In this episode, I sit down with Justin Ebert, hitting coach and recruiting coordinator at Greensboro College, to talk about what it really takes to develop as a hitter at the college level and what high school players and families should be doing right now to prepare.
Justin shares how his background in psychology shapes the way he communicates with hitters, why mental resilience matters just as much as mechanics, and how he builds individualized routines that set guys up for success from day one.
We also get into the recruiting side of things, how Greensboro evaluates players, what intangibles they look for beyond tools and stats, and how the transfer portal has changed the landscape for high school showcases.
This conversation is especially valuable for high school players and families who want to understand what college coaches are actually looking for and how development, attitude, and fit can matter more than rankings or division level.
Topics Covered:
0:00 Intro
0:53 Justin's origin story and path from player to coach
3:46 Why psychology changed how Justin coaches and communicates
4:45 How he helps hitters manage failure and stay mentally even
6:10 The biggest gap for incoming freshmen, building a routine
7:31 How Justin builds individual drill routines for each hitter
8:30 Tee work and underhand toss philosophy at Greensboro
9:55 Where Justin learned his hitting philosophy and who influenced him
11:13 Using visual cues instead of mechanical adjustments
11:48 Batter's box positioning and two-strike approach
14:38 Justin's experience playing travel baseball with the Canes
16:31 What Justin learned coaching travel ball with Team Elite and the Canes
18:34 How the recruiting landscape has changed since he played
19:46 Players who surprised him during the recruiting process
21:10 How the transfer portal has changed showcase baseball
21:17 When Greensboro starts recruiting and how they build their classes
25:37 The type of player and person Greensboro looks for
26:58 Why Greensboro College baseball is a family and what makes it different
29:03 Life in Greensboro, the city, campus, and culture
30:16 Best local food spots in Greensboro
32:10 Campus life, housing, and living situation for players
33:46 Facilities and why coaching matters more than resources
35:27 What Justin will do differently in his second year as hitting coach
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