Want More? Subscribe to The Brolletts Podcast for weekly insights: https://www.youtube.com/@thebrolletts8253

📲 Follow Hayden "The Five Guy" Cantrelle:

YouTube:  @5Guyy  
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/haydencantrelle5/


What's your biggest takeaway from Hayden's journey through the minors? Drop a comment below! 💬

📧 Get Our Newsletter for Athletes Who Want to Build Their Brand at https://brolletts.com

In this episode of 'The Brolletts Podcast,' we sit down with Robert "Rob Hoop" Hooper, a college track athlete at Tennessee State who's become one of the biggest running content creators on social media while balancing elite athletics and academics.

We dive into:

🏃 Track & Field Content Strategy: How Rob built a massive following in a "minor sport" by focusing on authentic storytelling and community building

📱 The Viral Formula: Breaking down his 1.7M view video and why low-effort, relatable content sometimes performs best

🎥 Content Creation Process: His filming setup, voiceover techniques, and how he batch creates content during busy seasons

💪 Balancing Three Priorities: The honest truth about managing elite athletics, academics, and content creation (spoiler: it's all about waves)

🎯 Building Community Beyond Followers: How his 400-person Discord server creates deeper connections than any other platform

💰 NIL Without the Big Sports: Proving that athletes in any sport can build sustainable income through authentic content

📈 Long-Form Race Breakdowns: Why his 20-minute YouTube videos showcasing race analysis build the strongest brand loyalty

Rob's journey from making WWE videos with his brother to becoming the go-to running creator proves that authenticity and consistency beat school size and sport popularity every time.

🔥 Want More? Subscribe to The Brolletts Podcast for weekly insights:  ⁨@thebrolletts8253⁩  

Follow Rob Hoop: 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rob.hoop/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@robhoop

Follow The Brolletts:
Instagram: https://instagram.com/thebrolletts
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thebrolletts

What's your biggest takeaway from Rob's approach to building community in a track & field? Drop a comment below!

Get Our Newsletter for Athletes Who Want to Build Their Brand! ⚾ https://brolletts.com

Get 2 pairs of Arete Shades for only $49 at https://areteshades.com

In this episode of 'The Brolletts Podcast,' we sit down with R.J. Vukovich, founder of VukGripz. They are the only American-made grip tape company that went from a $6,000 loan from his sister to a seven-figure business used by MLB players and major sports leagues worldwide.

We dive into:

⚾ From Croatia to the Big Leagues: How playing overseas inspired the VukGripz name and led to R.J.'s entrepreneurial breakthrough

💰 Starting with $6K: The family loan story and grinding from sleeping in vans to partnering with Team USA and the PLL

🏟️ MLB Breakthrough Moments: Josh Donaldson's home run and Eric Sogard becoming their first major league success story

🤝 Partnership Playbook: How to land deals with Team USA, Savannah Bananas, and major sports leagues by showing up and grinding

📱 Creator Collaborations: Working with Coach Rac and building authentic relationships that drive millions of views

Whether you're an athlete looking to start a brand or a creator wanting to understand authentic partnerships, R.J.'s journey from pro baseball to building America's only homegrown grip tape company is packed with lessons on hustle, relationships, and never giving up.

🎯 Want More? Subscribe to The Brolletts Podcast for weekly insights: @thebrolletts8253

📲 Follow Vuk Grips: 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vukgripz/
Website: https://vukgripz.com/shop

What's your biggest takeaway from R.J.'s story? Drop a comment below! 💬

📧 Get Our Newsletter for Athletes Who Want to Build Their Brand! 📧 https://brolletts.com

😎 Get our Sunglasses for athletes who want to block out distractions: https://areteshades.com

Ever wonder how to turn your baseball passion into a thriving side business? Jack Holden proves that your playing days ending doesn't mean your baseball journey is over. Discover how he built Blem Bats from his garage while working full-time in sales!

In this episode of The Brolletts Podcast, we sit down with Jack Holden, founder of Blem Bats and former D1 baseball player at Eastern Illinois, who's on a mission to make quality wood bats affordable for every player.

We dive into:

⚾ From Player to Entrepreneur: How Jack transitioned from college baseball to sales to starting his own bat company

💰 The Blem Bat Revolution: What blem bats are and why they're the perfect solution for budget-conscious players

🏠 Garage to Business: His journey from idea to first order, building relationships with manufacturers and getting feedback from customers

📸 Content Creation Breakthrough: How he overcame camera anxiety to grow his brand on Instagram and YouTube (featuring a viral collab with Max Fries!)

⚖️ Balancing Act: Managing a full-time sales career, newborn baby, and growing a side hustle without burning out

🎯 Mission-Driven Business: Why he's focused on helping families save money rather than maximizing profits while still getting a high quality product

Whether you're a high school player looking for affordable wood bats, a former athlete wanting to stay connected to the game, or an entrepreneur seeking inspiration, Jack's story proves that with dedication and passion, you can build something meaningful.

📺 Want More? Subscribe to The Brolletts Podcast for weekly insights:  ⁨@thebrolletts8253⁩  

📲 Follow Blem Bats:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blem_batco/
Website: https://blembatco.com/

What's your biggest takeaway from Jack's entrepreneurial journey? Drop a comment below! 💬

Get Our Newsletter for Athletes Who Want to Build Their Brand! 📧 https://brolletts.com

In this episode of The Brolletts Podcast, we sit down with Jeremy Nowak, aka “The SwingMan” — a former minor league All-Star turned viral content creator who’s redefined what it means to bet on yourself after baseball.

We dive into:

⚾ From All-Star to Released: How Jeremy went from making the minor league All-Star team to getting cut on the last day of spring training, despite outperforming expectations.

🔄 The College Transfer Story: Why switching from Stony Brook to Mount Olive changed everything, and the coaching advice that unlocked his potential as a hitter.

📱 Going Viral Before TikTok: How Jeremy’s Robbie Canó impersonation hit 500k views and caught Joe Rogan’s attention four separate times on his podcast.

💪 95% Rule for Athletes: The game-changing advice from hitting coach Mike Bowlinger — “95% of mechanical flaws are due to bad rhythm and timing.”

🏌️ Becoming a Long Drive Champion: How Jeremy transitioned from baseball to becoming one of the world’s best long drive golfers while building a massive social media following.

🎯 Content Strategy That Works: Jeremy’s simple approach to consistency — posting daily, staying aggressive, and never knowing which video will hit 178 million views.

🤝 Brand Partnerships Done Right: How his early relationship with Stinger Sports shows what authentic athlete partnerships look like.

Jeremy’s journey proves that sometimes your biggest setbacks become your greatest comebacks — and that betting on yourself, even when others won’t, can lead to opportunities you never imagined.

📺 Want More? Subscribe to The Brolletts Podcast for weekly insights:  ⁨@thebrolletts8253⁩  

🔗 Follow The SwingMan:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theswingman_/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theswingman_
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theswingman9437

What’s your biggest takeaway from Jeremy’s story? Drop a comment below! 👇