Elite Baseball Development Podcast (Eric Cressey)

Renowned track and field coach Dan Pfaff joins us on the podcast to discuss current concepts in performance training including elasticity vs. stiffness in plyometrics, individualizing training regimes, managing workload and mitigating injury, and the value of strength for athletes.

Starting pitcher for the Cleveland Indians Aaron Civale discusses how he has developed and differentiated a 6 pitch arsenal, how the spike in strikeouts across major league baseball doesn't have to come at the cost of missing the strike zone, and what process-oriented mindset he has adopted to find continued success throughout his baseball career.

Dr. Chris Ahmad, Professor at Columbia University, attending orthopedic surgeon, team physician for sports teams from high school to professional, and renowned author and lecturer, discusses what makes the anatomy and function of the elbow so complex for throwing populations, where challenges lie in the reconstruction, rehabilitation, and recovery of elbow injuries, and where the future of research and medical practices are heading to progress elbow treatments.

Major League Hitting Coach for the St. Louis Cardinals Jeff Albert discusses how he has worked his way through the ranks of professional baseball as a coach with minimal professional playing experience, how his background in strength and conditioning influences his ability to be an effective skills coach, and what the event SlugFest 2019 is all about and what his role is in creating this awesome learning experience for the baseball and softball world.

Pitcher for the Seattle Mariners Justin Dunn talks about how he transformed from a runt touching 70 mph as a freshman into the low-90s arm that became drafted out of high school, how the methodology of Alan Jaeger and the implementation of long toss into his routine allowed him to capitalize on his athleticism mechanically and learn how to manage his workload throughout his career, and how simplification of his process and mastery of his secondary pitches have allowed him to develop into a big leaguer.

Gold Glove second baseman, Joe Panik, discusses the challenges and criticism he faced early in his career as a hitter from the Northeast, why he chose to attend St. John’s University, his fundamental focused mindset and how he has used it to build a tool set tailored to his strengths, the culture of the San Francisco Giants, and adjustments he’s made to his training and hitting this off-season in preparation for a successful 2019.

Mobility expert Dana Santas discusses why she chose to leave her job in corporate real estate to pursue her passion for yoga, how she marketed herself as a young instructor to be able to bring mobility techniques to professional sports organizations, and what individuals should be cognizant of when looking to work with a mobility expert and make strides in their own movement quality.

Eric Cressey sits down to talk about the key factors of player development that need to be considered as baseball restarts, what lessons we can learn from others around the world who have already started playing baseball again, what insights we can gain from previous shutdowns in sports, such as the 2011 NFL Lockdown, how professionals can most appropriately manage players’ workloads as they ramp up to full competition, and how coaches can best transition their athletes into playing baseball again safely.

15 weeks ago Eric went under the knife for a meniscus repair on his left knee. The procedure has turned out to be one of his most coveted continuing education experiences, and in this episode, he highlights the 10 lessons he has learned in the process of his recovery.

Kolten Wong second baseman for the St. Louis Cardinals talks about the culture of Hawaiian baseball and how his father has influenced his baseball career, how understanding his strengths and remaining versatile as a defender have allowed him to find continued success in baseball, how players can improve their defensive skills and manage the details of the game to develop an edge defensively, and how he prepares physically and mentally to remain one of the best defenders in baseball.

Starting pitcher for the Los Angeles Angels Tyler Skaggs discusses his journey to the big leagues after being drafted out of high school in 2009, the refinement of his elite curveball as he progressed through pro ball, how the game of baseball has evolved since being drafted a decade ago, and what the characteristics are of coaches who have helped and hindered his development.

CSP Strength Coach and Pitching Coach Kyle Driscoll reflects on the details of our 2019 Elite College Development Program and the lessons learned from developing these collegiate arms, why pitchers need to have realistic expectations and set obtainable goals, why pitchers should be prioritizing improving their pitchability instead being velocity hungry, and what the is synergy between training and pitching and how coaches can prioritize getting their pitchers in better positions on the mound.

Dr. Greg Rose, Co-Founder of Titleist Performance Institute (TPI), talks about how he originally studied engineering in college but eventually found his path in the health industry through golf as a doctor of chiropractic, what it truly means for rotational athletes to move efficiently, and what professionals should consider and what strategies they can implement when analyzing and maximizing an athlete's career over their entire athletic life span.

For the 2nd episode of our Sports Medicine Series on the EBDP, prolific orthopedic surgeon, professor, and researcher and Minnesota Twins Medical Director, Team Physician, and Director of High Performance Dr. Christopher Camp explains:

- his research into sports injuries, specifically in the throwing arm

- what the most common injuries are for baseball players

- why shoulder injuries are on the decline in baseball but elbow injuries are increasing reciprocally

- why more attention needs to be paid to the adjacent joints of injury sites

- the alarming fact that injury rates in youth players are increasing at a faster rate than those of professional athletes

- selling athletes on injury-prevention programs

- differentiating between UCL repair and reconstruction

- rethinking the methods of Tommy John surgery

- understanding the demands of UCL in the throwing motion

- how active restraints aid in the acceptance of force across the elbow joint

- ulnar transposition: when should medical professionals do it?

- the normal adaptations of the throwing shoulder and why no throwing arm will look healthy on an MRI

- Dr. Camp's algorithm for deciding to perform shoulder surgery

- concerns and considerations for Bennett Lesions

- Bicep-Labral Complex injuries and how sports medicine professionals can better manage the complexity of these injuries in throwing populations

- thoracic outlet syndrome and how our understanding of this injury has evolved in recent years

- what the most valuable measures for assessing the shoulder are

- why we should care about total motion at the shoulder as opposed to internal rotation deficit

- looking beyond the motion of the shoulder and into the the trunk and lower extremities for answers regarding arm injuries

-what exactly he hopes to research into the future including: optimizing Tommy John surgical practices and individualizing rehabilitation programs

Mike Soroka, starting pitcher for the Atlanta Braves, discusses how he transformed from an undersized, lengthy high school ball player to one of the youngest players in the big leagues, how he mastered his deceptive delivery, how he differentiates his four-seam and two-seam fastball, and why he has embraced a growth mindset rooted failing fearlessly.

Dr. John Berardi, Co-founder of Precision Nutrition, speaks about nutritional practices, dietary behavioral modifications, coaching strategies for influencing athletes, and his business and content creation model for Precision Nutrition.

Starting pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals Miles Mikolas sheds light on why he chose to attend powerhouse Division 2 school Nova Southeastern, how his work in college propelled him to be an MLB draft pick, how he smoothly transitioned from a reliever to a starter in pro ball, why he chose to leave Major League Baseball in 2014 to play ball overseas in Japan, how he has developed to be a more consistent and efficient pitcher throughout his career, and what it is liking pitching to MLB legend Yadier Molina.

CSP-MA Director of Performance John O'Neil sits down with friend and Performance Coach for the Atlanta Hawks Ty Terrell.  Ty's professionally journey demonstrates the power of gaining experience as he has grown from his roots of coaching youth sports camps to now developing athletes at the highest level of basketball.  He discusses the need for coaches to develop a large sample size and find the true value in executing reps in their craft. Ty dives into the details of assessment and how he uses the squat specifically to understand a client's ability to unload and load their joints, and he goes on to highlight the movement competencies of elite throwers. Ty believes that all complexities of movement can be boiled down to basic, foundational principles, and he discusses the structuring of his model for movement, designing exercises that translate to performance, and implementing new learnings into practical application with clients. Ty further explains that the science of coaching is nothing without the art of it mentioning how coaches can better build rapport with athletes, evaluate an athlete's performance needs, and leverage professional networks to develop as a coach. At the end of the day, Ty emphasizes his passion for movement and developing athletes, his gratitude to the trenches, his prior experiences, and life-long mentors, and the lessons learned for building a model for movement.

NYY Pitcher Mike King talks about the lessons learned playing baseball at Boston College under Mike Gambino and Jim Foster, how pitchers can build chemistry with their catchers and create a better plan for attacking hitters, the conversation he shared with Max Scherzer about developing a slider, and how he has developed an analytical approach to preparing and performing in games.

LA Dodgers outfielder AJ Pollock discusses how he was recruited as a talented hitter from Connecticut, how he seamlessly has transitioned from high school to college to pro ball and found success at each level, how the game of baseball has changed since being drafted a decade ago, how he balances the use of data analytics and sticking to his strengths to formulate a hitting approach that works for him, and why hard work and consistency trump any secret recipe to success in the game of baseball.

Orthopedic surgeon at Andrew's Sport Medicine and Orthopedic Center who works in affiliation with the WWE, USA Cheer, the Birmingham Barons, and Troy University Dr. Jeffrey Dugas talks about the evolution of elbow surgeries from a surgical perspective and optimizing the rehabilitation process post-procedure.

In Ep. 109, we countdown our Top 5 Episodes of 2021.

5 - Should Pitchers Take Time Off From Throwing?
 (https://ericcressey.com/csp-elite-baseball-development-podcast-should-pitchers-take-time-off-from-throwing)
 4 - Developing Pre- and Post-Throwing Routines w/ Tanner Allen
 (https://ericcressey.com/csp-elite-baseball-development-podcast-developing-pre-and-post-throwing-routines-with-tanner-allen)
 3 - High Performance Nutrition Principles w/ Brian St. Pierre
 (https://ericcressey.com/csp-elite-baseball-development-podcast-high-performance-nutrition-principles-with-brian-st-pierre)
 2 - Understanding Asymmetry w/ Ron Hruska
 (https://ericcressey.com/csp-elite-baseball-development-podcast-understanding-asymmetry-with-ron-hruska)
 1 - Current Concepts in Performance Training w/ Dan Pfaff
 (https://ericcressey.com/csp-elite-baseball-development-podcast-current-concepts-in-performance-training-with-dan-pfaff)

Utility man with the Cleveland Indians, Ryan Flaherty, talks about his decision to attend Vanderbilt, his early college struggles and how he became a utility player, the versatility a utility player adds to a MLB lineup, the details of his preparation in order to be ready to play any position on any given night, and his thoughts on being a manager after his playing days.

Welcome to the CSP Elite Baseball Development Podcast! In this episode, president and co-founder of Cressey Sports Performance, Director of Player Health and Performance for the New York Yankees, and now host of the Elite Baseball Development Podcast, Eric Cressey, explains why he is starting this podcast and gives details to the multifaceted baseball education he will provide his listeners on each episode.

Catcher for the Texas Rangers, Jose Trevino, discusses transitioning to catching as a youth athlete, gaining intangible skills to excel at the big league level, and making the most of his catching development.

Utility player for the Phillies Brad Miller discusses why he decided to attend Clemson out of high school, how he was able to seamlessly transition into affiliate baseball and play less than 2 years in the minors before being called up to the show, how he became a utility player despite being drafted as an elite shortstop, what valuable experiences he has learned from playing for 7 different MLB organizations, and what hip issues he was been battling prior to 2019 that forced him to have 2 major surgeries.

Pitcher for the Colorado Rockies Chi Chi Gonzalez touches on his experience as a late bloomer from southern Florida, his development into a big league arm, and his ability to excel as both a starter and reliever.

Reliever for the LA Dodgers Jimmy Nelson talks about his progression and breakthrough into the big leagues, developing elite feel for spinning various pitches, his mentality for consistently dominating the best hitters in the game, the compounding nature of his injury history, and why he is known as a recovery rockstar at CSP.

Dusty Blake Pitching Coach at Duke University discusses the transformation of Duke baseball under Chris Pollard, the true definition of being blue collar, effectively using Trackman and other data resources for impacting player performance, maximizing the college recruiting process, and relying on brutal honesty and conviction to routine as the means for performing consistently.

Renowned physical therapist and co-owner of Conte Sport Performance Therapy Stan Conte highlights the rehabilitation process from Tommy John surgery and how players can best manage their return to throwing program, how long it takes a UCL graft to transform from tendon to ligament, and his role in the integration of MLB’s first injury surveillance system (HITS).

Pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers Josh Lindblom highlights finding his identity as a reliever, his experience playing baseball in the KBO and how this experience influenced his game, managing a huge usage spike in 2015, and the progression of his pitch arsenal through his career, including the development of a splitter and cutter.

In this solo podcast, EC answers if pitchers should take time off from throwing in the off-season. Should pitchers shut it down or keep it moving?

Welcome to our Sports Medicine Series on the EBDP! On today's show, renowned PT, author, and speaker Kelly Starrett talks:

- becoming a savage generalist before specializing as a coach

- the power of connecting inputs and outputs for creating lasting change in our clients

- understanding when enough strength is enough and why to prioritize regaining and recoordinating ROM

- social media strategies for success in the fitness industry

- why simplification reigns supreme for creating consistent habits

- strategies for managing movement-related issues, like hyper mobility

- the language of strength and conditioning

- the shortcomings of his early coaching career and the lessons learned on the path of professional development

- the power of walking for systemic health

- mobilizing a sedentary youth

Research Director of ASMI and renowned biomechanist Dr. Glenn Fleisig talks about being at the forefront of integrating biomechanics into the world of baseball, his research and what science tells us about the mechanics of throwing, where the future of biomechanics is heading, and what areas of study the industry should work to close the gap on in baseball.

Relief pitcher with the Baltimore Orioles Richard Bleier discusses how he remained patient and persevered through 9 seasons in the minor leagues, how he transformed from a career minor leaguer to one of the best statistical pitchers to ever toe a big league rubber, how the implementation of more change ups and the development of a cutter transformed Richard from a solely sinker away pitcher to a more consistent hurler, and what Richard's experience was battling a lat strain last season.

Eric Cressey breaks down the true value long distance running brings to baseball players and where ballplayers and coaches alike can make changes to the traditional baseball training model to achieve better results.

Relief Pitcher for the Colorado Rockies Tim Collins discusses how dialing in his strength training and managing the details of his lifestyle allowed him to maximize his undersized 5'7" frame and develop into a mid-90s arm out of high school, how developing a changeup in AA gave him the edge he needed to become an MLB mainstay, and how fixing a nagging hernia injury after the Royals 2014 World Series run evolved into back to back Tommy John surgeries that sat him out of the '15 and '16 season.

Closer for the Oakland Athletics, Blake Treinen, talks about his journey from playing JV at a small NAIA school to walking on and dominating at a Division 1 program, how improving his body composition and learning to throw with intent allowed him to develop into an elite arm, how he has relied on his faith in God to battle through adversity and make his dreams a reality, and how he has refined his pitching arsenal to exploit hitter's weakness and create a greater margin of success for his abilities.

Pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals Daniel Ponce de Leon joins Eric on the show to discuss his unorthodox collegiate career, his journey to the big league stage, and the details of mastering his craft.

CSP-MA Pitching Coordinator Jordan Kraus dives into developing pitchers of all ages from youth athletes to high schoolers to high level college and professional arms.

Reliever for the Oakland A's Lou Trivino talks about his transformation from an 89 mph starter into a 99 mph reliever, how adding a coil to his delivery allowed him to create more tension in his throwing motion and find untapped potential in his arm, how developing a cutter changed his game, how throwing a good cutter is less about grip and more about approach behind the pitch and feel for the ball out of the hand, and how he prepares for the demands of throwing daily at the big league level.

Eric answers 4 listener-submitted questions including: what the best recovery drills are after pitching, how collegiate pitchers should adjust their throwing and training to prepare for the 2021 season, what advice he has for S&C coaches looking to specify in the development of baseball players, and what the focus of high school athletes' strength training should be, sport-specific or more general.

Private Hitting Coach Doug Latta discusses why he has been a pioneer for hitting the ball in the air and what misconceptions have evolved from this belief, why having balance in a swing is crucial for the success of hitters, and where the future of hitting is headed as we progress into the new decade.

CEO Sam Miller and Head of Performance and Sports Science Will Waterman of Proteus Motion talk the capabilities of the company and their innovative system, their developments in power testing and assessments, and how they are working to revolutionize strength and conditioning.

Kyle Hendricks, starting pitcher for the Chicago Cubs, discusses how he learned to manipulate and put movement on the baseball specifically his change up, cut change, and 2 seam, what his mental approach is for being a consistently effective pitcher, and how pitchers who don't have elite velocity can separate themselves from the competition.

Reliever for the Cleveland Indians Nick Wittgren discusses his transition to becoming a pitcher-only in junior college, advancing the ranks of minor league baseball, developing his pitch mix to an MLB caliber arsenal, and his training and throwing routine in and out of season.

Renowned mental conditioning coach and strategic advisor for elite athletes and organizations alike Trevor Moawad discusses what the current shortcomings of sports psychology are, why unconditional positivity is not the answer for developing an elite mentality, how truly impactful negativity is and why individuals need to eliminate it from their life, and what is influence and how parents and coaches can better shrive, guide, and influence their players.

Zach Dechant, the Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Performance at Texas Christian University, joins the podcast with guest host, John O'Neil. Zach oversees the development of baseball at TCU as well as the development and implementation of the TCU sports performance internship program which has equipped over 250 coaches to enter the world of strength and conditioning over the last 15 years. Zach also conducts off-season work with athletes at the professional level.

NY Yankees Quality Control Coach and Catching Coordinator Tanner Swanson highlights the key competencies of elite catchers and how new data is redefining the significance of receiving, why coaches should prioritize teaching catchers to block and throw from their best receiving position, how catchers can find balance between comfort and functionality in their stance, why blocking should be emphasized as an extension of receiving, and how catchers can better command the bottom of the strike zone.

Former MLB star Rick Ankiel talks about how battled with the yips, how he has learned to simplify the game of baseball and strengthen his mental approach, how organizations are helping young stars find security in the big leagues, and how he transitioned from a pitcher to an outfielder.

Renowned author and Director of National Accounts and Sports Teams for Marc Pro Gary Reinl talks about his experience in sports medicine for 40 plus years, how medical professionals are misunderstanding the mechanisms for promoting recovery of damaged tissue, why individuals should do away with icing and the RICE protocol, how e-stim helps to promote tissue preservation and regeneration, and how people can maximize the effectiveness of stim devices, like Marc Pro.

Bobby Tewksbary, owner and co-founder of Tewksbary Hitting and renowned hitting instructor and author, explains the evolution of hitting over the last decade, how technology is transforming the world of hitting, and his hitting philosophy.

Closer for the Cleveland Indians Brad Hand discusses his development into a big leaguer after being a second round draft pick out of high school, how he learned to simplify his mechanics and find consistency on the rubber, why he decided to scrap his curveball in the minors and instead develop a slider, and how his preparation and routine has evolved since transitioning from a starting pitcher to a heavily relied on relief pitcher.

Eric Cressey sits down with Dakota Herman to discuss how bullpen arms should be lifting in season to optimize their performance both at the professional and collegiate level, how hitters can mitigate the stressors placed on the lead shoulder of their swing, what recent history and research says about bicep tenodesis and recovery and what baseball players should be aware of when considering this procedure, and what high school coaches can do to best prepare their pitchers for week one of spring season.

Former MLB pitcher and current Mental Skills Coordinator for the Chicago Cubs, Bob Tewksbury, talks about his professional baseball career, what led him to become a mental skills coach, ending the stigma around mental skills coaching and overcoming the reluctance players have towards discussing mental skills, the importance of self awareness and building a system to govern your mentality, and how parents and coaches can be more cognizant of the psychological environment they are fostering for their kids.

Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Scott Oberg talks about what his college recruiting process was like, why he chose to attend to UConn and compete in the talented Big East, how he has battled through multiple medical setbacks in his career, how becoming more self-aware has allowed him to command his pitches and become a mainstay in an MLB bullpen, and how he has become a mentor to Texas Rangers minor league pitcher Tyler Phillips.

Mitch Haniger, outfielder for the Seattle Mariners, hops on a call to talk about why smart guys struggle to be good hitters and what he's doing to simplify his swing and hitting approach, what are the common philosophies and characteristics of the hitting coaches he has worked with, why he prioritizes controlling the controllables and what ways he practices attention, focus, and mindfulness in his daily life, and what defensive skills he emphasizes mastering to ensure he is contributing to stopping runs.

In the episode, CSP-MA Director of Performance John O'Neil sits down with Director of Performance Scouting and Major League S&C Coach for the LA Dodgers Eric Yavarone to discuss the relationship between scouting and player development.

Eric answers your submitted Instagram questions including: why pitch counts are important despite their contradiction to the accepted belief of the SAID Principle, what coaches should consider when incorporating vertical pulling with athletes who have a history of lat injury, what're the best exercises for strengthening the deceleration muscles of the throwing motion, and what professionals should assess in an athlete when personalizing an arm care program.

Brandon McDaniel, Director of Athletic Development and Performance Science for the LA Dodgers, discusses how he ascended through pro ball to his current role with the Dodgers, what strength coaches can do to broaden their skillset and add value to their current and future organizations, how Brandon approaches developing big leaguers, and how the Dodgers have worked to create a common, consistent culture throughout their organization to set themselves a part in baseball.

Mark Lowy, strength coach and pitching coach at CSP-FL, talks about how the CSP-FL staff went about creating personalized pitching reports for their pitchers this offseason, how he balances using analytics and preserving the human element of coaching, how understanding individuals' specific movement profiles and diverse pitching arsenals sets the stage for providing effective feedback and intervention as a coach, and why synergy amongst staff is vital for creating the best experience for your athletes.

2-time AL Cy Young Award winner, Corey Kluber, sheds light on the processes that have helped him become the pitcher he is today, his strategies for performing on game day, the mentality he has developed to become such an elite competitor, how he designed the pitches in his arsenal, and his long-term approach to development.

Former Red Sox star Kevin Youkilis talks about developing discipline in the box, making the real-time adjustments that matter at the plate, the power of being versatile defensively, the current complexity bias in professional baseball, and making youth athletics fun again.

Former big leaguer Tom Koehler discusses developing a grinder's mentality, learning to differentiate his curveball and slider, consistently starting in a 5-day rotation for nearly 8 years, and the capsular shoulder injury that ended his career.

This week's guest is retired sidearm pitcher, Cory Gearrin. Cory grew up playing ball in rural Tennessee and was drafted in the 4th Round by the Atlanta Braves in 2007. He pitched in the bigs for 9 years, making 337 career appearances and holding a career ERA of 3.61

In this episode, Eric and Cory discuss how Cory got into baseball, the transition to pitching sidearm, what it was like coming up in the league when he did, and any advice he would give to young athletes who aspire to play at the next level.

In this episode of EBDP, Eric goes solo and tackles a heavy-hitting topic: hypermobile athletes. Emphasizing that this is a common condition among athletes, he spotlights 10 ideas that all hypermobile athletes should consider when training. Eric gets into subtopics such as why certain areas might feel tight, the proper way to stretch, the best way to coach hypermobile athletes, and more.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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!

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!

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

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 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!

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? 

Today's guest is a long-time CSP athlete, and one of 5 athletes who started in the program at age 15, and has now gone on to play in the big leagues. He was selected by the Cincinnati Reds in the 9th round of the 2017 MLB draft. He was traded to the Angels in 2020, where he made his first major league start against the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2021. After being designated for assignment he was picked up by the Cardinals in 2022, where he has now made 7 appearances with 2 starts. Welcome to the show Packy Naughton!

Today's guest is a long-time friend of Eric's, someone who has often been confused as his doppelgänger in the early days of their careers. He is the owner of iFast, a top 10 gym in the U.S., and has worked with a wide range of clients and athletes from rehab patients to the professional athlete world.  He holds a master's degree in sports biomechanics, he is a prolific writer and a masterful content creator. Welcome to the show Mike Robertson.

Today's guest is joining us while on the road! He was selected in the 2020 MLB draft by the Los Angeles Angels. He made his big league debut on August 1st, 2021. On May 10th of 2022, he pitched the 12th no-hitter in Angels history, in just his 11th major league start. Welcome to the show Reid Detmers 

Eric is on the show solo today, and tackling a topic that has become very popular, not just in baseball, but in various different sports, and that topic is workload management. Eric talks about how to understand it, and then how to manage it. Enjoy!

Today's guest is the editor of study summaries at Examine.com. he has a master's degree in medical science and public health from the University of Vermont. He is fascinated by the art and science of human improvement, especially as seen through the lenses of medicine, nutrition, fitness, and mindfulness. Welcome to the show, Nick Milazo 

Today's guest is Duke baseball's 25th head coach, a position which he took over in June of 2012. He has helped Duke reach new achievements they had not previously reached in program history, one of many is leading the team to three consecutive post-seasons. He was the first Duke baseball coach to reach 100 career ACC wins, one of which was the program's first ACC tournament championship. Welcome to the show, Chris Pollard.

Today's guest is one of CSP's own, serving as the associate pitching coordinator at the Florida facility. He was a CSP client in high school, went on to play D1 college ball, and then transitioned back into the CSP training world. He is CSP's resident expert in coaching and throwing for our youngest athletes, and takes pride in making training fun and enjoyable. Welcome to the show Matt Ellmyer.

Eric is solo this week for the September Q&A. 
He tackles three questions which are: 

1. Over the years has there been any evolution in how you approach the rehab process with players who have had Tommy John surgery?

2. What is your approach to an athlete that has a hip extern/intern rotation total motion difference of greater than 10 degrees?

3. Any tips for helping to program athletes in the baseball realm where there are so many competing demands?

This week's guest is a coaching legend. He has coached at multiple different levels, most notably his 23 years at Sacramento City College. While there he picked 18 league championships, 2 state titles, and 1 national championship in 1998. He has been the catching coordinator and manager of various big league teams, as well as coached with the US Olympic team. These are just a small portion of his very impressive resume. Please welcome to the show, Jerry Weinstein. 

Today's guest is a utility player who attended Oakland University in Michigan from 2013-2016. He was recently inducted into their hall of honor earlier this year. He made his MLB debut with the Tampa Bay Rays on June 23rd of 2019. He was traded to the Brewers after the 2021 season and has now played in over 200 major league games. Welcome to the show Mike Brosseau

Today's guest is a utility player who was born and raised in Michigan and was drafted to the big leagues in the 28th round of the 2008 MLB draft. He opted not to sign, and instead went on to play at Bowling Green University where he set multiple records for their program. Fast forward to 2011 and he was drafted by the Blue Jays. He persevered through 800 minor league games, where he eventually made his major league debut in September of 2018. He was traded in 2018 to the Miami Marlins, where he has established himself as a mainstay in their lineup. Welcome to the show, Jon Berti.

Today's guest signed with the Tampa Bay Rays as a free agent in 2006. For 7 years he was a catcher in the Rays organization through as high as triple-A. He played his final season in 2014 with the Detroit Tigers organization, where he then retired to pursue his coaching career. After various different coaching positions over the years,  in 2019 he was brought on by the San Francisco Giants as their bullpen and catching coach, which is where he is currently working at the time of this recording. Welcome to the show, Craig Albernaz!

Eric is solo on today's episode and he answering a few listener questions for this month's Q&A. The questions are:

1. Please elaborate on the checks and balances of the throwing shoulder?
2. What are some non-traditional predictors of injury we need to keep in mind in the baseball world?
3. What are some next frontiers in baseball that get you excited?

Today's guest is a left handed pitcher from Boston, who pitched for the University Oregon for three years, where he holds the record for the most strikeouts in a single game, 20… In 2017 he was drafted 20th overall by New York Mets. He was called up to the bigs in July of 2020 where he has since become a regular in the Mets pitching lineup. Welcome, David Peterson!

Joining Eric for today's episode of the podcast is a right-handed pitcher who played at the University of South Florida. After the 2018 MLB draft, he signed with Milwaukee Brewers as an undrafted free agent. He was called up to the big leagues on May 30th, 2022. In his first year, he made a total of 30 appearances. Welcome to the show Peter Strzelecki

Today's episode is guest hosted by John O'Neil. The guest joining him is a left-handed pitcher who was drafted by the Blue Jays in 2016, and now plays for the Florida Marlins. Welcome to the show Jake Fishman 

Eric is solo on today's episode heading into the New Year, and is tackling a topic that is highly important to him, which is, the problem with averages as they pertain to baseball development. 
Thanks for another great year, and we will see you in 2023!

Today's guest holds the highest win percentage in the history of Commodore baseball. Vanderbilt has made 16 consecutive NCAA tournament appearances, 5 world series appearances, 4 trips to the finals, and 2 National Championships. Since 2003 Vanderbilt has produced 54 All-Americans, and 29 players have made their major league debuts. Welcome to the show, Head Coach of Vanderbilt Baseball, Tim Corbin.