Patrick Jones Baseball

In this episode, I’m joined by Doug Latta and Dr. Ismael Gallo for a deep dive into one of the most misunderstood areas of baseball: player development.We break down why most hitters struggle—not because of mechanics, but because of flawed movement patterns that are developed early and reinforced over time. From youth baseball to the highest levels of the game, this conversation challenges a lot of conventional thinking around hitting, training, and long-term development.Doug shares insights from decades of working with hitters at every level, while Dr. Gallo explains the science behind movement, coordination, and how the body actually learns to perform in game environments.If you’re a player, parent, or coach trying to understand what really matters in development, this episode will give you a completely different lens to look through.Chapters00:00 The Foundation of Movement Patterns in Young Athletes07:10 The Importance of Early Development in Athleticism10:19 Guiding Parents in Youth Baseball Training10:51 Throwing Mechanics: The Key to Hitting Success18:30 Balancing Mechanics and Athleticism in Hitting24:53 The Debate on Hitting Off the Tee32:46 The Importance of Efficient Movement Patterns35:38 Understanding Movement in Hitting and Pitching38:18 The Role of Timing and Vision in Hitting44:09 Movement Capacity vs. Strength Training48:54 The Dangers of Muscling Up in Hitting54:49 Advice on Bat Speed Training and Weighted Implements01:00:15 The Significance of Timing in Hitting01:07:42 Understanding Player Development and Movement Patterns01:10:15 The Psychological Impact of Failure in Sports01:14:12 Parental Influence and Support in Youth Sports01:15:50 Coaching Your Own Kids: Balancing Roles01:19:01 The Importance of Athletic Flow and Energy01:24:40 Navigating Parental Expectations and Player Performance01:29:37 The Role of Coaches and the Learning Process01:37:08 Life Lessons from Baseball: Embracing Failure and GrowthDoug Latta Twitter: https://x.com/LattaDougDr. Ismael Gallo Twitter: https://x.com/flowsdocMovement Flows App: https://baseballflows.com/

Jordan Gates is the Midwest Crosschecker for Perfect Game, covering key recruiting hotbeds across Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Illinois, and Michigan. His role puts him on the front lines of amateur baseball—evaluating players, building reports, and identifying both top-tier prospects and under-the-radar talent.Gates began his journey with Perfect Game as an intern in the Ohio Valley, working events while also gaining hands-on experience inside a training facility environment. He later moved into a full-time role as a Southeast Tournament Director, where he built relationships with players, coaches, and organizations while getting exposure to high-level competition across the region.After a stint working with the Cincinnati Reds organization, Gates returned to Perfect Game in a full-time scouting capacity. Known for his detailed evaluations and balanced perspective on projection vs. performance, he combines in-game observation, video analysis, and industry collaboration to assess players at every level.His work emphasizes not just tools, but how those tools translate into real game performance—making him a trusted voice in the evolving landscape of player development and recruiting."Projection is a fickle game.""Most overrated stat is batting average.""Deception in pitch tunneling is a key trait."Chapters00:00 Jordan Gates: Journey to Scouting04:48 A Day in the Life of a Scout09:59 The Art of Scouting: Finding Hidden Gems14:43 Evaluating Players: The Perfect Game Scale21:53 Showcase Insights: Maximizing Opportunities36:36 Understanding Arm Injuries in Young Athletes42:39 The Impact of Mental Health on Performance47:30 Spotlight on Rising Baseball Talents54:16 Evaluating Player Metrics and TraitsResourcesPerfect Game Official WebsiteJordan Gates on Twitter/X

In this episode, I sit down with Tyler Rubasky, first-year head coach at Anderson University, a D3 program in Indiana with a rich baseball history, including three D3 World Series appearances. We dig into:What it's actually like transitioning from assistant to head coach, and what he misses mostWhy he believes D3 baseball is the purest form of the game right nowHis approach to playing time transparency and keeping an open doorThe mental performance program that's changing how his players handle failure and pressureWhy Anderson doesn't run a 60-yard dash, and what they measure insteadWhy Anderson baseball is "data supportive, not data driven"Follow Tyler Rubasky and Anderson University baseball on X:Tyler Rubasky: @tyrub3Anderson University baseball: @AURavensBSBConnect with Patrick Jones Baseball:On X: @pjonesbaseball📬 Sign up for the Recruiting Times, my weekly baseball recruiting newsletter – Get insights on college recruiting, player spotlights, and advice for parents and coaches.https://www.patrickjonesbaseball.com/blog⚾ Need help with college recruiting? – We help serious baseball players get recruited. Book a 1-on-1 consult.https://www.patrickjonesbaseball.com/recruiting

In this episode, I sit down with Jonathan Estes, assistant coach at Weatherford College, one of the top junior college baseball programs in the country. Jonathan grew up in a town of 648 people in Arkansas, graduated in a class of 50, and worked his way through multiple small college stops before joining Weatherford this year. We dig into:How he structures batting practice to challenge hittersWhat he's looking for when he shows up to watch a high school playerHow fine the line really is between a junior college freshman and a Division I freshman. The sliding scale for pitching recruitsWhy making a JUCO roster isn't the same as playingWhat usually separates guys who succeed after transferring to a D1 from guys who struggleWe wrap up with the most important advice he'd give any high school player going through the recruiting process right now: Love the game.Follow Jonathan Estes and Weatherford baseball on X:Jonathan Estes: @estesthethirdWeatherford baseball: @WCoyoteBaseballConnect with Patrick Jones Baseball:On X: @pjonesbaseball📬 Sign up for the Recruiting Times, my weekly baseball recruiting newsletter – Get insights on college recruiting, player spotlights, and advice for parents and coaches.https://www.patrickjonesbaseball.com/blog⚾ Need help with college recruiting? – We help serious baseball players get recruited. Book a 1-on-1 consult.https://www.patrickjonesbaseball.com/recruiting

In this week's podcast, I sit down again with Dr. Adam Maloof, Princeton professor of Geosciences and athletics fellow for the baseball team.This time he’s tackling one of the most overlooked problems in baseball analytics: pitch classification.If you’ve ever looked at a scouting report and thought, “This guy doesn’t throw seven pitches,” you’re not alone. Dr. Maloof explains why existing pitch tagging data from popular systems (TrackMan, Synergy, and MLB’s StatCast) are often inconsistent, inaccurate, and difficult to use for data analysis.Together, we discuss:Why MLB’s pitch classifier is trained on what pitchers call their own pitches (and why that’s a problem for hitters and analysts)How Dr. Maloof analyzed nearly 5 million college pitches using a “blank slate” approach inspired by geologyThe “color wheel” analogy: why pitches within a category (fastballs, breaking balls, changeups) exist on a continuous spectrum with no natural boundariesHow Princeton’s staff uses reclassified data for scouting, pitch design, and pitching machine programmingPitch tunneling: what it is, how they measure it, and how they’re teaching it to pitchersThe role of arm slot, biometrics, and what’s next for this researchRead Dr. Maloof's article on pitch tagging: How to Classify a Pitchhttps://medium.com/sabr-tooth-tigers/how-to-classify-a-pitch-a4805ce35082Connect with Patrick Jones Baseball:On X: @pjonesbaseball📬 Sign up for the Recruiting Times, my weekly baseball recruiting newsletter – Get insights on college recruiting, player spotlights, and advice for parents and coaches.https://www.patrickjonesbaseball.com/blog⚾ Need help with college recruiting? – We help serious baseball players get recruited. Book a 1-on-1 consult.https://www.patrickjonesbaseball.com/recruiting

In this conversation, Nathan Collier and I sit down to talk about travel ball and high school baseball, and how both play a role in getting players recruited. We dig into what makes each one valuable — like how high school coaches can really vouch for a player's character and how competitive they are, while travel ball helps kids get seen by more coaches. We also talk about how youth baseball is changing, what college coaches are actually looking for, and why picking the right team can make a big difference in how a player grows and develops.Connect with Patrick Jones Baseball:On X: @pjonesbaseball📬 Sign up for the Recruiting Times, my weekly baseball recruiting newsletter – Get insights on college recruiting, player spotlights, and advice for parents and coaches.https://www.patrickjonesbaseball.com/blog⚾ Need help with college recruiting? – We help serious baseball players get recruited. Book a 1-on-1 consult.https://www.patrickjonesbaseball.com/recruiting

This week, I sit down again with Nathan Collier, Recruiting Service Operations Director here at Patrick Jones Baseball. Together, we discuss the importance of mindset and process orientation in baseball, particularly during the in-season period. We explore common challenges players face, such as the "I'm Screwed Syndrome," and we talk about the need for players to adopt a process-driven mindset rather than a results-driven one. We also discuss the impact of social media on young athletes, the role of parents, and the significance of having both an approach and a plan at the plate. Connect with Patrick Jones Baseball:On X: @pjonesbaseball📬 Sign up for the Recruiting Times, my weekly baseball recruiting newsletter – Get insights on college recruiting, player spotlights, and advice for parents and coaches.https://www.patrickjonesbaseball.com/blog⚾ Need help with college recruiting? – We help serious baseball players get recruited. Book a 1-on-1 consult.https://www.patrickjonesbaseball.com/recruiting

In this episode, I'm joined again by Nathan Collier, a former sports journalist and our Recruiting Service Operations Director here at Patrick Jones Baseball. Nathan and I chat about what high school players should be doing to continue the recruiting outreach process to college coaches now that school seasons are starting across the country.I explain how I think players can handle pressure during games and why success has to be defined by more than just stats in a box score. I also share practical advice on using social media the right way to create exposure that can help you get recruited. We also get into the role family support plays in the process and some of the most common mistakes I see players and parents make.Connect with Patrick Jones Baseball:On X: @pjonesbaseball📬 Sign up for the Recruiting Times, my weekly baseball recruiting newsletter – Get insights on college recruiting, player spotlights, and advice for parents and coaches.https://www.patrickjonesbaseball.com/blog⚾ Need help with college recruiting? – We help serious baseball players get recruited. Book a 1-on-1 consult.https://www.patrickjonesbaseball.com/recruiting

In this episode, I sit down with Ryan Gipson, Oregon State Assistant Coach, who coaches hitting for the Beaver program.Ryan takes us through his journey playing baseball as a teen, redshirting at a JUCO, then playing two years at Oregon State before getting into coaching. Ryan shares what he likes to see from prospective recruits, why having a clear identity at the plate matters, and the "1-for-1" approach he advocates with his hitters. We also talk about how hitting mechanics have evolved over time and the role of summer baseball for his players.Follow Ryan on X:Ryan Gipson: @GipsonOSUOregon State Baseball: @BeaverBaseballConnect with Patrick Jones Baseball:On X: @pjonesbaseball📬 Sign up for the Recruiting Times, my weekly baseball recruiting newsletter – Get insights on college recruiting, player spotlights, and advice for parents and coaches.https://www.patrickjonesbaseball.com/blog⚾ Need help with college recruiting? – We help serious baseball players get recruited. Book a 1-on-1 consult.https://www.patrickjonesbaseball.com/recruiting