Youth Baseball Midwest has been working in the youth baseball segment since 2017, and I have been around youth baseball in the metro area since 2004. There have been many changes along the way, and we are going to dive into what has happened over the past twenty-five years within the sport to look at the good, the bad, and assess the overall health of youth baseball.

Today we have the Guru himself, Kevin Moulder of Prep Baseball, joining the conversation. We will discuss dad coaching, travel baseball, and the overall development process in youth programs as we take a wide-angle look at where the game has been and where it may be headed.

📣 Guest Socials:

Kevin Moulder (Prep Baseball Missouri):
X: @PrepBaseballMO
Instagram: @prepbaseballmo

⚾ 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

Today’s show welcomes BB 101 host Dave Wiggins (Head Coach at Principia Christian & Recruits Baseball Director) as we break down the latest MHSBCA Hall of Fame inductees, announced this past weekend at the January clinic.

We also take a look at five players featured in the YBM Club Player Spotlights, available now for all YBM Club members. These athletes represent some of the most dynamic talent in Missouri high school baseball, and players we believe can help lead their teams toward district championships and earn the opportunity to compete for a MSHSAA state championship.

📣 Guest Socials:

Dave Wiggins (Principia Christian HC / Recruits Baseball Director):
X: @CruitsCoachDW
Instagram: @coachdave1338


⚾ 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

Stepping inside The Hitting Zone today is Jason Christian, founder of Kilo Gear and former professional baseball player who worked his way through the Midland organization. Jason brings real-world experience and perspective to one of the most important conversations in youth baseball today — the rising cost of playing the game.

Mitch and Jason take a hard look at where youth baseball stands:
⚾ Is the game becoming pay-to-play?
⚾ Are we creating “youth country clubs” instead of opportunity?
⚾ How does rising cost impact development and long-term growth?
⚾ Where is the balance between parent involvement, investment, and pressure?

From travel fees and training costs to equipment and exposure, this episode challenges the direction the game is heading and asks how we protect access, development, and the love of baseball.

It’s a candid, experience-driven conversation about development vs dollars — and what the future of youth baseball should look like.

📲 Follow Mitch Thomas:
Instagram: @_mtsperformance
X (Twitter): @TheHittingZoneSTL

📲 Follow Jason Christian & Kilo Gear:
Kilo Gear IG: @kilogearpro
Jason Christian IG: @jaychristian6
Website: kilogear.com 

⚾ 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 today’s Keep Klimbing podcast, Brett Graves talks about building your pitching arsenal based on your strengths and what you do best. Every pitcher is different, and understanding which pitches best fit your abilities is key to long-term development. Brett, as always, Keeps Klimbing by using his own experience to help you understand how to continue working to get yourself better.

In this episode, he breaks down the changeup — what the pitch is designed to do, how and when it should be used, and why deception, speed differential, and consistency are critical to its success. Brett also dives into how proper grip, arm speed, and intent allow the changeup to play off your fastball and disrupt hitters’ timing.

Because the changeup is one of the most individualized pitches in baseball, grip and feel are key. Brett walks through multiple changeup variations and opportunities to help pitchers find the version that best fits their hand size, arm action, and overall pitch mix.

📲 Connect with Brett Graves & Premier Pitching
Brett Graves → IG: @brettgraves5 | X: @bgraves05
Premier Pitching → IG: @premierpitching | X: @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

On this episode of Baseball 101, Coach Dave Wiggins welcomes a diverse group of voices to break down what a truly effective strength and conditioning program should look like for baseball players and teams. Joining the discussion are Nathan Yamnitz, Director of Business Development at TrainHeroic and owner of Performance Zone Fitness, along with Nick Moten, right-handed pitcher, Westminster Christian Academy graduate, and current SIUE baseball player. Together, they dive into the importance of building strength and conditioning programs around the actual needs of athletes and teams — not trends or one-size-fits-all training models.

This episode covers:
💪 Core principles of a solid strength & conditioning foundation
⚠️ Common mistakes and training approaches to avoid
🏋️ Aligning training with baseball-specific demands
📈 How proper programming can help address issues created by overly specialized training
🎯 Supporting long-term health, performance, and development

Whether you’re a coach, player, or parent, this episode delivers practical insight into how smart strength and conditioning can elevate performance while protecting the athlete.
⚾ Baseball 101 — building better athletes through education and experience.
⚾ Sponsored by Buntmaster

• Website: https://buntmaster.com
• Instagram: @officialbuntmaster
• X: @buntmasters

⚾ 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 Francis Howell HC Tony Perkins here in studio to talk about the upcoming MHSBCA Clinic this weekend in Lake of the Ozarks. We will be discussing who is going to be inducted into the MHSBCA Hall of Fame, along with what it takes to be a good head coach in high school baseball today.

Coach Perkins is always having a great conversation with his many years of experience and will share his views with us today. We will also get a look at the teams he is keeping an eye on and what that means for the upcoming season.

Clinic Topics
o Troy Figg – Won first state championship
o State champion coach’s topics
o Hall of Fame Inductees
o Ben Baier – Blue Springs South
o Bryan Harmon – Crane (MHSBCA Executive Director)
o Rob Struckhoff – St. Francis Borgia

⚾ 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 Willard Head Coach Scott McGee joining us today as we turn our attention to Southwest Missouri baseball. We break down All-State players to watch, take a look at potential district shakeups, and discuss how talent across the region could impact conference and postseason races.

We also preview the upcoming MHSBCA event taking place this weekend and dive into the broader topic of coaching development across the state of Missouri. From veteran leadership to a new wave of young, up-and-coming coaches in the southwest, we look at how programs are being built and sustained at a high level.

Topics Covered:
New and upcoming coaches in Southwest Missouri
District assignments and potential changes
2025 All-State players to watch

📣 Guest:
Scott McGee — Head Coach, Willard High School

#BaseballTalk #YBMcast #MissouriBaseball #SouthwestMissouri #AllStateBaseball #HighSchoolBaseball #MHSBCA #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

On this episode of The Hitting Zone, Mitch Thomas is joined by Dylan Black, Head Coach of Festus Post 253, and Jeremy Partney, Assistant Head Coach, for a deep dive into American Legion Baseball — what it looks like today, how it has evolved, and why it still plays a critical role in player development.
They walk through what a Legion baseball season truly looks like, from tryouts to the final game and postseason, including how travel compares to club baseball and how recruiting exposure fits into the Legion model.

The conversation then turns back the clock, comparing Legion baseball 30 years ago to today’s game. From how players prepared and trained, to expectations placed on athletes, and what today’s players would be shocked to learn about equipment, uniforms, tryouts, and day-to-day life around the game back then.

For high school players deciding between Legion and Club baseball, Mitch, Dylan, and
Jeremy break down key factors families should consider:
⚾ Player development and training structure
⚾ Cost and accessibility
⚾ Competitive environment and accountability
⚾ Long-term growth versus short-term exposure

They also tackle the big question — why Legion baseball still matters — and how the Legion model continues to support development both on and off the field.

It’s an honest, educational conversation rooted in experience, tradition, and the future of the game.

📲 Follow Mitch Thomas:
Instagram: @_mtsperformance
X (Twitter): @TheHittingZoneSTL

📲 Guests:
Dylan Black — Head Coach, Festus Post 253
Jeremy Partney — Assistant Head Coach, Festus Post 253

📲 Follow Festus Post 253 Baseball:
Instagram: @post253baseball
X (Twitter): @253Baseball

⚾ Missouri American Legion Baseball:
Website: https://www.missouriamericanlegionbaseball.org/
Instagram: @missourilegionbaseball
Facebook: Missouri American Legion Baseball
X (Twitter): @MOLegionBall

⚾ 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 today’s Keep Klimbing podcast, Brett Graves talks about building your pitching arsenal based on your strengths and what you do best. Every pitcher is different, and understanding which pitches best fit your abilities is key to long-term development. Brett, as always, Keeps Klimbing by using his own experience to help you understand how to continue working to get yourself better.

In this episode, he begins by breaking down the curveball — what the pitch is designed to do, how and when it should be used, and how proper spin and shape create the depth and downward action that define an effective breaking ball.

Because the curveball can vary greatly from pitcher to pitcher, grip is the key. Brett walks through multiple grip variations and opportunities to help pitchers find the curveball grip that works best for their hand, arm action, and strengths.

📲 Connect with Brett Graves & Premier Pitching
Brett Graves → IG: @brettgraves5 | X: @bgraves05
Premier Pitching → IG: @premierpitching | X: @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

On this episode of Baseball 101, the one and only Coach Dave Wiggins steps into the host’s chair. Joining him is the new Head Coach of Troy-Buchanan High School, Joel Krato, as the two dive into what it truly takes to build and sustain an effective offense—no matter the level of play.

With Coach Krato’s experience moving from Class 1 at Community R-6 to Class 6 at Troy-Buchanan, and Coach Wiggins’ journey from Class 5 at Webster Groves to Class 2 at Principia, this conversation offers a unique perspective on adapting offensive philosophy across vastly different environments.

They discuss:
⚾ Developing effective offensive approaches at the plate
🎯 Training athletes differently based on resources and competition level
💡 Overcoming limitations while still producing results
📈 Adjusting philosophy without losing identity
Whether you’re coaching at the youth level, a small-school program, or a large-class powerhouse, every team faces offensive challenges. This episode provides practical insight into how successful coaches adapt, adjust, and elevate offense at every level of the game.

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

Follow Coach Krato:
X:@coachkrato
Podcast-The Coaches Roundtable: https://open.spotify.com/show/705hifXJgPnJVBrvHXHJgR?si=2c97c64726ec43b4

⚾ Baseball 101 — where experience becomes education.

⚾ Sponsored by Buntmaster
Website: https://buntmaster.com
Instagram: @officialbuntmaster
X: @buntmasters


⚾ 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