Patrick Jones Baseball

In this episode, I sit down with Clay Martin, pitching coach at the University of Pittsburgh, to talk about what it really takes to compete on the mound at the highest level of college baseball and what separates pitchers who get there from those who don't.Clay breaks down his journey from Division III to the ACC, what he learned building one of the best pitching staffs in Division II at Seton Hill, and what the biggest adjustments have been in his first year coaching in the ACC at Pitt.We also get into the development side, why Clay believes failure is the most underrated tool in a pitcher's growth, what he would do completely differently if he could coach young pitchers over again, and what he saw in national Pitcher of the Year Ian Korn before anyone else did.This conversation is especially valuable for pitchers and families trying to understand what the jump to elite college baseball really looks like and what coaches are actually evaluating when they recruit at the highest level.Topics Covered: 0:00 Intro 0:05 What it was like competing at the ACC Tournament for the first time 2:00 The biggest adjustments Clay has made coaching in the ACC at Pitt 3:47 How TrackMan is changing the strike zone in college baseball and what it means for pitchers 5:45 What made Seton Hill one of the best Division II programs in the country 7:37 The biggest lesson Clay took from his time at Seton Hill 8:57 What is Seton Hill's secret sauce for recruiting good players year after year 10:51 The real talent difference between Division II and ACC baseball 13:00 How Clay recruits pitchers to fit the park and the program at Pitt 14:37 Is struggling to put hitters away a mental problem or a mechanical one 16:09 Command first or velocity first and which pitcher Clay would rather recruit 18:00 The resources at Pitt that give pitchers a real developmental edge 19:46 The one thing Clay wants to do better as a pitching coach next season 22:02 The biggest coaching lesson Clay learned working with 14U travel ball players 24:37 Why keeping it simple is the most underused tool in player development 25:51 When Clay realized Ian Korn had what it took to become national Pitcher of the Year 28:22 Was there ever a hidden gem Clay found that other schools overlooked 31:00 Why Clay calls Pittsburgh a dream job and what makes Pitt a special place to playFollow Clay Martin and Pitt Baseball: Twitter/X: @ClayMart_ Instagram: @therealclaymartin Twitter/X (Pitt Baseball): @Pitt_BASE

In this episode, I sit down with Nick Flesher, recruiting coordinator and pitching coach at Milligan University, to talk about what it really takes to get recruited as a pitcher and what college coaches are actually evaluating when they get you on the phone.Nick breaks down how Milligan builds their recruiting classes, why transparency with recruits matters more than selling a dream, and how their unique stackable aid system makes a high-academic school more affordable than most families expect.We also get deep into the development side, why Nick doesn't call pitches during games, how he builds relationships with pitchers before he builds their mechanics, and what he's learned from being wrong in front of his players.This conversation is especially valuable for pitchers, parents, and families trying to understand what coaches are really listening for during that first phone call and what separates the guys who get offers from the ones who don't.Topics Covered: 0:00 Intro 0:04 What late May looks like for a coaching staff after the season ends 1:02 Why JUCO guys wait longer to commit and how Milligan operates around that 2:09 How Milligan's recruiting process works across all three coaches 3:35 The stackable aid system and how Milligan makes tuition more affordable 4:41 How late Milligan will go on a recruiting class and why 6:00 FaceTime campus tours and how Nick started using them for out of state recruits 7:22 Nick's personal portal journey from JUCO to Southeastern Louisiana to Tuskegee 8:26 Why Milligan is fully transparent with recruits about roster spots and roles 9:33 What Nick listens for the moment a pitcher picks up the phone 11:00 Why Milligan doesn't call pitches and the thumbs in vs index out philosophy 14:00 How Milligan's catchers are trained to become an extension of the pitching coach 14:57 The pitcher who went from struggling starter to a key contributor and what changed 18:20 What it looks like when Nick admits he was wrong to a pitcher mid-season 19:46 The hardest conversation Nick has had with a player and what he learned from it 22:39 Why getting to know a pitcher as a person comes before developing him as a player 23:10 What Nick attributes Milligan's 40-plus win seasons to over the last several years 24:32 Nick's favorite pitch to teach and why the knuckle ball is his secret dream 26:01 How Nick teaches a seam-shifted changeup to supinator pitchers 27:00 The hardest pitch to improve and what Nick does to fix a dead-zone fastball 28:00 Velocity or command first in recruiting and the minimum velo Nick will consider 29:15 The most underrated trait in a pitcher 29:52 The biggest recruiting red flag Nick sees 31:23 The most unexpected thing Nick has witnessed at a showcase or recruiting tripFollow Milligan Baseball: Twitter/X: @BuffBallMBB Twitter/X (Nick): @CoachFlesh

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 coachFollow Greensboro Baseball: Twitter/X: @GCPrideBaseball Instagram: @GreensboroCollegeBaseball TikTok: @GCBaseball

In this episode, I sit down with Nate Cole, recruiting coordinator and pitching coach at Harvard University, to talk about what it actually takes to play baseball at one of the most selective schools in the country.Nate walks through Harvard’s recruiting process, what they look for academically, how they evaluate players beyond stats and rankings, and why being a great student alone is not enough to play at the Division 1 level.We also get into the development side of Harvard baseball, including how Nate works with pitchers, how they use technology and data, why some players need more simplicity instead of more information, and what separates players who succeed at the college level.This conversation is especially valuable for players and families who want to understand the balance between academics, baseball ability, work ethic, and finding the right fit in the recruiting process.Topics Covered: What Harvard looks for in baseball recruits How academics filter the recruiting process Why GPA, SATs, and AP classes matter The importance of challenging yourself early in high school How Harvard evaluates players in person Why Harvard recruits nationally for small classes What families misunderstand about Ivy League recruiting Why being “an Ivy League kid” is not specific enough The type of player Harvard baseball wants Why players need to be self-driven How Nate develops pitchers at Harvard Using technology, data, and video in player development Why some players overthink and need to simplify The role of passion, work ethic, and love for baseball How baseball can open academic opportunities The biggest mistakes families make in recruiting Why fit matters more than logos, rankings, or scholarshipsFollow Nate Cole: X: https://x.com/NateCole33

In this episode, I sit down with Maryville College head coach Clint Helton to talk about Division III baseball, recruiting, player development, and what it really takes to build a winning program.Clint shares his path from playing at Maryville to becoming the head coach, how the program has grown, and what he looks for when recruiting players. We also dive into the misconceptions around Division III baseball, why the right people matter as much as talent, and how Maryville has built a culture where players take ownership of their development.We also get into pitching strategy, why pitchability matters more than velocity at certain levels, how Maryville uses data, and what makes the school and Knoxville/Maryville area such a unique place to play college baseball.Show NotesClint’s background as a Maryville player and coachHis transition from assistant coach to head coachWhat he would tell his younger coaching selfWhy recruiting is about finding the right player and the right personHow Maryville evaluates makeup during the recruiting processWhat high school players misunderstand about Division III baseballWhy D3 baseball can be much better than people thinkThe importance of self-directed work outside team practiceHow Maryville structures its fall development periodWhy pitchability, command, and off-speed usage matterHow Maryville’s staff tracks competitive pitches and uses dataWhat makes Maryville College and the surrounding area appealingThe history of Maryville baseball, including its 150th seasonGuest Twitter/XClint Helton: @CHelt29

In this episode, I sit down with former Division 1 head coach Steve Rodriguez to talk about recruiting, player development, leadership, and what actually separates players at the college level.Steve shares lessons from decades in baseball—from coaching at the highest levels of college baseball to developing relationships with players, assistant coaches, and families throughout the recruiting process.We dive into the mental side of player development, why communication matters more than most people realize, and the biggest mistakes players and parents make during recruiting.This conversation goes way beyond mechanics and tools—it’s about mindset, adaptability, leadership, and understanding how successful players actually operate.Topics Covered: Traits successful college players consistently haveWhy some players respond to coaching—and others don’tBiggest recruiting red flags from both players and parentsWhy body language matters so much to college coachesThe importance of learning how to fail and adaptHow Steve evaluated recruits beyond stats and metricsWhy communication is one of the most underrated skills in recruitingThe role parents should (and shouldn’t) play in the recruiting processTransfer portal realities and common mistakes players makeNIL, scholarships, and making long-term decisionsWhy development paths are rarely linearWhat assistant coaches need to do to grow professionallyThe importance of hip mobility, speed, and nutrition for playersKey TakeawaysGreat players refuse to stay stuckThe best competitors are obsessed with improvementRecruiting is about much more than talent alonePlayers need to focus on development—not just labels and rankingsParents can either help the process… or completely derail itFollow Steve on Twitter: https://x.com/UTCoachRod