YBMcast

We have the Head Coach of Forsyth High School, Alex Weathermon, joining Baseball Talk. Coach Alex Weatherman has posted twenty-plus win seasons in each of his first five years as a head coach. He began at his alma mater Marionville Comets in 2021 and 2022, winning the Class 2 State Championship in his first year. From there, he made the jump to Class 6 at Lebanon High School before returning to Class 4 Forsyth for his sixth year of coaching. In this episode, we talk about:

• Early coaching success and building momentum
• The transition from Class 2 to Class 6 and back to Class 4
• Coaching philosophy and how to create an environment of success everywhere you go

🔗 Follow Forsyth Baseball:

• X: @ForsythBaseball

#BaseballTalk #YBMcast #MissouriBaseball #AlexWeathermon #ForsythBaseball #MarionvilleComets #LebanonBaseball #CoachingPhilosophy #YouthBaseballMidwest

⚾ Stay locked in with Youth Baseball Midwest—your hub for full-spectrum youth baseball insight in the Midwest. Subscribe and hit that dinger (🔔) to never miss a game-state insight.

🌐 More YBM:
Website: youthbaseballmidwest.com
YouTube: Youth Baseball MidwestInstagram: @youthbaseballmidwest
TikTok: @YouthBaseballMidwest
X: @YBM_cast
Facebook: Youth Baseball Midwest


Presented by our proud partners:
Game 7 Baseball: game7baseball.com
Prime Sports Midwest: primesportsmw.com


🎥 Production Partner:Red Earth Productions: redearthprod.com

Our first look at a very top heavy conference in the StL Suburban we see the Yellow and Red divisions are going to be very competitive in 2026. The Green conference has two teams that could be tough teams in District 1 when the playoffs come. They will be the two teams vying for the conference title in the Green division. With Ladue and Pattonville we are going to have to wait and see who can step up from the underclassmen. Eureka is loaded with talent, and they are bringing back four dynamic arms in that rotation along with a senior heavy offense that could make a run into the state tournament. We are going to get an early look at one of the top conferences in the state and see who has the foundation for success.

We’re joined by Dave Wiggins, Head Coach at Webster Groves High School, who brings his perspective and experience coaching in the Suburban Conference.

🔗 Follow Coach Dave Wiggins:
X: @CruitsCoachDW
Instagram: @coachdave1338

⚾ Proudly partnered with:
Game 7 Baseball → https://www.game7baseball.com
Prime Sports Midwest → https://www.primesportsmw.com
#BaseballTalk #YBMcast #StLSuburbanConference #MissouriBaseball #DaveWiggins #WebsterGrovesBaseball #YouthBaseballMidwest #MSHSAA


⚾ Stay locked in with Youth Baseball Midwest—your hub for full-spectrum youth baseball insight in the Midwest. Subscribe and hit that dinger (🔔) to never miss a game-state insight.

🌐 More YBM:
Website: youthbaseballmidwest.com
YouTube: Youth Baseball MidwestInstagram: @youthbaseballmidwest
TikTok: @YouthBaseballMidwest
X: @YBM_cast
Facebook: Youth Baseball Midwest


Presented by our proud partners:
Game 7 Baseball: game7baseball.com
Prime Sports Midwest: primesportsmw.com


🎥 Production Partner:Red Earth Productions: redearthprod.com

On this episode of The Hitting Zone, Mitch Thomas is joined by Shane Eames, founder of Premier Hitting Development (PHD), to talk about the changing culture inside the St. Louis Cardinals clubhouse now that John Mozeliak (“Mo”) is leaving.What does this mean for the organization moving forward?

Mitch and Shane dive into:
⚾ Culture change — how leadership transitions impact the clubhouse and beyond.
⚾ Expectations from the top down — what standards need to be set for long-term success.
⚾ The vision — where do the Cardinals go from here, and how do they reset for the future?

This is a must-watch for Cardinals fans and anyone interested in the way leadership and culture shape professional baseball organizations.

📲 Follow Mitch Thomas:
Instagram: @_mtsperformance
Twitter/X: @TheHittingZoneSTL📲

Follow Shane Eames & Premier Hitting Development (PHD):
Instagram: @premierhittingdevelopment
Twitter/X: @PHD_Baseball

⚾ Stay locked in with Youth Baseball Midwest—your hub for full-spectrum youth baseball insight in the Midwest. Subscribe and hit that dinger (🔔) to never miss a game-state insight.

🌐 More YBM:
Website: youthbaseballmidwest.com
YouTube: Youth Baseball MidwestInstagram: @youthbaseballmidwest
TikTok: @YouthBaseballMidwest
X: @YBM_cast
Facebook: Youth Baseball Midwest


Presented by our proud partners:
Game 7 Baseball: game7baseball.com
Prime Sports Midwest: primesportsmw.com


🎥 Production Partner:Red Earth Productions: redearthprod.com

On this episode of Keep Klimbing with Brett Graves, Brett welcomes Anthony Silkwood, Pitching Coach at Jacksonville State, to discuss The Impact of a Strong Culture. Anthony shares how his experiences in the military and college have shaped the identity and culture of JSU’s baseball program. Together, they explore:

• Lessons learned in the military that translate to team mentality
• Building an environment of accountability, trust, and identity
• How culture impacts performance, retention, and legacy

📲 Connect with Anthony & JSU Baseball
Anthony Silkwood → IG: @silk_wood5 | X: @Silkwood_Jax
Jacksonville State Baseball → IG: @jaxstatebb | X: @JaxStateBB

📲 Connect with Brett & Premier Pitching
Brett Graves → IG: @brettgraves5
Premier Pitching → IG: @premierpitching

⚾ Stay locked in with Youth Baseball Midwest—your hub for full-spectrum youth baseball insight in the Midwest. Subscribe and hit that dinger (🔔) to never miss a game-state insight.

🌐 More YBM:
Website: youthbaseballmidwest.com
YouTube: Youth Baseball MidwestInstagram: @youthbaseballmidwest
TikTok: @YouthBaseballMidwest
X: @YBM_cast
Facebook: Youth Baseball Midwest


Presented by our proud partners:
Game 7 Baseball: game7baseball.com
Prime Sports Midwest: primesportsmw.com


🎥 Production Partner:Red Earth Productions: redearthprod.com

What does it take to build a lasting, winning high school baseball program? On this episode of Baseball 101, Darin Cissell welcomes Coach John Sipes of Platte County High School to break down the foundation of success they’ve built together. Coach Sipes has guided Platte County to a 130-68 record during his tenure, and has captured two Missouri state championships (2022 & 2025) under his leadership. 

At the heart of the program is a set of four core values they call L.I.D.S. — Love, Integrity, Discipline, and Selfless — and Coach Sipes and Darin explore exactly how each pillar is implemented in daily practice, in relationships, and in competition. You’ll hear:

• The origin and meaning behind each of the L.I.D.S. pillars
• How to develop players who compete for each other
• What it takes to sustain excellence year after year

👉 If you coach, play, or love the game, this is a deep dive into culture, leadership, and legacy. Tune in, take notes, and let this episode challenge how you build your program.

 📲 Stay connected with Darin Cissell:

• Instagram: @drcissell
• X: @dcissell

⚾ Sponsored by Buntmaster

• Instagram: @officialbuntmaster
• X: @buntmaster

⚾ Stay locked in with Youth Baseball Midwest—your hub for full-spectrum youth baseball insight in the Midwest. Subscribe and hit that dinger (🔔) to never miss a game-state insight.

🌐 More YBM:
Website: youthbaseballmidwest.com
YouTube: Youth Baseball MidwestInstagram: @youthbaseballmidwest
TikTok: @YouthBaseballMidwest
X: @YBM_cast
Facebook: Youth Baseball Midwest


Presented by our proud partners:
Game 7 Baseball: game7baseball.com
Prime Sports Midwest: primesportsmw.com


🎥 Production Partner:Red Earth Productions: redearthprod.com

The Baseball 101 Podcast w/ Darin Cissell recently hosted former Francis Howell HC Terry Kasper, current HC Tony Perkins, Together, they discussed some history of Vikings baseball and talked about the different approaches to coaching and what made Howell such a success.With 4 State Championships, 3 second place finishes, 1 third and 1 fourth place finish gives them a total of nine final four appearances in this time frame. Diego Solares of Scout Connect joins us as we take the time to look through some of the history of the players that have put on the Vikings uniform and how they have managed to be one of the best programs in the state of Missouri over this time span. Francis Howell ranks seventh on the list of most State Championships won all-time and a total of 14 final four appearances all-time.

🔗 Follow Scout Connect & Diego Solares:
X: @Scout_Connect
Instagram: @scoutconnectbaseball
Diego Solares: @Diego_Solares

#BaseballTalk #YBMcast #FrancisHowellBaseball #MissouriBaseball #TonyPerkins #TerryKasper #ScoutConnect #DiegoSolares #BaseballHistory #YouthBaseballMidwest

⚾ Stay locked in with Youth Baseball Midwest—your hub for full-spectrum youth baseball insight in the Midwest. Subscribe and hit that dinger (🔔) to never miss a game-state insight.

🌐 More YBM:
Website: youthbaseballmidwest.com
YouTube: Youth Baseball MidwestInstagram: @youthbaseballmidwest
TikTok: @YouthBaseballMidwest
X: @YBM_cast
Facebook: Youth Baseball Midwest


Presented by our proud partners:
Game 7 Baseball: game7baseball.com
Prime Sports Midwest: primesportsmw.com


🎥 Production Partner:Red Earth Productions: redearthprod.com

We have the second-year head coach of the Staley Falcons joining us today on Baseball Talk to discuss the two and a half years of dominance in the state. We could be talking about the best baseball conference in the state of Missouri. We will discuss this subject with Coach Josenberger and get his thoughts on the subject as he and his squad finished second play in Class 6 behind Blue Springs South Jaguars. Oh YEAH! Both teams are from the KC Suburban Athletic Association, in particular the Gold division.

Follow Staley Baseball: X: @StaleyBaseball


⚾ Stay locked in with Youth Baseball Midwest—your hub for full-spectrum youth baseball insight in the Midwest. Subscribe and hit that dinger (🔔) to never miss a game-state insight.

🌐 More YBM:
Website: youthbaseballmidwest.com
YouTube: Youth Baseball MidwestInstagram: @youthbaseballmidwest
TikTok: @YouthBaseballMidwest
X: @YBM_cast
Facebook: Youth Baseball Midwest


Presented by our proud partners:
Game 7 Baseball: game7baseball.com
Prime Sports Midwest: primesportsmw.com


🎥 Production Partner:Red Earth Productions: redearthprod.com

On this episode of The Hitting Zone, Mitch Thomas welcomes Diego Solares of Scout Connect for a deep dive into the world of showcase baseball—a piece of the game that continues to grow in importance for players, families, and coaches.

Showcases can be exciting opportunities, but they also come with plenty of questions:

⚾ Why is showcase baseball such a big deal?
⚾ When should an athlete start attending these events?
⚾ What are the actual benefits—and common misconceptions—around showcases?

Mitch and Diego explore how showcases fit into the player development and recruiting process, how families can decide when the timing is right, and what athletes should focus on to get the most value from these events.

They also discuss the bigger picture: balancing showcases with training and competition, keeping perspective as a family, and making sure the ultimate goal—development and love for the game—stays front and center.If you’ve ever wondered if showcase baseball is right for your athlete, this episode is your roadmap to making smart, informed decisions.

📲 Follow Mitch Thomas:
Instagram: @_mtsperformance
Twitter/X: @TheHittingZoneSTL

📲 Follow Diego Solares & Scout Connect:
Twitter/X: @DeegsBaseball
Scout Connect: @ScoutConnectBB

⚾ Stay locked in with Youth Baseball Midwest—your hub for full-spectrum youth baseball insight in the Midwest. Subscribe and hit that dinger (🔔) to never miss a game-state insight.

🌐 More YBM:
Website: youthbaseballmidwest.com
YouTube: Youth Baseball MidwestInstagram: @youthbaseballmidwest
TikTok: @YouthBaseballMidwest
X: @YBM_cast
Facebook: Youth Baseball Midwest


Presented by our proud partners:
Game 7 Baseball: game7baseball.com
Prime Sports Midwest: primesportsmw.com


🎥 Production Partner:Red Earth Productions: redearthprod.com

On this episode of Keep Klimbing with Brett Graves, Brett dives into the offseason grind and what players need to understand to be ready when spring rolls around.
From high school to college to professional baseball, the offseason looks different at every level. Brett breaks down how to:

Understand and manage offseason schedules
Build strength and conditioning for long-term success
Balance rest, training, and preparation to enter spring fully ready 

📲 Connect with Brett & Premier Pitching 
Follow Brett Graves → @BrettGrave05
Follow Premier Pitching →  ⁨@PremierPitching⁩ 

⚾ Stay locked in with Youth Baseball Midwest—your hub for full-spectrum youth baseball insight in the Midwest. Subscribe and hit that dinger (🔔) to never miss a game-state insight.

🌐 More YBM:
Website: youthbaseballmidwest.com
YouTube: Youth Baseball MidwestInstagram: @youthbaseballmidwest
TikTok: @YouthBaseballMidwest
X: @YBM_cast
Facebook: Youth Baseball Midwest


Presented by our proud partners:
Game 7 Baseball: game7baseball.com
Prime Sports Midwest: primesportsmw.com


🎥 Production Partner:Red Earth Productions: redearthprod.com

When Coach Cissell was playing high school baseball, the head coach at Francis Howell was Terry Kasper, with Tony Perkins as his assistant. The Francis Howell program has been a powerhouse for decades, and Coach Perkins is now on track to become the all-time winningest coach in Missouri high school baseball. This episode dives into the legacy: how it started under Kasper, the elite talent that has come through the program, and the continued success under Perkins. Coach Cissell reflects on his time playing for these men and his experience coaching alongside Perkins for 20+ years.

Baseball 101 is on now — sit back and enjoy this special conversation!
📲 Stay connected with Darin Cissell: I
nstagram: @drcissell
X: @dcissell

⚾ Sponsored by Buntmaster
Instagram: @officialbuntmaster
X: @buntmaster

⚾ Stay locked in with Youth Baseball Midwest—your hub for full-spectrum youth baseball insight in the Midwest. Subscribe and hit that dinger (🔔) to never miss a game-state insight.

🌐 More YBM:
Website: youthbaseballmidwest.com
YouTube: Youth Baseball MidwestInstagram: @youthbaseballmidwest
TikTok: @YouthBaseballMidwest
X: @YBM_cast
Facebook: Youth Baseball Midwest


Presented by our proud partners:
Game 7 Baseball: game7baseball.com
Prime Sports Midwest: primesportsmw.com


🎥 Production Partner:Red Earth Productions: redearthprod.com