Official Visit
By Official Visit
Official VisitFeb 02, 2021
Jared Jones (Texas)
Jared Jones joins us on the podcast to talk about choosing Texas as his future school after decommitting from USC due to a coaching change. Jared went to La Mirada High School in La Mirada, CA, and was committed to Texas before being selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 2nd Round of the 2020 draft. Jared is known for his mid to high 90s fastball and participated in the Under Armour All-American Game, the Perfect Game All-American Game, as well as the Area Code Games.
In this episode we go into:
- Jared’s best high school game ever (2:45)
- Realizing he could be one of the best high school players in his class (4:20)
- Beginning his college recruiting during his 8th grade summer (5:16)
- Reopening his recruiting (18:25)
- Deciding between pro ball and college (24:34)
- Dad’s influence on his work ethic (31:07)
Learn more at: officialvisitpod.com
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This episode is brought to you by Chin Music. Check out www.chinmusic.store and enter code OFFICIAL for 20% off your order of customizable bat decals! Chin Music. Your Bat. Your Story.
This episode is also brought to you by Hyped Apparel. Go check out their newest line at https://hypedapparel.com/. Use code OFFICIALVISIT to get 15% off your order! What gets your HYPED?
Josh Bissonette (Baylor University)
Josh Bissonette joins us on the podcast to talk about his journey from Orange Lutheran High School to Baylor University. “Biss” was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 2019 MLB Draft and is currently in Double A with the Altoona Curve. Biss played for the So Cal Birds baseball club.
Orange Lutheran High School is one of the top high school baseball programs in the country and is located in Orange, CA. Orange Lutheran plays in the Trinity League.
Baylor University is located in Waco, Texas and is in the Big 12 Conference.
In this episode we go into:
- Biss’ favorite moment at Baylor (2:39)
- Beginning the college baseball dream (3:53)
- Time with the So Cal Birds (8:36)
- Beginning talks with Baylor (10:13)
- Mindset going into the recruiting process (16:12)
- The impact of playing at a powerhouse program like Orange Lutheran (17:25)
Learn more at: officialvisitpod.com
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DM us for any questions!
This episode is brought to you by Chin Music. Check out www.chinmusic.store and enter code OFFICIAL for 20% off your order of customizable bat decals! Chin Music. Your Bat. Your Story.
This episode is also brought to you by Hyped Apparel. Go check out their newest line at https://hypedapparel.com/. Use code OFFICIALVISIT to get 15% off your order! What gets your HYPED?
Jakob Newton (Florida Tech)
Jakob Newton joins us on the podcast to talk about choosing Florida Tech to continue his baseball career after high school in Canada. Jakob grew up in Oakville, Canada and attended Oakville High School. Jakob was a member of the Ontario Blue Jays program.
Florid Tech is located in Melbourne, FL and is in the Sunshine State Conference (SSC).
Learn more about Jakob:
https://floridatechsports.com/sports/baseball/roster/jakob-newton/14559
Learn more about the Ontario Blue Jays:
https://www.objbaseball.com/home
In this episode we go into:
- Favorite memory from Florida Tech so far (2:25)
- The desire to play in the US from Canada (3:26)
- Playing in the Ontario Blue Jays Program (5:24)
- How the Ontario Blue Jays supported him throughout the process (14:57)
- What Jakob looked for in a school (19:12)
- First contact with Florida Tech (20:20)
- Making the decision (24:14)
Learn more at: officialvisitpod.com
Find us on instagram @officialvisitpod
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DM us for any questions!
This episode is brought to you by Chin Music. Check out www.chinmusic.store and enter code OFFICIAL for 20% off your order of customizable bat decals! Chin Music. Your Bat. Your Story.
This episode is also brought to you by Hyped Apparel. Go check out their newest line at https://hypedapparel.com/. Use code OFFICIALVISIT to get 15% off your order! What gets your HYPED?
Kyle Wilkie (Clemson)
Kyle Wilkie (Clemson) joins us on the podcast to talk about his journey from Creekview High School to Clemson University. Kyle played for the East Cobb Astros during the summers in high school, which is an elite summer team playing in many major showcase tournaments around the country. In the 2019 MLB Draft, Kyle was drafted in the 12th round by the Pittsburgh Pirates.
To learn more about Kyle:
https://clemsontigers.com/sports/baseball/roster/kyle-wilkie/
Clemson University is located in Clemson, South Carolina and is in the ACC.
Kyle goes into:
- Kyle’s favorite memories from Clemson Baseball (2:15)
- Choosing baseball for college athletics (6:15)
- Choosing the best program for him (14:20)
- How word of mouth and his reputation in Georgia helped him in the process (25:12)
- Developing into the starting catcher at Clemson (36:30)
- Advice for current high school players (45:47)
Learn more at: officialvisitpod.com
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This episode is brought to you by Chin Music. Check out www.chinmusic.store and enter code OFFICIAL for 20% off your order of customizable bat decals! Chin Music. Your Bat. Your Story.
This episode is also brought to you by Hyped Apparel. Go check out their newest line at https://hypedapparel.com/. Use code OFFICIALVISIT to get 15% off your order! What gets your HYPED?
Anthony Galati (Sac City/Radford)
Anthony Galati joins us on the podcast to talk about his recruiting process coming from Bishop Manogue High School in Reno, Nevada. Anthony first began at Centenary College in Louisiana before transferring to Sacramento City College. After two years at Sac City, Anthony transferred to Radford University
To learn more about Anthony:
https://radfordathletics.com/sports/baseball/roster/anthony-galati/6805
Radford is located in Radford, Virginia and plays in the Big South Conference.
Anthony goes into:
- Favorite baseball memories from Sac City and Radford (2:19)
- Beginning the recruiting process early (6:15)
- Exposure out of Reno, Nevada (7:35)
- Showcasing vs. developing (9:40)
- Deciding to go to Sac City (13:20)
- Beginning his college career at Centenary (16:13)
- What are you looking for in a 4 year? (23:00)
- Adjusting to the academic standards at Radford (28:25)
Learn more at: officialvisitpod.com
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This episode is brought to you by Chin Music. Check out www.chinmusic.store and enter code OFFICIAL for 20% off your order of customizable bat decals! Chin Music. Your Bat. Your Story.
This episode is also brought to you by Hyped Apparel. Go check out their newest line at https://hypedapparel.com/. Use code OFFICIALVISIT to get 15% off your order! What gets your HYPED?
Will Matthiessen (Stanford)
Will Matthiessen joins us on the podcast to talk about his journey to from West Linn, Oregon to Stanford. After 3 years at Stanford, Will was drafted in the 6th round of 2019 MLB Draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates.
To learn more about Will, click the link:
https://gostanford.com/sports/baseball/roster/will-matthiessen/15873
Stanford is located in Palo Alto, CA and plays in the Pac-12.
Will goes into:
- Favorite memory at Stanford (1:58)
- Beginning his recruiting process (4:23)
- First talks with Stanford (9:20)
- How to personalize emails (13:43)
- Wanting to go to school in California (17:36)
- First visit at Stanford (19:48)
- Advice for high school recruits (28:45)
Learn more at: officialvisitpod.com
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This episode is brought to you by Chin Music. Check out www.chinmusic.store and enter code OFFICIAL for 20% off your order of customizable bat decals! Chin Music. Your Bat. Your Story.
This episode is also brought to you by Hyped Apparel. Go check out their newest line at https://hypedapparel.com/. Use code OFFICIALVISIT to get 15% off your order! What gets your HYPED?
Brett Harrison - PBR Nevada Scouting Director
This week, we wanted to bring some perspective on the recruiting scene from someone on the showcase side. Brett Harrison joins us on the podcast to talk about his role with Prep Baseball Report as the Nevada Scouting Director.
Prep Baseball Report is a recruiting service which puts on showcase events like scout days and tournament to provide players a chance to get seen.
Brett goes into:
- What PBR does, and his role within PBR (2:19)
- Importance of honesty and credibility (11:55)
- Education of data from PBR events (17:15)
- Affordability within the process (24:58)
Learn more at: officialvisitpod.com
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This episode is brought to you by Chin Music. Check out www.chinmusic.store and enter code OFFICIAL for 20% off your order of customizable bat decals! Chin Music. Your Bat. Your Story.
This episode is also brought to you by Hyped Apparel. Go check out their newest line at https://hypedapparel.com/. Use code OFFICIALVISIT to get 15% off your order! What gets your HYPED?
Nico Kydes (UMass Boston)
Nico Kydes goes into his recruiting process from Stamford High School in Stamford, Connecticut to UMass Boston.
UMass Boston is a D3 school in the Little East Conference (LEC) and is located in Boston, Massachusetts.
Nico goes into:
- College baseball dreams in little league (2:05)
- Going through the recruiting process as a catcher (4:05)
- First contact with UMass Boston (11:41)
- Perception of D3 schools on East Coast (14:35)
- Undersized in the recruiting process (16:55)
Learn more at: officialvisitpod.com Find us on instagram @officialvisitpod Find us on Twitter @OffVisitPodcast Find us on Facebook @OfficialVisitPod
This episode is brought to you by Chin Music. Check out www.chinmusic.store and enter code OFFICIAL for 20% off your order!
This episode is also brought to you by Hyped Apparel. Go check out their newest line at https://hypedapparel.com/. Use code OFFICIALVISIT to get 15% off your order! What gets your HYPED?
Bligh Madris (Colorado Mesa University)
Bligh Madris (Colorado Mesa University) takes us into his recruiting process from Henderson to getting drafted in the 9th round by the Pittsburgh Pirates. Bligh goes into:
Starting the process (2:43)
Playing in a talented environment (11:38)
De-commitment (14:00)
Knowing what you are looking for in a school (28:17)
Learn more at: officialvisitpod.com Find us on instagram @officialvisitpod Find us on Twitter @OffVisitPodcast Find us on Facebook @OfficialVisitPod This episode is brought to you by Chin Music. Check out www.chinmusic.store and enter code OFFICIAL for 20% off your order! This episode is also brought to you by Hyped Apparel. Go check out their newest line at https://hypedapparel.com/. Use code OFFICIALVISIT to get 15% off your order as well!
Kobi Allen (California Warriors)
Kobi Allen joins us on the podcast to talk about college baseball recruiting from the perspective of a summer team coach for the California Warriors. As Director of Baseball Operations for the California Warriors, Kobi has seen many players go on to play at the next level. He assists both college coaches and players find the perfect fit. Kobi has extensive experience in college baseball as both a player and his work with the Warriors, and provides great information for parents and players on what coaches are looking for.
Kobi is set to start working with the Minnesota Twins as a Front Office Intern in the Department of Community Relations - Diversity and Inclusion.
To learn more about the California Warriors:
https://californiawarriors.com/
Kobi goes into:
- His struggles through college baseball (2:57)
- Using his experiences to teach the younger generation (10:16)
- The mentality of winners (14:20)
- Summer team or showcases? (20:20)
- Conversations he’s having with players and parents (22:33)
- What else are coaches asking about? (29:41)
- Kobi’s 3 lessons from college (35:12)
Learn more at: officialvisitpod.com
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This episode is brought to you by Chin Music. Check out www.chinmusic.store and enter code OFFICIAL for 20% off your order of customizable bat decals! Chin Music. Your Bat. Your Story.
This episode is also brought to you by Hyped Apparel. Go check out their newest line at https://hypedapparel.com/. Use code OFFICIALVISIT to get 15% off your order! What gets your HYPED?
Vaughn Mauterer (Cal)
Vaughn Mauterer joins us on the podcast to talk about his process from Marin Catholic High School to UC Berkeley.
To learn more about Vaughn, click the link:
https://calbears.com/sports/baseball/roster/vaughn-mauterer/16359
UC Berkeley is located in Berkeley, CA and is in the Pac-12 conference.
Vaughn goes into:
- Thinking about college baseball before high school (2:35)
- Beginning the process (6:35)
- “I didn’t put the power 5 clamp on myself” (13:10)
- Projectability (19:33)
- Tuition expenses as a factor (25:15)
Learn more at: officialvisitpod.com
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This episode is brought to you by Chin Music. Check out www.chinmusic.store and enter code OFFICIAL for 20% off your order of customizable bat decals! Chin Music. Your Bat. Your Story.
This episode is also brought to you by Hyped Apparel. Go check out their newest line at https://hypedapparel.com/. Use code OFFICIALVISIT to get 15% off your order! What gets your HYPED?
Kyle Soberano (Illinois State)
Kyle Soberano joins us on the podcast to talk about his wild recruiting process. Kyle walked on to University of Pacific’s team from Sacred Heart Cathedral High School in San Francisco. He then transferred to College of the Canyons before transferring to Illinois State.
To learn more about Kyle, click the link:
https://goredbirds.com/sports/baseball/roster/kyle-soberano/8390
Illinois State is located in Normal, Illinois and plays in the Missouri Valley Conference.
Kyle goes into:
- Beginning his process (2:06)
- Walking on at University of Pacific (3:40)
- Deciding on College of the Canyons (12:54)
- Factors in committing to Illinois State (17:38)
- The culture at Illinois State (23:55)
- Advice to younger kids (28:20)
Learn more at: officialvisitpod.com
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This episode is brought to you by Chin Music. Check out www.chinmusic.store and enter code OFFICIAL for 20% off your order of customizable bat decals! Chin Music. Your Bat. Your Story.
This episode is also brought to you by Hyped Apparel. Go check out their newest line at https://hypedapparel.com/. Use code OFFICIALVISIT to get 15% off your order! What gets your HYPED?
Thomas McCarthy (University of San Francisco)
Thomas McCarthy joins us on the podcast to talk about getting recruited from Serra High School in San Mateo to the University of San Francisco.
To learn more about Thomas:
https://usfdons.com/sports/baseball/roster/thomas--mccarthy/4659
University of San Francisco is located in San Francisco, CA and is in the West Coast Conference.
Thomas goes into:
- Playing under Coach Gianinno at Serra High School (2:18)
- The frustration of no offers (6:08)
- Factors into choosing his school (14:13)
- Visits at USF (16:32)
- The feeling (28:51)
Learn more at: officialvisitpod.com
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This episode is brought to you by Chin Music. Check out www.chinmusic.store and enter code OFFICIAL for 20% off your order of customizable bat decals! Chin Music. Your Bat. Your Story.
This episode is also brought to you by Hyped Apparel. Go check out their newest line at https://hypedapparel.com/. Use code OFFICIALVISIT to get 15% off your order! What gets your HYPED?
Cole Cabrera (Cal Poly)
Cole Cabrera joins us on the podcast to talk about getting recruited from Hawaii to Cal Poly, and the difficulties players in Hawaii face with the recruiting process.
To learn more about Cole, click the link:
https://gopoly.com/sports/baseball/roster/cole-cabrera/6821
Cal Poly is located in San Luis Obispo, CA and plays in the Big West Conference.
Cole goes into:
- Beginning the proess junior year (2:04)
- First impressions with the Cal Poly coach (9:18)
- VIsiting the school for the first time (15:40)
- The impact of the lack of exposure in Hawaii (23:10)
- Impact of social media for recruits in Hawaii (26:00)
- Showcasing your strengths (28:17)
Learn more at: officialvisitpod.com
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This episode is brought to you by Chin Music. Check out www.chinmusic.store and enter code OFFICIAL for 20% off your order of customizable bat decals! Chin Music. Your Bat. Your Story.
This episode is also brought to you by Hyped Apparel. Go check out their newest line at https://hypedapparel.com/. Use code OFFICIALVISIT to get 15% off your order! What gets your HYPED?
Jordan Larson (Northern Illinois University)
Jordan Larson joins us on the podcast to talk about his journey from Dodgeville High School to College of DuPage, before committing to Northern Illinois University.
College of Dupage is a junior college located in Glen Ellyn, IL.
Northern Illinois University is a D1 school in the Mid-American Conference and is located in DeKalb, IL.
Jordan goes into:
- Beginning the recruiting journey (1:29)
- Physical attributes of college baseball players (5:10)
- Options out of high school (18:08)
- Time at College of Dupage (26:00)
- The importance of visiting the school (35:32)
- Maturity in the recruiting process (39:30)
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This episode is brought to you by Chin Music. Check out www.chinmusic.store and enter code OFFICIAL for 20% off your order!
This episode is also brought to you by Hyped Apparel. Go check out their newest line at https://hypedapparel.com/. Use code OFFICIALVISIT to get 15% off your order! What gets your HYPED?
Logan Hofmann (Northwestern State)
Logan Hofmann (Northwestern State) gives us a deeper dive into his journey from Saskatchewan, Canada to getting drafted in the 5th round by the Pittsburgh Pirates. Logan went to Colby Community College in Kansas for his first two years before transferring to Northwestern State.
Logan goes into:
- Growing up playing baseball in Canada (2:09)
- Beginning the recruiting process (3:18)
- Benefits of junior college (7:00)
- post-JUCO transfer process (11:52)
- Draft day (19:40)
- Technology and player development (21:51)
- Advice to high schoolers (28:08)
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This episode is brought to you by Chin Music. Check out www.chinmusic.store and enter code OFFICIAL for 20% off your order!
This episode is also brought to you by Hyped Apparel. Go check out their newest line at https://hypedapparel.com/. Use code OFFICIALVISIT to get 15% off your order as well!
Paul McIntosh (West Virginia University)
Paul McIntosh goes into his journey from a post grad academy, to Motlow State CC, before going to West Virginia University.
Paul goes into:
- Attending a post grad academy (2:25)
- Thoughts on attending JUCO (10:00)
- Adjustments playing at West Viriginia and the Big 12 (12:12)
- Advice to younger players (14:17)
Learn more at: officialvisitpod.com Find us on instagram @officialvisitpod Find us on Twitter @OffVisitPodcast Find us on Facebook @OfficialVisitPod
This episode is brought to you by Chin Music. Check out www.chinmusic.store and enter code OFFICIAL for 20% off your order!
This episode is also brought to you by Hyped Apparel. Go check out their newest line at https://hypedapparel.com/. Use code OFFICIALVISIT to get 15% off your order as well!
Danny Donnelly (Tiffin University)
Danny Donnelly talks about his journey from Okotoks, Alberta, Canada to Chandler Gilbert CC before heading to Tiffin University in Ohio.
Chandler Gilbert CC is located in Chandler, AZ.
Tiffin University is a D2 school in Tiffin, Ohio and is a part of the GMAC.
Danny goes into:
- Playing baseball in Canada (2:55)
- Traveling for showcases and tournaments (6:04)
- Adjusting to playing in the US (11:34)
- Changing his perspective on dream schools (22:57)
- Advice to current recruits (30:17)
Learn more at: officialvisitpod.com Find us on instagram @officialvisitpod Find us on Twitter @OffVisitPodcast Find us on Facebook @OfficialVisitPod
This episode is brought to you by Chin Music. Check out www.chinmusic.store and enter code OFFICIAL for 20% off your order!
This episode is also brought to you by Hyped Apparel. Go check out their newest line at https://hypedapparel.com/. Use code OFFICIALVISIT to get 15% off your order as well!
Will Jacobsen (Harvard)
Will Jacobsen talks about his journey from Branson High School to Harvard University. Will is a two way player at Harvard, playing third and also pitching for the Crimson.
Harvard is in the Ivy League and is located in Cambridge, MA.
Will goes into:
- Beginning his recruiting journey (2:58)
- Attending Harvard’s camp (7:52)
- Student-athlete admissions process (12:34)
- Being a student-athlete at Harvard (16:08)
- Harvard to the Pros (22:10)
- Advice to current high schoolers (26:20)
Learn more at: officialvisitpod.com Find us on instagram @officialvisitpod Find us on Twitter @OffVisitPodcast Find us on Facebook @OfficialVisitPod
This episode is brought to you by Chin Music. Check out www.chinmusic.store and enter code OFFICIAL for 20% off your order!
This episode is also brought to you by Hyped Apparel. Go check out their newest line at https://hypedapparel.com/. For Black Friday, Hyped is having a 25% discount off their entire store! You can also use code OFFICIALVISIT to get 15% off your order as well!
Nick Gonzales (New Mexico State)
Nick Gonzales (New Mexico State University) goes into his journey from an walk on to New Mexico State to the 7th Overall Pick in the 2020 MLB Draft.
New Mexico State is a D1 school located in Las Cruces, New Mexico and is in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC).
Nick goes into:
- How he chose New Mexico State out of high school (2:09)
- Player Development v. Showcasing (10:03)
- Advice to current high school players (19:46)
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This episode is brought to you by Chin Music. Check out www.chinmusic.store and enter code OFFICIAL for 20% off your order!
Coach Jeff Calhoon (Biola University)
You can read more about Coach Calhoon here:
athletics.biola.edu/staff-directory/jeff-calhoon/293
In this episode we go over:
-what he looks for in players (2:26)
-what “fringey D1 players” look like (4:35)
-scouts in Southern California (12:55)
-financial aid and scholarships at the D2 level (19:05)
-his experience recruiting at different schools (26:05)
-the least understood thing in the recruiting process (39:34)
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This episode is brought to you by Chin Music. Check out www.chinmusic.store and enter code OFFICIAL for 20% off your order!
Coach Monte Lee (Clemson University)
In this episode we go over:
The importance of word of mouth in the recruiting process (1:53)
Characteristics Coach Lee looks for (9:45)
How Coach Lee gets his freshman up to speed (21:33
The reality of early commitments (31:23)
Learn more at: officialvisitpod.com Find us on instagram @officialvisitpod Find us on Twitter @OffVisitPodcast Find us on Facebook @OfficialVisitPod
This episode is brought to you by Chin Music. Check out www.chinmusic.store and enter code OFFICIAL for 20% off your order!
Chin Music. Your bat. Your story.
Coach Jordan Lucks (Parkland College)
In this episode we go over:
- Why is it beneficial to attend a junior college? (1:22)
- Why junior colleges are gaining more traction with top level recruits. (5:00)
- Program goals for their players. (8:36)
- Social Media as a recruitment tool (17:40)
And much more!
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Jeremy Sheetinger (Georgia Gwinnett College)
The second episode of our 5 part coaching series features Georgia Gwinnett Head Coach Jeremy Sheetinger.
In this episode we go over:
- What he looks for in a player (1:30)
- The transfer process for NAIA (17:05)
- The uses of social media (19:50)
- The differences between NAIA and NCAA (26:15)
- And much more!
Coach Sheetinger became the second head coach in Georgia Gwinnett College history for the 2020 season. Prior to joining Georgia Gwinnett, Coach Sheetinger served as the college division liaison for the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) and as an associate scout for the Atlanta Braves.
Coach Sheetinger previously coached at Spalding University, University of Kentucky, St. Joseph's college, Brescia University, and Georgetown College (Ky.). You can read a full bio of Coach Sheetinger here: https://ggcathletics.com/staff-directory/jeremy-sheetinger/110.
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Coach Scott Laverty (Chapman University)
In this episode we go over:
What he looks for in a player (1:14)
The recruiting process at the Division III level (7:40)
Making Division III schools more affordable without athletic scholarships (17:35)
Coach Laverty has spent the past 8 years at Chapman University, leading the team to a 2019 National Championship. He was the ABCA 2019 DIII National Coach of the Year, the 2019 West Region Coach of the Year, and 2019 SCIAC Coach of the Year.
You can read a full bio of Coach Laverty here:
www.chapmanathletics.com/sports/bsb/coaches/laverty?view=bio
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Felix Minjarez (University of Redlands)
Felix Minjarez (University of Redlands) talks about his journey from Rubidoux High School to Redlands, before signing with the San Diego Padres.
The University of Redlands is a D3 school in Redlands, California with an undergraduate enrollment of close to 3,000 students.
Felix goes into:
- Making the most out of opportunities in high school (1:18)
- His parent’s influence on mindset and values (5:45)
- Gaining exposure in an affordable way (10:20)
- Making Division III schools more affordable (18:21)
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Nolan McCarthy (Occidental College/Georgetown)
Nolan McCarthy (Occidental College/Georgetown University) talks about his process to Occidental. Nolan goes into D1 v. D3, scholarship money, and changing his mechanics to increase velocity.
Occidental College is a D3 school in the SCIAC conference, located in Los Angeles, CA.
Nolan goes into:
- D1 or bust environment in high school (3:15)
- Scholarships at the D3 level (6:47)
- Talent at the D3 level (15:20)
- Social Media’s Impact on Recruiting (21:10)
- Changing Pitching Mechanics for more velocity (25:10)
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Alex Hernandez (Nova Southeastern University)
Alex Hernandez (Nova Southeastern University) talks about the culture at Nova under former Head Coach Greg Brown and the importance of connections throughout the recruiting process. Nova Southeastern University is a Division II school in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Alumni include JD Martinez, Miles Mikolas, and Mike Fiers. In the last 10 years, Nova Southeastern has had 27 alumni move on to play professional baseball.
Alex goes into:
- Journey to Nova Southeastern (1:28)
- Championship Culture at Nova (4:10)
- Learning from current pro baseball players at Nova (12:23)
- D2 to the Pros (16:10)
- Connections in high school (19:00)
- What advice would you give to yourself if you could do it again? (23:55)
- Life Lessons at NSU (25:25)
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Paul Kunst (University of San Diego)
Paul Kunst talks about his journey from a walk on to a team leader for the University of San Diego.
- How being undersized impacted Paul’s recruiting process (1:55)
- Standing out at showcases (4:11)
- Options out of high school and choosing USD (9:13)
- The walk on process (11:27)
- Getting cut his freshman year (16:58)
- Winning his spot on the team and turning into a team leader (20:21)
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Blake Inouye (BYU)
Blake goes into:
Starting his recruiting process with his fall and summer teams (1:25)
Playing for the Utah Marshalls (5:15)
Getting recruited throwing 84-86 mph (11:46)
Developing Mechanics and Velocity (14:51)
Is there too much emphasis on velocity? (17:55)
Turning down D1 offers to go JC route and attend CSN (21:48)
Turning dreams into reality and committing to BYU (23:57)
Mentality as a non scholarship player at BYU (26:38)
Differences between coaching styles at CSN and BYU (35:15)
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Mark Anderson (Lafayette College/Seton Hall)
Mark Anderson (Lafayette College/ Seton Hall) talks about being an undersized recruit out of the Philadelphia area and the transfer process post COVID.
He goes into:
Beginning his recruiting process as a sophomore (1:34)
Being an undersized recruit (3:50)
Experience with All Star Baseball Academy (7:26)
First talks with Lafayette (9:01)
Deciding Factors for Lafayette(11:37)
Impact of Size of school on decision (15:15)
Money as a factor of his decision (17:18)
Freshman fall at Lafayette (18:45)
Pitching Development at Lafayette (21:27)
Transferring post COVID (24:42)
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Alec Ritch (Middlebury College)
He goes into:
Dreaming of playing college sports since he was 9 (1:19)
Why he started his recruiting process so late (6:07)
His thoughts on development v. showcasing (8:38)
Defining his target schools(10:58)
First contact with Middlebury (16:37)
Importance of the development of relationships (21:02)
First reaction to the talent at Division III Baseball (23:54)
Playing two sports at Middlebury (26:48)
Player development at Middlebury (31:09)
Advice to current high schoolers (35:45)
Jarod and Joe reflection (39:32)
Cadyn Grenier (Oregon State)
Cadyn Grenier, Oregon State alum and 37th overall pick to the Baltimore Orioles, talks about his journey from Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas, Nevada to Oregon State University. Cadyn earned the honor of the top Shortstop in the country in 2018 while also winning the National Championship with the Beavers.
Cadyn goes into:
Playing Varsity Baseball as a Freshman (2:38)
Starting the Recruiting Process (4:47)
Getting Seen By Oregon State (6:24)
Narrowing His List of Schools (7:15)
Advice to High School Players Deciding Between College or Pro Ball (19:31)
The Culture and Player Development at Oregon State (20:36)
World Series Run (28:10)
Mindset and Confidence (29:43)
Advice to High Schoolers (30:48)
Joe and Jarod Reflection on interview (32:48)
Jake Engel (Dixie State)
Jake Engel, OF for Dixie State, talks about his journey from Ironwood Ridge High School in Tuscon, Arizona to Dixie State University. Jake earned honors as a D2 First Team All-American in 2019 after hitting .385 with 14 Home Runs.
Jake goes into:
Starting the recruiting process (3:37)
Utilizing the Arizona Fall Classic in his recruitment (5:20)
Playing for the Yankees Scout Team (6:35)
Social Media and Recruiting (11:27)
Choosing Dixie State and Financial Implication of College (14:12)
Developing into a First Team All-American (24:15)
Difference between size for D1,D2, and D3 schools (30:40)
Advice to High Schoolers (32:04)
Joe and Jarod Reflection on interview (36:45)
Learn more at: officialvisitpod.com, find us on instagram @officialvisitpod, find us on Twitter @OffVisitPodcast, find us on Facebook @OfficialVisitPod.
Pat Caulfield (UCLA)
Pat Caulfield, OF for UCLA, provides insight on his journey from Serra High School to Santa Barbara City College before transferring to UCLA.
This episode includes:
- Pat's initial steps as a freshman and sophomore (2:25)
- Pat paying for his own exposure (6:40)
- Pat being forced to mature as a high school sophomore (10:49)
- Dealing with adversity off the field (12:35)
- When you should go to showcases (14:10)
- Thoughts on Junior College (17:11)
- How Pat stayed motivated (25:07)
- Checklist for Pat's ideal school (28:31)
- Experience at UCLA (33:00)
- Joe and Jarod reflection on interview (38:49)
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Jack Weisenburger (University of Michigan)
Jack goes into:
The culture of Rockford High School Baseball (3:00)
Being a big recruit as a freshman (4:00)
Camps and Showcases outside of Michigan (8:00)
Playing multiple sports to develop athleticism (13:30)
Using Prep Baseball Report to develop relationships with coaches (14:39)
First Meeting with Coach Bakich - seeing into the future of the program (16:38)
Emotions within the recruiting process (20:55)
How his Dad’s experience as an athletic director assisted in the process (21:55)
Adjusting to the Michigan Baseball program as a freshman (25:55)
How Driveline assisted in his development as a pitcher (27:13)
Reflection on Michigan’s run to the National Championship series (29:58)
Nick Garcia (Chapman University)
Nick Garcia, a converted pitcher from Chapman University, takes us through his recruiting journey which ultimately led to him becoming the 79th overall pick in the 2020 MLB Draft. Enjoy!
He goes into:
The culture at Serra High School under Coach Giannno (2:25)
Taking responsibility for his recruiting process (4:40)
Experience with Trosky showcases (7:00)
Lack of playing time in high school (8:40)
Commitment to the process (10:17)
Refining goals for your college experience (12:00)
Talking himself out of transferring (19:00)
Focusing on pitching (22:07)
Using success as motivation (23:52)
His first college appearance on the mound (25:05)
Setting goals for the Big Leagues (28:54)
Views on failure (31:18)
Draft Day Experience (37:03)
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Bryce Willits (UCSB)
Bryce Willits, an infielder for UC Santa Barbara, takes us through his recruiting journey. Bryce transferred from Saint Mary’s College in Moraga, CA after his freshman season due to a coaching change. Bryce is a product of Capistrano Valley High School in Capistrano Valley, CA. Enjoy!
Bryce talks about his:
- Desire to play college baseball. (2:05)
- Thoughts on showcases. (3:50)
- Experience on his travel team, the Saddleback Cowboys. (6:32)
- Collegiate opportunities after high school. (10:08)
- Family's role in the recruiting process. (13:15)
- Freshman fall at Saint Mary’s. (17:00)
- Earning his starting spot. (20:25)
- Summer Ball in the Hamptons and entering the transfer portal. (23:35)
- Decision to transfer to UCSB over other power 5 schools. (27:00)
- Advice to players considering transferring. (31:06)
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Joe's Recruiting Journey
Our co-host, Joe Jimenez, takes us through his recruiting journey, talking about his decision to attend Chapman over another Division I school.
Joe goes over:
First steps toward getting recruited (:37)
Experiences at the Stanford and Showball Camps (1:31)
Initial reaction to talking to Chapman University's Recruiting Coordinator (3:04)
Receiving his Division I offer (3:32)
The question he always asked himself throughout the process (4:26)
Committing to Chapman (5:40)
The Exit Meeting that changed his baseball career (9:00)
Playing in front on MLB scouts (10:13)
Final reflection on why Chapman was the best fit for him (11:38)
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Jarod's Recruiting Journey
Jarod goes over:
His showcase opportunities at Stanford Camp and Area Codes. (0:52)
Visiting schools across the country. (2:15)
Why he chose Chapman University (CA) over Trinity University (TX). (3:30)
How his opportunity to play immediately helped him develop to setting defensive records. (6:08)
His thoughts on the stigma against D3 sports. (8:30)
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Official Visit Trailer
Hosts Joe Jimenez and Jarod Penniman give an introduction to Official Visit, the podcast for college baseball recruiting, by players for players. Joe and Jarod detail what’s to come for the podcast and the inspiration for creating Official Visit. Tune in every Tuesday for a new recruiting story with a different player each week. Learn more at: officialvisitpod.com Find us on instagram @officialvisitpod Find us on Twitter @OffVisitPodcast Find us on Facebook @OfficialVisitPod