Elite Baseball Development Podcast

This week's episode is a Q&A with your host, Eric Cressey!The three questions Eric addresses are:1. Can you please explain why you would rather have an athlete be too tight versus too loose?2. Is the high-low model useful for position players in the season? Or are there better strategies?3. Do you have any particular recovery method that you are really excited about right now? 

This week's guest was drafted out of high school, in the 13th round of the 1981 MLB draft, by the Chicago Cubs. He eventually found his way into coaching, where he procured an impressive resume on all levels of the game. He has two sons, one of which, Tyler, was previously on the show a few episodes ago. He has now turned his attention to helping families navigate baseball development, the travel ball scene, and the college recruiting process. Welcome to the show, Walter Beede!

On this week's episode of Elite Baseball Development Podcast, our guest is a keynote speaker, performance coach and consultant, and the founder of Art Of Coaching. He has an impressive resume of clients from professional athletes, to US Special Forces. He is also the best-selling author of the book Conscious Coaching: The Art and Science of Building Buy-In. Welcome to the show, Brett Bartholomew. 

This week's guest played college ball at Le Moyne College where he split time as a pitcher and a shortstop. He then turned his focus exclusively to pitching as a Sophomore. He was drafted in the second round as the 72nd overall pick by the Cincinnati Reds. That December he was traded to the Dodgers where he made his big league debut in July of 2021. Not long after he was traded to the Washington Nationals where he has established himself as a mainstay in the National's starting rotation. Welcome to the show Josiah Gray

Today's guest was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in 2007 and made his big league debut with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2011. He made an appearance in the World Series with the Cleveland Indians in 2016, the same year he led the league in hit by pitches. He announced his retirement in 2020 and is now a mental strength coach and the creator of the Major League Mindset program. Welcome to the show, Brandon Guyer!

Today's guest is a longtime CSP athlete, who started working with Eric when he was a sophomore in high school. He was selected 21st overall in the 2011 draft by the Blue Jays, but ultimately decided not to sign and instead go play college ball at Vanderbilt. In 2013 as one of the most elite pitchers in college, he was selected by team USA to play for the National team over the summer. The following season at Vanderbilt he helped lead the team to win the College World Series. Finally, he was drafted into the bigs in 2014 as the 14th overall pick and made his major league debut in 2018 with the San Francisco Giants.As a long-time friend and trainer, Eric is uniquely positioned to ask specific questions that allow Tyler to highlight some of the most important pearls of wisdom he has gained over his evidently full and memorable journey to the big leagues. Enjoy episode 122!

Joining Eric on this week's episode, we have Drew VerHagen. Drew made his major league debut in 2014 for the Detroit Tigers where he pitched until 2019. From there, Drew played ball in Japan for two years and is now back in the big leagues with the St. Louis Cardinals. In addition to talking about his journey on the field, Drew also opens up about his battle with thoracic outlet syndrome and how it changed the way he approaches the game.

This week on the Elite Baseball Development Podcast, two guests joining Eric. Please welcome Cressey Sports Performance hitting coaches, Max Rios and Tyler Wolfe.In this episode, Tyler and Max discuss their college and pro ball scouting reports, the biggest lessons they've learned over the years, training tactics, and, of course, what advice they would give to a young player looking to improve their game.

With baseball (finally) officially underway, Eric sits down to answer a few questions he has received in the previous weeks regarding baseball development as well as the management of players; topics that are vitally important for this time of year.

Today's guest was drafted fresh out of high school, 42nd overall in 2015 at 17 years old. From the Cleveland Guardians, please welcome Dr. Sticks aka Triston McKenzie.In this episode, Eric and Triston recollect Triston's teenage years training with Eric, the unwavering humility Triston possessed when he was drafted, and some of the wisdom imparted on Triston in the early years of his career. Triston also shares what it was like to be drafted so young, the professional and personal adjustments he had to make, advice he would give to young pitchers looking to make their way to the show, and much more!