This is the first installment of a two-part interview. Today we had the pleasure of interviewing Alex Fagalde. Alex has had a very interesting baseball journey. From being cut from his high school baseball team to walking on at Cuesta College, to earning a scholarship at UC Riverside, to being drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals, Alex Fagalde's journey should be a benchmark for the amount grit and work it takes to make one's dream a reality. We sat down to talk about that journey with the hope that it can inspire you, the listener.

On this episode of The Dugout we round out our weekly conversation about the importance of Academics by discussing the questions you need to be asking College Coaches. Questions like: "Are there any majors I can't pursue as a student-athlete?" "What academic support is available?". So often, prospective student-athletes feel they can't ask the tough questions. The only problem? Those questions need to be asked to determine the best program fit.

Steven Patterson joined us again to talk about his journey and how poor academics in high school potentially limited his recruiting process. Steven discusses what he did to go from a 2.8 GPA in high school to a 3.6 GPA at Delta College. The shift in his academic focus contributed to an offer to play at UC Davis, a high academic program.

In this episode we talk with Emma Wadiak, college admissions expert and founder of Connect College Counseling. We discuss the importance of the academic pillar in the recruiting process, which standardized test you should take and what personal essay topic is overdone. Emma also shares her special relationship with baseball and how you can leverage your academic profile to play for the school of your dreams.

When choosing which prospect camp to attend, Academics need to factor into the equation. You’ll learn why not all camps are created equal and why it’s more important you find a fit academically before committing financially to a ill-fitted prospect camp.

We are just 12 weeks from the start of Spring baseball. Which means you should be beginning your winter offseason preparation. We wanted to help you design the perfect offseason plan. Our guest on this episode specializes in Strength and Conditioning. Craig Miszewski has been a Strength and Conditioning Coach for top programs like Ole Miss, Georgetown and UC Davis. Craig also has his Masters degree in Sports Psychology from the University of Missouri.

On today’s episode we tackle the concern for seniors who have yet to sign their NLI. We lay out all the steps they need to take moving forward and why our rule of three is the most effective strategy. It all about Assess. Benchmark. Plan

In the hours leading up to the start of the Signing Period, we were contacted by a family who had been given an "Intent to Participate" from a well known DI program. As with most important decisions in life, the devil is in the details. We break down what an "Intent to Participate" actually means, how it differs from an official NLI, and how you should handle the situation if you are offered something similar.

Today we spoke with Coach Matt Cesario about his experience taking part in his former athlete signing an NLI to a DI program. Matt breaks down what was so special about this particular player and how an athlete can leverage fearlessness and a gamer attitude to earn a spot at the next level. We also discussed how parents can impact the process in a positive way.

Jason Hampton is the current pitching coach and recruiting coordinator for Yuba College. A Junior College in Northern California. Prior to joining the staff at Yuba College, Jason coached at DII schools in South Dakota and Minnesota. He spent his collegiate career playing for Sacramento State and was the Director of Baseball Operations in 2014, the year that the Hornets won the WAC and earned their first spot in the CWS. Jason has his Masters in Sports Performance and Leadership.