YBMcast

So-ILL Baseball Talk is back as host Carl Lange sits down with Jason Varner, manager of the Pony League Marion Colts.

Carl and Jason discuss the role programs like the Marion Colts play in Southern Illinois baseball, the responsibility that comes with coaching young athletes, and what it takes to build a positive environment where players can develop both on and off the field. 

The conversation explores youth baseball from a coach’s perspective, including player development, team culture, community involvement, and the importance of creating opportunities for young athletes throughout Southern Illinois. 

Follow Jason Varner on X:
@MrVarnerMath

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Show Me Baseball Talk is back for a new season on Youth Baseball Midwest!

Brian kicks off the season with a look at fall baseball across Missouri and dives into YBM’s Missouri Class 1 & 2 Top 10 Rankings.

Programs like Gainesville, Purdy, Fordland and Conway are part of the early conversation — but where do they land? And which other programs made their way into the Top 10?

Brian breaks down the rankings, looks at what these teams are bringing into the fall season, and sets the stage for what we’ll be watching as the year unfolds.

Who’s ranked too high? Who’s too low? And which team should everyone be keeping an eye on this fall?

Drop your thoughts in the comments and let us know what YOUR Class 1 & 2 Top 10 would look like!

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#YouthBaseballMidwest #ShowMeBaseballTalk #MissouriBaseball #FallBaseball #HighSchoolBaseball

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🎥 Production Partner:Red Earth Productions: redearthprod.com

Season 3 of Baseball 101 is here!

Dave “Diamond Dave” Wiggins kicks off a brand-new season with Ryan Malzahn, Assistant Scouting Director and Head of Tournament Scouting for Prep Baseball, for a conversation every player and parent navigating the baseball development and recruiting landscape should hear.

Showcases and camps — are they really necessary?

With so many events available to young athletes, knowing when to attend, where to spend your time and money, and what to do with the information you receive can be difficult. Ryan brings the perspective of someone who evaluates players for a living to help families better understand where showcases and camps fit into the development and recruiting process.

Dave and Ryan discuss:

• What players should actually be looking for in a showcase or camp
• When athletes should begin attending these events
• How to determine which opportunities are worth pursuing
• What evaluators are looking for when athletes perform
• How players should use their results and data afterward
• The difference between simply attending events and using them as part of a larger development plan

A showcase can give you numbers. A camp can put you in front of coaches. But understanding why you're there and what you do next can make all the difference.

Season 3 starts with an important conversation for players, parents, and coaches trying to make informed decisions about the path ahead.

⚾ Baseball 101 with Diamond Dave Wiggins — where experience meets education.

📲 Follow Dave Wiggins
X (Twitter): @CruitsCoachDW
Instagram: @coachdave1338

📲 Follow Ryan Malzahn
X (Twitter): @PB_Malzahn

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X (Twitter): @prepbaseballmo
Instagram: @prepbaseballmo
Other Socials: @prepbaseballmo

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🎥 Production Partner:Red Earth Productions: redearthprod.com

Season 3 of The Hitting Zone is officially underway on Youth Baseball Midwest!

Mitch Thomas kicks off the new season by welcoming back Bobby Minor of Chasing Baseball Dreams for a conversation about something nearly every baseball family has felt in one way or another:
 

The $10,000 Summer.

How did we get to a place where families can spend thousands of dollars on club fees, travel, hotels, tournaments, lessons, equipment, showcases, and everything else that comes with a summer of baseball? 

More importantly — what are families actually getting for that investment?

Mitch and Bobby dig into the expectations surrounding modern youth baseball and the pressure families can feel to spend more, travel farther, and constantly search for the next opportunity. 

Mitch will also bring perspective from conversations Bobby's had with former MLB MVP Dustin Pedroia, adding another layer to the discussion about development, opportunity, expectations, and what young players actually need.

When does investing in your athlete make sense? When does the chase become too much? And are we creating better baseball players — or simply making baseball more expensive? 

Season 3 starts with a conversation that goes right to the heart of what The Hitting Zone is about: asking difficult questions, challenging the current culture, and helping baseball families make better decisions.

Follow Bobby Minor / Chasing Baseball Dreams
Instagram: @chasingbaseballdreams
TikTok: @chasingbaseballdreams
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/chasingbaseballdreams/


Follow Mitch Thomas / The Hitting Zone
Instagram: @_mtsperformance
X: @TheHittingZoneSTL
TikTok: @thehittingzonestl



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🎥 Production Partner:Red Earth Productions: redearthprod.com

Well, we are here! Fall high school baseball is back, and so is a new chapter of coverage from Youth Baseball Midwest with the YBM Press Box!

Nearly 100 high school baseball programs will compete this fall, and many of these schools do not have football programs. We want to work throughout the season to bring these teams, players, and communities the coverage they deserve.

On our first edition of the YBM Press Box, we're talking 2026 Fall Contenders. We'll take an early look at some of the top teams across the state and hear from coaches leading programs we expect to be right in the middle of the conversation this fall, including our early #1 teams in Class 1 and Class 2, along with Licking Head Coach from Class 3.

Then it's time to play baseball.

Youth Baseball Midwest will be in Ozark, Missouri, for opening weekend at the Ozark Mountain Sports Complex, where Purdy, St. Elizabeth and Licking waste no time jumping into the 2026 season.

The two-day event will also feature Ellington, Southwest (Washburn), and Silo High School from Silo, Oklahoma.

We'll have the cameras rolling throughout the weekend, bringing you interviews, reactions, and coverage from the players and coaches as the 2026 fall baseball season officially swings into action.

Welcome to the YBM Press Box. Let's talk fall baseball.

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As the 2026 Missouri high school season comes to an end, Kevin Moulder of Prep Baseball joins the show to discuss the players who have made the list. Who are the Seniors who have stood out for their high school career and who are some of the up and coming Juniors and underclassmen making the list. We take a look at the All-State teams that remind us of these tremendous players who will now be moving on to the next phase of their journey. 2026 was dominated by seniors on the lists and we get to relive some of the memories and talk about where these players will be making the next stop in there baseball and academic careers.

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⚾ 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.

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🎥 Production Partner:Red Earth Productions: redearthprod.com

Who's #1! This is what we are discussing today in this episode of YBM Baseball Talk. Missouri American Legion Baseball is underway, and we have some players to talk about. Along with the first two Players of the Week and 19U Teams of the Week. YBM is dropping our first edition of the 2026 Power Rankings for 19U and 17U and we will discuss some of the players making an impact for their clubs. It is still early and some teams have got out of the gate playing a lot of games and some are still working their way into the season. Let's get going and see who is at the top of the list and why we think they may be the early favorites to win a state championship.

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🎥 Production Partner:Red Earth Productions: redearthprod.com

The 2026 high school baseball season has come to an end, and it's time for the final rankings.

On this episode of Baseball Talk, Brian is joined by Dave Wiggins, Head Coach at Principia Christian and Recruits Baseball Director, as they break down the final Youth Baseball Midwest rankings for Classes 1 through 6.

Throughout the season, teams across Missouri battled through conference play, district tournaments, and the road to the Final Four. Now that the dust has settled, Brian and Dave take one final look at the landscape of Missouri high school baseball and discuss where teams landed in the final YBM rankings.

The conversation includes:

Final YBM Rankings for Classes 1-6
Teams that exceeded expectations
Programs that made memorable postseason runs
Season-long performances that stood out
Looking ahead to 2027

The show also previews the upcoming Missouri High School Baseball Coaches Association All-Star Games, which Youth Baseball Midwest will be broadcasting live this weekend.

We discuss:

The All-Star game format
Players and teams represented
What makes the event special
What fans can expect from our live coverage

As one season ends, another chapter begins, and we're excited to celebrate some of Missouri's best players at the MHSBCA All-Star Games.

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📣 Guest Socials

Dave Wiggins (HC Principia Christian / 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.

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🎥 Production Partner:Red Earth Productions: redearthprod.com

Brian welcomes in Missouri American Legion Kirkwood Post 156 Head Coach Chris Copeland and Festus Post 253 Head Coach Dylan Black to preview the upcoming 2026 Missouri American Legion Baseball season.

Legion Baseball continues to be one of the most respected and tradition-rich brands of baseball in the country, and today we take a look at what is shaping up to be another exciting summer across the state of Missouri.

The group discusses:

Early expectations for the 2026 season
The continued growth of Missouri Legion Baseball
What makes Legion baseball unique in today’s landscape
The relationship between high school, club, and summer baseball
Programs and players to watch heading into the summer

We also discuss the upcoming Legion Summer Series, which Youth Baseball Midwest will be broadcasting in partnership with Kirkwood Post 156, bringing more live coverage and exposure to Missouri Legion Baseball throughout the summer.

Legion Baseball has long been a major part of baseball development and community tradition in Missouri, and this episode gives a great early look at the upcoming season and where the game continues to grow.

🔒 Join the YBM Club Today
Become a Legacy Member and receive 50% off your first year while supporting independent Midwest baseball coverage.

Get exclusive player spotlights, rankings, interviews, and members-only content inside the YBM Club.
👉 https://www.youthbaseballmidwest.com/ybm-club

📣 Guest / Program Socials
Chris Copeland (Kirkwood Post 156 Head Coach)
X: @Kirkwood156

Kirkwood Post 156 Baseball
X: @Kirkwood156

Dylan Black (Festus Post 253 Head Coach)
X: @FestusLegion

Festus Post 253 Baseball
X: @FestusLegion


⚾ 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.

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TikTok: @YouthBaseballMidwest
X: @YBM_cast
Facebook: Youth Baseball Midwest


Presented by our proud partners:
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🎥 Production Partner:Red Earth Productions: redearthprod.com

On this episode of Baseball Talk, Brian welcomes in Diego Solares of Scout Connect and Carl Lange of Dinger Bats to break down the Illinois State Baseball Playoffs.

The IHSA postseason always delivers some of the best baseball in the Midwest, and today the group dives into the matchups, programs, players, and storylines that are shaping this year’s playoff run across Illinois.
The conversation includes:
Teams making deep playoff pushes
Players stepping up in big moments
Programs that continue to establish themselves
Matchups and classes to watch
What it takes to survive and advance in Illinois playoff baseball

As the intensity rises throughout the state tournament, Brian, Diego, and Carl provide perspective on the teams and players still fighting for championships across Illinois.

If you love postseason baseball, this is a great episode to get caught up on the playoff picture and hear insight from people who follow Illinois baseball closely.

🔒 Join the YBM Club Today
Become a Legacy Member and receive 50% off your first year while supporting independent Midwest baseball coverage.

Get exclusive player spotlights, rankings, interviews, and members-only content inside the YBM Club.

👉 https://www.youthbaseballmidwest.com/ybm-club

📣 Guest Socials

Diego Solares (Scout Connect, Founder)
X: @DeegsBaseball

Scout Connect
X: @ScoutConnectBB
Instagram: @scoutconnectbb

Carl Lange (Dinger Bats)
Instagram: @dingerbats

Dinger Bats
X: @dingerbats
Instagram: @dingerbats


⚾ 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