YBMcast

On this special edition of The Hitting Zone, Mitch Thomas is joined by Bobby Minor for one of the most important conversations the show has tackled yet:

Why are we losing players?

From unrealistic expectations to the changing culture surrounding youth sports, Mitch and Bobby take a hard look at the current state of youth baseball and the pressures facing players and families today.

The conversation explores difficult but necessary questions:
• Why does participation seem to decline so heavily after age 14?
• Are parents, coaches, and organizations creating unrealistic expectations?
• Has social media distorted what success in baseball actually looks like?
• Are organizations selling dreams instead of telling families the truth?
• Have parents become customers instead of partners in development?
• What realities about the game are never shown in the highlight reels?

Bobby also shares perspective from his mission of helping baseball parents navigate the process without losing sight of what truly matters.

This episode is honest, direct, and centered around protecting the future of the game and the kids playing it.

📲 Follow Bobby Minor:
Instagram: @chasingbaseballdreams
TikTok: @chasingbaseballdreams

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

Presented by Game 7 Baseball & Prime Sports Midwest


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

We started the season with the preseason #1 Eureka Wildcats and we are going to finish with the Liberty (KC) Blue Jays atop the class 6 rankings following a stellar season. Don't worry the Wildcats are right behind the at #2 and it is more like a 1 A and 1 B, and you can take your pick as to who you think A and B is at this time of the year. Who will be challenging these teams not only in their own district championship bracket, but from Southeast and Southwest Missouri. Nixa looks poised to be that team as does the Fighting Indians from Jackson, MO. In the center of the state Rock Bridge looks ready to make a run and dethrone the champs from 2025 in district five. That will be a tall task as the Jaguars are not to interested in letting their Head Coach Ben Baier retire without and good run to the final four. Can a team outside of the KC Suburban Gold conference take home the Class 6 trophy. It has been a heck of run and Blue Springs South, Liberty, Liberty North, and Staley are looking to make it six in a row for the conference in in Kansas City.

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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

In 2026 we have some new players arriving on the scene, Summit Christian Academy Eagles in KC, the MICDS Rams in STL, and Father Tolton Trailblazers in Columbia, MO all moved up due to the private school Championship factor. De Smet Spartans and St Francis Borgia move back down from Class 6 after the championship factor points are no longer applicable. Five teams coming into the 2026 season in new surroundings and in Districts they are unfamiliar with. We have the usual suspects at the top in the Willard Tigers, Rockwood Summit Falcons, Festus Tigers, Platte County Pirates and the Kearney Bulldogs. Who will be the team to knock these guys off the mountain? The Webb City Cardinals sit atop the YBM Rankings in Class 5 and look poised to make significant run. We will look at the contenders and maybe some pretenders as we are joined by Kevin Moulder of Prep Baseball Report and Dave Wiggins host of the Baseball 101 podcast here on YBM. 

SUBSCRIBE, LIKE, COMMENT, SHARE Check out our sponsor's pages! Powered by Game 7 Baseball: game7baseball.com Get all your Gear at Prime Sports Midwest: primesportsmw.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
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🎥 Production Partner:Red Earth Productions: redearthprod.com

Top to bottom Class 4 is one of the toughest classes in the state of Missouri, with arguably the best team in the state regardless of class in Logan-Rogersville. Today we go through all sixteen districts in Class 4 and take a look at who we think will be able to take home the title and advance to the MSHSAA Sectionals and begin the journey to Ozark, MO. The real question is there a contender to the powerhouse Wildcats from Logan-Rogersville. The Southern Boone Eagles look like they can play with anybody, but the Moberly Spartans are right there in district 8 as well. Can the Harrisonville Wildcats be the team, or are we going to see another dark horse enter the race as the Chillicothe Hornets did in 2025. This is why we love the playoffs. LET'S GO!!

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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.

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

In 2026 we decided to make our first attempt at creating a ranking for Class 3 and it has been well worth the effort. We have been following teams as closely as possible and working to develop the information into a workable top ten rankings throughout the season. As you watch this District Preview you will find that we did have some teams whom we did not catch through the season, but for the most part our top ten and about 20 other teams that we have been following in Class 3 are there and ready to make an impact in their respective district tournament. The Centralia Panthers and the Scott City Rams have been the most consistent teams throughout the season and would imagine these two will make a run to the final four.

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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.

🌐 More YBM:
Website: youthbaseballmidwest.com
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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

We are going to break down each district 1-16 and bring you a look at the teams in the brackets and look at the #1 seeds that have the upper hand in each bracket. Only one team from the 2025 final four have a one seed, but Faith Christian Academy finished 2nd in Class 1 and has the one seed in District 15. Let's get to it and bring you our look at the run to Ozark and the Class 2 Final Four.

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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.

🌐 More YBM:
Website: youthbaseballmidwest.com
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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

The District Playoffs are here and we are ready to bring you the coverage. We have Dave Wiggins joining us to help talk about these teams and bring you a look at what we know about each bracket and who we might see in Ozark, MO at the Ozark Mountain Sports Complex.

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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.

🌐 More YBM:
Website: youthbaseballmidwest.com
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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

Brett Graves stops in for a quick episode of Keep Klimbing to officially announce the hard launch of the Premier Pitching & Performance BOOST App.

This platform is built to support athletes at every stage of their development — bringing together the same principles we’ve talked about all offseason: workload management, pitch development, strength progression, and structured training — all in one place.

The BOOST App is designed to give players, coaches, and families access to a more organized, intentional approach to development, helping athletes stay consistent and continue to Keep Klimbing no matter where they are training.

👉 Learn More & Get Started:
https://premierpitching.com/pages/boost

📲 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:
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TikTok: @YouthBaseballMidwest
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Facebook: Youth Baseball Midwest


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🎥 Production Partner:Red Earth Productions: redearthprod.com

On this episode of Baseball 101, host Dave “Diamond Dave” Wiggins welcomes former Miller High School Head Coach Justin Snider for a conversation about the unique challenges faced by coaches and players in smaller school classifications.

Coaching at smaller schools often means working with fewer resources, smaller rosters, and unique program limitations. Coach Snider brings his experience, knowledge, and perspective from leading at the small-school level to discuss how those obstacles can be overcome.

The discussion covers:

• Challenges that small-school programs often face
• Developing players with limited resources
• Creating a competitive culture in smaller classifications
• Lessons learned from coaching in those environments
• How perseverance and creativity can shape successful programs

This episode offers valuable insight for coaches and players navigating the realities of small-school baseball while still striving for growth and success.

⚾ Baseball 101 — where experience meets education.

📲 Follow Dave Wiggins (Host)
X (Twitter): @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:
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YouTube: Youth Baseball MidwestInstagram: @youthbaseballmidwest
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

Dave Wiggins is back in the host chair for this episode of Baseball Talk, filling in for Brian, and is joined by Diego Solares, Founder of Scout Connect.

On today’s show, the conversation centers around Scout Connect’s Preseason Rankings for Illinois large schools, taking a look at some of the programs expected to compete at the top levels across the state this season.

Dave and Diego break down the rankings and discuss the teams that have positioned themselves for success heading into the upcoming season. With Illinois baseball continuing to produce strong programs and talented athletes, these preseason rankings give fans and coaches an early look at which teams could be making noise when the season gets underway. 
From conference contenders to teams with legitimate state championship aspirations, this episode provides insight into Illinois large school baseball and the programs to watch this year.

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📣 Guest Socials

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

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