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PODCAST

YBMcast

YBM brings the experience of top baseball Coaches, Club Directors, Youth Instructors, and Prep Scouting in the Midwest. For the most comprehensive Youth and Prep Baseball talk. We want to become your source for news, commentary, and perspective. Not to mention our live stream of Game 7 Championship games, the GAC game of the week, local community events, and PBR Missouri Showcase events.Subscribe to the Midwest Report and YBMcast Today!

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All Episodes

40:03

Champion's Mentality | Keep Klimbing | YBMcast

YBMcast ·

2025/12/22

Coming in to close out the 2025 season, Brett Graves delivers another powerful episode of Keep Klimbing. In this episode, Brett takes time to reflect on his journey — the lessons learned along the way, the challenges faced, and what it truly takes to develop a champion’s mentality. From learning how to handle both failure and success, to navigating the pressure that success brings, Brett breaks down the mindset required to keep pushing forward when expectations are high. He also dives into

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39:47

Missouri Legion Baseball 2026 Initiatives w/State...

YBMcast ·

2025/12/21

t is always great to have Tom Rhoads, the Missouri American Legion Baseball State Chairman, on the show. We have Tom in studio to discuss the initiatives for the upcoming 2026 season and what’s new around the state. Along with a great group of zone commissioners, Missouri Legion Baseball is growing its footprint with the unique brand of baseball that has always defined Legion Baseball as the originator of premier youth club baseball in the United States. Red Earth Productions LLC has been proud to

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67:37

Understanding The Fellowship of Christian Athletes |...

YBMcast ·

2025/12/19

The last episode of the year for Baseball 101 is a subject near and dear to all of us, and that is our relationship with Jesus Christ. For many years, there has been an organization bringing the good news of Jesus to athletes within high schools all across this nation. Today, Coach Darin Cissell brings to the podcast Brett Graves, Malach Radigan, and Erik Arneson, men who have made a meaningful impact in the lives of young athletes. Together, they share their experiences, how their lives were

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80:07

Impact Pitchers in the MO Metro Area Regardless of...

YBMcast ·

2025/12/18

We wanted to look at area pitchers that we believe could carry their teams to a conference and/or district title. When players are discussed at the high school level, the conversation often centers on projectability to the next level, particularly college baseball. Here on Youth Baseball Midwest, we want to flip that lens and evaluate these pitchers based on their legitimate chances to lead their teams to championships right now. With the help of a couple of former pitchers who know the Metro talent

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54:42

Overview of the Strength in MO Baseball & The Class 4...

YBMcast ·

2025/12/17

We open the conversation with a look at the strength of Missouri baseball and who currently has control over the state. With Willard High School head coach Scott McGee joining the conversation alongside Kevin Moulder from Prep Baseball, we bring strong perspective as we finish the 2025 season with a bang.We also roll out the not-too-early Class 4 Top Ten for the upcoming 2026 season, breaking down opportunities across the southwest and identifying which programs may be positioning themselves to make

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54:44

It's Not the Bat, It's the Swing! | The Hitting Zone...

YBMcast ·

2025/12/16

Welcome to The Hitting Zone, where we take tough topics and crush them out of the park! Today on The Hitting Zone Mitch Thomas invites the host of Baseball Talk Brian French on the show to discuss the growing trend of reliance on the bat rather than the quality of the swing. Technology has come a long way in the construction of metal bats to composites. Has youth baseball become too reliant on the technology rather than the skill? What happens when you put a wood bat in the hands of our youth and

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76:46

Pitching Command with Milwaukee Brewers Pitcher Rob...

YBMcast ·

2025/12/15

Today Brett welcomes one of his Mizzou teammates who is also a pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers Rob Zastryzny who was 2-1 with a 2.45 ERA in 26 games. Commanding the strike zone as a pitcher is key to success, but learning how to command your pitches at the maximum output can be a very difficult task to master. So we have these Brett former MLB pitch and Zastryzny current MLB pitcher here to break down learning how to command your pitch arsenal to reach the next level.📲 Connect with Rob

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72:45

Recruiting at the D2 Level with University of Central...

YBMcast ·

2025/12/12

This week on Baseball 101, Coach Darin Cissell welcomes Kyle Crookes, Head Coach at the University of Central Missouri, one of the most successful Division II baseball programs in the nation. Coach Crookes brings years of experience and championship-level insight as he and Darin break down what it really takes to get noticed and succeed at the D2 level.You’ll hear:⚾ What D2 coaches look for when recruiting student-athletes🎯 How players can separate themselves from the crowd💪 Tips on preparation,

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59:56

Breaking Down the Mississippi Valley Conference in...

YBMcast ·

2025/12/11

You have to go all the way back to 2015 for the last state championship to come out of the Mississippi Valley Conference, when Highland defeated Nazareth Academy 7–6.In 2025, both Triad and Highland finished tied for the conference title — but it was Triad who broke through, making a Final Four run and securing 3rd place in the Class 3A State Playoffs with a 3–1 victory. So what will 2026 look like?Who returns the pitching depth?Who has the roster to make another deep postseason march in Class

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56:39

Championship Pitching: What It Takes to Win a...

YBMcast ·

2025/12/10

Today’s show breaks down what kind of pitching it takes to win a district title in the always-tough Class 6 Districts 7 and 8.We also dive into the big disparity in Class 5, where District 8 features four programs that could all be top-ten teams in the state.Who has the inside track? Which staffs have the depth to survive district week? And what do the not-too-early KC Suburban Power Rankings from Youth Baseball Midwest tell us about who may emerge as contenders?It’s all on tap as we look at the

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58:25

Why Junior College is a Great Path. w/ JeffCo HC Zac...

YBMcast ·

2025/12/09

Jefferson Community College Head Coach Zac Bone steps up to the plate on this episode of The Hitting Zone Podcast. Today, Mitch and Coach Bone break down why junior college baseball is such a strong and often underrated path for student-athletes. They discuss the opportunities JUCO provides, how it differs from Division I baseball, and why the JUCO route can be the perfect fit for many players looking to develop, compete, and earn their next opportunity. With years of successful junior college

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50:21

Building a Pitch Arsenal: Sliders | Keep Klimbing |...

YBMcast ·

2025/12/08

In this episode, he begins by breaking down the slider — what the pitch is designed to do, how and when it’s used, and how the pitch should spin to create the sharp lateral movement and depth you're looking for. Because the slider is one of the most personalized pitches in baseball, grip is the key, and Brett takes a look at multiple variations and opportunities to find the grip that works best for your slider. 📲 Connect with Brett Graves & Premier Pitching Brett Graves → IG: @brettgraves5 | X:

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71:27

Francis Howell Baseball: The All-Decade Team |...

YBMcast ·

2025/12/05

Francis Howell head coach Tony Perkins sits down with Baseball 101 host Darin Cissell as they walk through some of the incredible history behind one of the most successful high school baseball programs in the state of Missouri.From players you may have never heard of, to names who went on to the MLB, Coach Perkins takes us decade by decade as they put together an All-Decade Team — starting from the 1960s all the way to the present day.If you’re a Francis Howell Vikings fan, you don’t want to miss

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54:30

Small School Teams to Watch in the Metro Area |...

YBMcast ·

2025/12/04

oday we take a look at small schools in the Metro area that often get overlooked because of the bigger programs in town. On both sides of the river, there are teams with championship expectations and the talent to make it happen. Coach Dave Wiggins and Diego Solares join the show to break down these programs, the players leading the way, and why these small-school contenders deserve just as much attention as the traditional power programs. Their combined coaching and scouting insight sheds real

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61:23

Class 3 and 4 Top Ten Power Rankings | Baseball Talk...

YBMcast ·

2025/12/03

With the Winter Workout Tour right around the corner, we wanted to get an early look at the contenders for Class 3 and Class 4.This is where it gets difficult — two of the most competitive MSHSAA classifications, filled with programs that battle every season for district titles and the opportunity to make a run to the Final Four in Ozark, MO.Today we jump in with both feet to break down early favorites, potential risers, and the teams that could shape the 2026 high school baseball landscape.⚾ Stay

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56:22

Dad Coaches! The Bad, the Good, and the Importance! |...

YBMcast ·

2025/12/02

Shane Eames is back inside The Hitting Zone for another great at-bat! This time he joins Mitch to talk about one of the most influential — and sometimes misunderstood — roles in youth baseball: the Dad Coach.Drawing from their personal experiences coaching their own kids, Mitch and Shane dive into:⚾ The good — passion, commitment, connection, and the unique bond created through coaching your child⚾ The bad — blurred lines, expectations, parent pressure, and the challenges that come with wearing two

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66:36

What Goes into Successful Pitching | Ricky Meinhold...

YBMcast ·

2025/12/01

Ricky Meinhold is the Pitching Coordinator for the Toronto Blue Jays, and he joins the Keep Klimbing podcast with Brett Graves to discuss his journey and how he keeps klimbing to meet the challenges of pitching at the highest level of baseball. How to be successful as a pitcher takes dedication, hard work, and an understanding of what success is on the mound during a game. Nobody knows the outcome of every pitch but understanding the development process and the tools you need are at the heart of the

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44:14

Baseball 101 | What Are Scouts Really Looking at? ...

YBMcast ·

2025/11/21

Today on the Baseball 101 podcast with Darin Cissell, Arizona Diamondbacks scout Nate Birtwell joins Coach Cissell to discuss scouting methods. Knowing what goes into scouting can make the difference not only if you want to make it to the MLB, but also play at your next level. Nate Birtwell breaks down the many different facets of scouting that go into projecting players moving to the next level of baseball. So if you want to know about what scouts are looking for? This is the place to be! From high

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54:42

Baseball Talk | SEMO High School Baseball, is it...

YBMcast ·

2025/11/20

We have the Jackson High School baseball head coach joining the show to talk with us about SEMO baseball and to get an early look at his Indians program.The Jackson Indians are no secret in Class 6 across the state of Missouri — but what about the small-school success that defines Southeast Missouri? SEMO is full of programs winning districts, making deep postseason pushes, and turning out Final Four contenders year after year.We take a closer look at conferences, teams, and emerging programs across

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54:42

Baseball Talk | How Does a High School Coach Trust...

YBMcast ·

2025/11/19

Willard high school head coach and YBM contributor Scott McGee joins the conversation about how a high school coach must trust the process.We take a look at the scope of youth baseball development from the perspective of a public high school head coach.How does a coach know what kind of instruction and development young athletes have gone through before they arrive as freshmen? What do coaches see when players first enter the program, and how can they continue to develop players who have come

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492 results

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