The Dugout

Tyler Smarslok knows a thing or two about college recruiting. It wasn't too long ago that he himself went through the process. During that time he sent over 60 personalized emails to programs of all levels. He only heard back from one, Kean University. That's all he needed though as he is now a Volunteer Assistant Coach for NCAA Division I, Seton Hall. We spoke at length about the recruiting process and what Seton Hall looks for in their recruitment classes. 

Head Coach Mike Leonard knows a thing or two about the NESCAC conference. Considering he's been a head coach for both Bates College and now Middlebury, he's had success at both stops. Mike also knows a thing or two about evaluating talent and creating successful recruiting classes, considering he himself played D1 baseball at UConn and was signed with the Boston Red Sox. On today's episode we talk recruiting and the academic rigors of this top liberal arts college. 

Imagine playing in beautiful Santa Barbara with a competitive NAIA program in Westmont College. Head Coach Rob Ruiz has had great success in the GSAC and has maintained a talented and dedicated assistant coaching staff. Combine the location and program success with strong Christian values and you have a baseball destination that is a strong fit for hardworking players looking to grow both on and off the field. 

It's almost every high school player's dream to play competitive baseball at the collegiate level. While most assume that means at a NCAA Division I program, it's safe to say that playing for a baseball team that consistently makes the postseason would satisfy the desire for competition. Trinity University in San Antonio does just that. Consistent postseason berths and a current preseason ranking of 4th overall in NCAA DIII makes this an attractive spot. Couple the program competitiveness with top tier academics and it's easy to see why Head Coach Tim Scannell fosters strong recruiting classes. 

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Today's episode features another NCAA Division III, Northwest Conference program in University of Puget Sound. Head Coach Jeff Halstead makes a case from an academic and athletic standpoint of why Puget Sound is perfect for raw baseball players that have yet to fulfill their potential. Situated near Seattle, and recently updated facilities makes this attractive destination in a VERY competitive conference. 

US News and Review released their 2019 Rankings. Princeton University is #1. That's right. The university beat out the usual suspects of top universities and after our conversation with Assistant Coach, Mike Jurzynski, it's easy to see why. On this episode of The Dugout we highlight Princeton baseball's storied history, their rigorous academic standards and the makeup of a quintessential Tiger. 

Becoming a UC Davis Aggie means making a commitment to excellence both on and off the field. The Top 40 university is a stones throw away from both the Bay Area and Sierra Mountain Range. We had the pleasure of discussing the NCAA Division I program with Volunteer Assistant Coach, Ben Cordy. Ben discussed his own recruiting experience, what it was like watching his younger brother play at UC Davis, and why UC Davis may be the best choice for you. 

Chapman University is a terrific NCAA Division III program with a successful past. In our interview with Assistant Coach and Recruiting Coordinator, Geoff Fox, we discuss the players that the Panthers look for, why playing in beautiful, Orange CA, is a plus offering when pitching Chapman to potential recruits and how Chapman is an excellent place to study if you're interested in pursuing sports media. 

Andrew Dickson is entering his 6th season as a collegiate head coach and his 2nd as the Assistant Coach with NCAA Division I Lafayette College. We discuss the perks of playing for a program that has famous alumni, such as Chicago Cubs Manager, Joe Maddon. The Leopards are celebrating their 150th anniversary and play in the highly competitive Patriot League.  

Today we featured a Top-50 academic program that plays a competitive brand of baseball in a supportive environment. The University of Rochester baseball program has a new assistant coach in Justin Johnson. Justin has thus far had a successful career as a coach within the competitive Texas baseball circuit. He's made the jump to college and we had the chance to learn what makes the Yellowjackets a competitive NCAA Division III team. 

Assistant Coach and Recruiting Coordinator, Kevin Kopple, is entering his 13th season at NCAA Division III George Fox University. Located in beautiful, Newberg, Oregon, the program plays in the competitive Northwest Conference. On this episode Kevin discusses George Fox's recruiting philosophy, the importance of reaching your true playing potential, and what makes a Bruin.  

Oberlin College is a private institution that was founded in 1833. It's a top liberal arts institution that competes at the NCAA Division III level. In our conversation with the Oberlin's Lead Assistant Coach and Hitting Instructor, Brandon Jossey. We discuss Brandon's coaching and playing background, Oberlin's recruiting philosophy and the type of player that would make a good Yeoman. 

Does warm sun, a picturesque ballpark and a supportive Christian college sound like your kind of environment? If so, then Point Loma Nazarene University may be right for you. We spoke with Jeff Calhoon, the new assistant coach for the NCAA Division II, Sea Lions. 

What's it like to attend a top liberal arts college based in Lewiston, Maine? We find out during our interview with Bates College assistant coach, Tony Deshler. Tony has coached at various levels and even spent time playing in Australia. We discuss how the recruiting experience has changed over the years as well as the type of player that Bates College looks for. 

Sophomore year is critical on your recruiting journey. You must develop a plan to make sure you reach your dream of playing college baseball. Tune in to determine your best course of action.

Have you ever had a desire to serve a higher purpose? Does flying fighter jets and working in careers with cutting-edge technologies fire you up? Do you want to be career-ready AND have the ability to play NCAA Division I baseball? If yes, then the Air Force Academy is the right place for you! Check out our conversation with Volunteer Assistant Coach Jimmy Roesinger. Learn what Air Force looks for and what it takes to play for their program. 

The NCAA Division III, Bard baseball program is a fairly modern development, but that doesn't stop it from being an attractive landing spot for academic-forward players.  Today we spoke with Head Coach Andy Salvatore. He gave us the inside scoop on the program, the type of players that thrive at the school and why Bard College might be the perfect place for you! 

This is an insightful episode where we highlight Kansas University Baseball and Head Coach Ritch Price. We discuss what makes a KU baseball player, Coach Price's recruiting philosophy and the importance of high school coach validations. So if you think you have the toughness, the talent, and the grades to play in a competitive Big 12 conference under a beloved coach, this episode is for you!

Junior year is the most important year on the recruiting calendar. You have two options on how to handle it. You can either go play your season and hope for the best. Or you can take control of your process and research schools that match you best. The latter will yield better results. Trust us.

Uncommitted Seniors: You have three simple options. 1) Walk On 2) Develop 3) Get Real. We break down all three paths and give you the steps to take next. It’s time to commit to the process. Time is running out.

We continued our conversation with Stanford Head Coach, Dave Esquer, on crucial topics like: Athletic and Academic Requirements, NCAA Recruiting Compliance and Stanford Baseball's "IT" factor. We also get into WHAT Coach Esquer and his coaching staff look for in their players, WHERE you'll see them looking for talent, and HOW they organize their own recruiting philosophy.  This is incredible information, giving you unparalleled insight into one of the top college baseball programs in the country.  

What's it like to go from former Stanford Baseball walk-on to Stanford Baseball Head Coach? How do you grab the reigns and fill the shoes of an college baseball legend like Coach Mark Marquess? What separates the 2018 Pac-12 Champions from the other top programs in the country?   We had questions and Pac-12 Coach of the Year, David Esquer, had all the answers.  This is Part 1 of a 2-Part interview. 

Will Felton breaks down the differences between the recruiting experience as a transfer vs the experience as a high school student. He also recounts a story that demonstrates that you always need to play like there's someone watching in the stands. 

Today we spoke with Will Felton. Will has played baseball at Sierra College, Folsom Lake College and University of Colorado at Colorado Springs.  From not finding his fit at Sierra College (an experience that made him re-consider his future in the sport) to transferring to Folsom Lake College, to finding his place at a D2 program, Will has had his ups and downs throughout his baseball journey. This discussion goes into the importance of self-belief and development from 2-year programs. 

Everyone tries to overcomplicate the college recruiting process. We had CBM Co-Founder, Roc Murray simplify it for you. It all comes down to Match, Connect and Fit. Learn why the college recruiting process should be as easy buying a new pair of shoes and how the CBM platform uniquely prepares you to succeed. 

Today we had the privilege to sit down with Cameron Law. Cameron played baseball at UC Davis and after earning his Masters degree in Australia, now works as Executive Director of Social Venture Partners of Sacramento.  In our discussion, we touched on the recruiting process, battling through injury, cultivating a positive team culture and how to leverage your skills learned as a college athlete to become a corporate recruiters dream candidate. 

We brought Emma Wadiak back on the podcast to discuss why time management is an incredibly important skill to learn for both short term and long term success. We also dive into how to avoid procrastination and some exercises to practice in mindfulness.

We bring former D1 Strength and Conditioning Coach, Craig Miszewski, back onto the podcast to discuss the psychology behind effective goal setting. Craig has a Masters in Sports Psychology from the University of Missouri.  The ability to set goals in the short term and long term can make or break your next season. Specifically how to set goals to improve your athletic tools. 

What are the chances that you end up playing baseball in the same conference as your younger brother. We find out. In Part 1 of a 3-part series we speak with Logan Denholm, a redshirt junior out of UC Davis. We discuss his recruiting process, his ability to work through an injury and what it was like facing his younger brother at the plate. 

The ability to know when it's time to hang up the cleats and pursue other passions is a tough transition. F.P. Santangelo Jr. navigated his own baseball journey quite successfully. The son of a former major leaguer and current Washington Nationals broadcaster chronicles his own recruiting process and media career. We discuss his process of transferring between programs, how he knew it was time to move on from playing baseball, and how his experience growing up in a major league clubhouse helped form his work ethic to pursue his professional passions in sports media. 

Transferring college programs is a tough experience. It takes a lot of self-reflection, patience and faith in your decision making. Jackson Zarubin went through the process twice! We caught up with Jackson and he discussed his recruiting journey, why transferring is sometimes necessary for development, and how having the courage to do so lead him on a path towards chasing his MLB dream. 

With Coach Jake McKinley heading off to become a pitching coordinator with the Milwaukee Brewers, William Jessup didn't have to look very far for a successor. On this episode we had the privilege to sit down with Trevor Paine. We discussed his own baseball background, his takeaways from working with Jake, and how he plans to continue to build on his program’s successes as a first year head coach. 

Josh Winkler has experienced quite a bit in his baseball career so far. We caught up with him as he prepares to begin his first season of D1 baseball after transferring to University of the Pacific. He breaks down his personal recruiting process, his transfer from Folsom Lake College, his development as a utility player, and why he chose to play for the Pacific Tigers. 

There's quite the jump from high school baseball to the college level. Do you think you have what it takes to be successful?  We discuss the sacrifices required and the balance needed in order to make it to the next level. You may be prepared athletically but are you prepared academically? All of these things need to be determined BEFORE you head off to your new program. This episode of The Dugout will break down how to best prepare for "the grind".  

Adam Farb, Founder and CEO of NCTB, breaks down the dynamics between high school and travel ball teams and unveils a new program that allows top high school players to play against top local competition

Do you have your sights set on playing and attending the Ivy League schools? Then you’d better plan ahead. We break down why course load might be more important than GPA and Test Scores. We also discuss tips and tricks to balancing school and sports. The road is long and hard but totally worth it. Get going.

Learn from the Founder and CEO of NCTB, Adam Farb, on the current state of youth travel baseball, why he decided the old tournament status quo wasn't working and how he feels about the concept of exposure. This is Part I of a two-part series.

Do you want to make it to the next level? Focus on the parts of your game that don’t always get the glory. Most people look at power both on the mound and in the batters box, but it’s the fundamentals and the ability to flash Leather that separate players at the next level. San Francisco Giants Coach, Gary Davenport sheds some light on what he emphasizes with young hitters and gives an anecdote about the importance of fundamentals at the major league level. This is the final installment in a three part series.

We continue our conversation with Coach Jake McKinley as he breaks down what it takes to play for his conference winning baseball program. He explains what it means to play for an NAIA program, some of the financial benefits of being a high academic recruit and how he has created a winning formula that has the capacity to keep William Jessup competitive for a very long time.

What do Brandon Belt, Buster Posey and Matt Duffy have in common? Besides a playing career with the San Francisco Giants, they all made key adjustments during their player development. We talk to their coach, Gary Davenport for Part II Of our 3-Part series.

How was William Jessup University able to go from back-to-back-to-back losing seasons to winning their league overall? What does it take to change a program's culture? What's the most important thing to focus on when joining a new team as a coach? We go in-depth on an incredible season and into the mindset of one of college baseball's premier coaching talents.

Learn from former D1 Pitching coach and current Dodger scout about the five tools and how they impact his evaluation of players at every level. Plus why he favors two additional pieces of criteria that he thinks every successful player has.

This is our interview with longtime San Francisco Giants Coach, Gary Davenport. We discuss the two key differences between rookies drafted out of high school and rookies drafted out of college and why passion and work ethic are necessary to make any real progress. This is Part I of a three-part series.

Lot's of great information and anecdotes in this one: -How Brewers radio broadcaster, Jeff Levering, chose to attend and play baseball at DIII Chapman University. -How Chapman overcame a head coaching change to win the DIII National Championship in Levering's sophomore season - What the transition was like from baseball player to broadcast journalism? -How Jeff's experience as a student-athlete helped to prepare him for the minor league "grind" and fulfill his goal of becoming a big league radio broadcaster

Are you hoping or already scheduled to go on a recruiting visit? Make sure you follow three simple rules.

Learn why it’s more important to be on the field at ANY level than on the bench for a D1 program. How CBM’s Star Matching System will direct you to the right program for your development and what one professional scout says about your chances of being noticed by a major league team.

Have dreams of playing at the Division I level but don't have an offer in hand? You may need some more development. Coach Derek Sullivan (Sully) believes that Sacramento City College might be one of the top places in the country to develop and send you to the next level. We discuss the notoriety that Sacramento City College has in the baseball world, how Sully was able to help turn around the program by changing the culture, why his program is so strong at churning out 4-year talent, and what players are best for the JC route.

A poorly targeted recruiting video could be the worst thing to send to coaches. Coaches look for actions and results. Keep it short and simple. Don’t try to trick the system with fancy overproduced recruiting videos.

Learn from former D1 strength, conditioning and mental skills coach, Craig Miszewski, why tool development is a long process and why you should embrace it. Plus he breaks down each tool and the exercises you need to focus on to reach your goals. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Coach Craig IG: @coach_craigmiszewski Email: coachcragimiszewski@gmail.com Mini's House of Pain IG: @minishouseofpain Website: https://www.minishouseofpain.com/

If you have an opportunity to meet face-to-face with coaches, you need to make the most of it. Do these three things to build relationships with college coaches. Plus: what do networking events in business and recruiting events in baseball have in common?

Learn why one D1 coach has a higher academic standard than his school. Find out what GPA you need to maximize your chances of playing at the next level. We highlight three strategies to build a strong academic foundation.

Don’t waste the progress you’ve made while at winter camp, Dean Stotz believes you need to do two simple things.

Get the inside scoop on the things you need to do DURING camp to really stand out. In this episode, Dean Stotz, the founder of the #1 college development camp in the world ( Stanford All Star Camp) shares his secrets to making the most of your time at winter camp.

Coach Dean Stotz says you need to do these 3 things BEFORE Winter Camp even begins. Learn how best to prepare for camp from the legendary Stanford coach and recruiting director, Dean Stotz. Find out why it’s the little details in your preparation that separate “90% of players from the top 10%”.

Today we had the pleasure of speaking with Coach Dean Stotz. Coach Stotz spent over 37 years at Stanford. Most notably as Associate Head Coach. He has coached numerous All Stars and MVPs and was the Director of Recruiting at Stanford under the legendary Coach Mark Marquess. In this podcast we cover: How to know if a Coach is actually interested in you as a recruit, How you can show you have the “IT” Factor, and who college coaches are actually comparing you against. This is Part 1 of a 4 part series.

On this episode of The Dugout we continue our discussion on "confronting reality". Following an honest assessment, the next step is to benchmark. We break down what benchmarking means, how you're able to benchmark on our platform, and why it's effective when setting goals. We also answered a couple of listener emails about recruiting videos and academics.

Today we discussed an essential topic: The concept of “confronting reality”. It starts with an “honest assessment”. We highlight the what, how and where of an assessment, and the three types of responses to an assessment. Determine whether you are the realist, the optimist or the misguided. Plus we took some listener emails and offered the one question you NEED to ask before verbally committing.

This is Part II of a two-part series. We interviewed Alex at the tail end of a very successful season. We discussed the importance of a “work mentality” when approaching an offseason, the necessity of assessment, benchmarking and planning, as well as changes Alex has made to his routine as he has progressed over the years.

This is the first installment of a two-part interview. Today we had the pleasure of interviewing Alex Fagalde. Alex has had a very interesting baseball journey. From being cut from his high school baseball team to walking on at Cuesta College, to earning a scholarship at UC Riverside, to being drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals, Alex Fagalde's journey should be a benchmark for the amount grit and work it takes to make one's dream a reality. We sat down to talk about that journey with the hope that it can inspire you, the listener.

On this episode of The Dugout we round out our weekly conversation about the importance of Academics by discussing the questions you need to be asking College Coaches. Questions like: "Are there any majors I can't pursue as a student-athlete?" "What academic support is available?". So often, prospective student-athletes feel they can't ask the tough questions. The only problem? Those questions need to be asked to determine the best program fit.

Steven Patterson joined us again to talk about his journey and how poor academics in high school potentially limited his recruiting process. Steven discusses what he did to go from a 2.8 GPA in high school to a 3.6 GPA at Delta College. The shift in his academic focus contributed to an offer to play at UC Davis, a high academic program.

In this episode we talk with Emma Wadiak, college admissions expert and founder of Connect College Counseling. We discuss the importance of the academic pillar in the recruiting process, which standardized test you should take and what personal essay topic is overdone. Emma also shares her special relationship with baseball and how you can leverage your academic profile to play for the school of your dreams.

When choosing which prospect camp to attend, Academics need to factor into the equation. You’ll learn why not all camps are created equal and why it’s more important you find a fit academically before committing financially to a ill-fitted prospect camp.

We are just 12 weeks from the start of Spring baseball. Which means you should be beginning your winter offseason preparation. We wanted to help you design the perfect offseason plan. Our guest on this episode specializes in Strength and Conditioning. Craig Miszewski has been a Strength and Conditioning Coach for top programs like Ole Miss, Georgetown and UC Davis. Craig also has his Masters degree in Sports Psychology from the University of Missouri.

On today’s episode we tackle the concern for seniors who have yet to sign their NLI. We lay out all the steps they need to take moving forward and why our rule of three is the most effective strategy. It all about Assess. Benchmark. Plan

In the hours leading up to the start of the Signing Period, we were contacted by a family who had been given an "Intent to Participate" from a well known DI program. As with most important decisions in life, the devil is in the details. We break down what an "Intent to Participate" actually means, how it differs from an official NLI, and how you should handle the situation if you are offered something similar.

Today we spoke with Coach Matt Cesario about his experience taking part in his former athlete signing an NLI to a DI program. Matt breaks down what was so special about this particular player and how an athlete can leverage fearlessness and a gamer attitude to earn a spot at the next level. We also discussed how parents can impact the process in a positive way.

Jason Hampton is the current pitching coach and recruiting coordinator for Yuba College. A Junior College in Northern California. Prior to joining the staff at Yuba College, Jason coached at DII schools in South Dakota and Minnesota. He spent his collegiate career playing for Sacramento State and was the Director of Baseball Operations in 2014, the year that the Hornets won the WAC and earned their first spot in the CWS. Jason has his Masters in Sports Performance and Leadership.

While celebrating all of our clients who have finally signed their NLI and have finalized their recruiting process, we wanted to set our sites on what 9th, 10th and 11th graders should be focusing on moving forward. If their goal is to officially commit once they become a senior, they need to focus on: Assessment, Benchmark, and Plan. It’s a marathon, take it one step at a time.

Today we spoke with Eric Walczykowski about NLI Signing Day. He highlighted the questions you should be asking prior to signing on the dotted line.

Today we spoke with the Co-Founder of College Baseball Match and longtime high school baseball coach, Roc Murray. We spoke about the difference between passive and active recruiting and Roc’s thoughts on Verbal Commits.

Winter is coming and invitations to college prospect camps with it. Today we delve into the ins and outs of prospect camps. You’ll learn how we feel about college camps, whether or not all camps are created equal. You’ll learn if you should even attend and how best to determine which camps are most impactful on your recruiting process.

In this episode we speak with Steven Patterson. Steven played baseball in the Indians Organization after a successful career at Delta College and UC Davis. We learned about his journey and his process and even what advice he would give his high school self.

In this episode we talk with Eric Walczykowski, CEO and Founder of College Baseball Match. We tackle the ins and outs of the “Verbal Commitment” and discuss why losing out on a verbal commitment may actually be a blessing!