The RosterPilot Show

Guest: Chris Thompson | Senior Manager of Baseball & Softball Programs, Cubs CharitiesTravel baseball and softball have become increasingly expensive, but what if families didn't have to pay thousands of dollars for their kids to compete?Chris Thompson oversees baseball and softball programming for Cubs Charities, including Cubs Nike RBI, an organization with 10 travel teams that operates at no charge to participating families.But the program goes well beyond what happens on the field.In this episode, Chris joins Patrick Jones to discuss how Cubs Nike RBI approaches player development, coaching, academics, and building relationships with families.Chris also shares practical advice on running efficient practices, developing assistant coaches, evaluating players beyond their statistics, and creating an environment where young athletes can succeed.The conversation explores two challenges facing travel baseball and softball: stay-to-play tournament policies and the shortage of umpires.In This EpisodeWhy young coaches often struggle with communication and accountabilityHow to structure practices to maximize repetitions and minimize wasted timeWhy coaches should focus on reinforcing fundamentals instead of constantly introducing new drillsWhat Chris has learned from Tim Corbin, Nick Saban, Patrick Murphy, and other successful coachesThe biggest issues facing travel baseball and softballHow Cubs Nike RBI provides baseball and softball opportunities without charging familiesWhy academic support and personal development are central to the programHow Chris evaluates players beyond batting averages and physical toolsWhat travel organizations should expect from parentsHow to build a consistent culture across multiple teams and coaching staffsEpisode Timestamps00:00 – Chris Thompson's coaching background02:03 – Advice Chris would give his younger coaching self04:14 – Lessons from teaching that translate to coaching05:49 – Balancing new information with fundamentals09:08 – Coaches who have influenced Chris's philosophy13:49 – How to run more efficient practices16:29 – Developing and managing assistant coaches18:17 – The biggest problems in travel baseball and softball21:20 – How the Cubs Nike RBI program operates25:08 – Academic coaching and opportunities beyond baseball28:35 – What Chris looks for in players and families30:33 – Why character and accountability matter more than statistics alone33:59 – Advice for parents of travel athletes35:07 – The Cubs Nike RBI tryout process36:58 – Offseason training and player development39:11 – Managing 10 teams and multiple programs41:15 – How to learn more about Cubs Nike RBIConnect with Cubs Nike RBIEmail: [email protected] Cubs Nike RBI on Instagram, Facebook, and X for program information and upcoming events.About RosterPilotRosterPilot is the recruiting operating system built for college baseball and softball coaches.Evaluate. Recruit. Manage.rosterpilot.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does it take to play at one of the top junior college baseball programs in the country? In this episode of the RosterPilot Show, Patrick Jones sits down with Logan Hullette, Recruiting Coordinator at Walters State Community College, to discuss how the program recruits, develops, and prepares players for Division I baseball. Logan shares an inside look at Walters State's development philosophy, including why the program prioritizes live at-bats, competitive reps, and creating a professional-style environment. He also breaks down what their coaching staff looks for when evaluating high school players, the velocity benchmarks for incoming pitchers, and why seeing players compete in person is such an important part of their recruiting process. The conversation also explores the advantages of junior college baseball in today's recruiting landscape, how the transfer portal has changed opportunities for high school players, and why finding the right program matters more than simply chasing the Division I label. Topics Covered: Why Walters State emphasizes live at-bats and game experience How Walters State evaluates and recruits high school players What it takes to compete at an elite JUCO program Why JUCO can be a better developmental path than going directly to Division I Pitching velocity benchmarks for incoming recruits How the transfer portal impacts JUCO recruiting The importance of academics, work ethic, and finding the right fit Episode About RosterPilot: RosterPilot is the recruiting operating system built for college baseball coaches. Evaluate players, organize recruiting information, and manage your roster in one place. Learn more: https://rosterpilot.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Colton Hahn is the hitting coach at Transylvania University and brings experience coaching at both the Division I and Division III levels.In this episode, Colton shares his perspective on coaching and recruiting across different levels of college baseball, stories from his time in the game, and what makes Transylvania University and Lexington, Kentucky, a unique place for student-athletes.We discuss:The differences between coaching at the Division I and Division III levelsColton’s approach to hitting and player developmentRecruiting at the Division III levelLessons and stories from his coaching careerWhat Transylvania University offers student-athletesBuilding a career in college baseballFollow Colton on Twitter Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Phil Shallenberger shares insights on building a values-driven baseball program at Messiah, emphasizing character, culture, and strategic recruiting. He discusses how focusing on individual growth and team culture creates sustainable success and how parents and coaches can support young athletes.Chapters00:00 The Savannah Bananas Experience03:00 Building a Culture at Messiah College06:03 Recruitment Philosophy and Team Dynamics09:10 The Importance of Character in Recruitment11:57 Creating a Supportive Environment for Players14:48 Niche and Identity of Messiah College Baseball17:59 Facility Upgrades and Future Aspirations22:18 Recruiting Strategies and Geographic Reach26:04 Balancing Family and Coaching Life30:07 Navigating Parental Involvement in Recruitment37:17 Encouraging Youth Sports Participation and IdentityResourcesMessiah College Baseball - https://www.messiah.eduPhil Shallenberger on Twitter - https://twitter.com/philshallenberger Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, I sit down with Cam Lanzilli, college pitching coach and former professional pitching development specialist with the Baltimore Orioles, to talk about what elite pitching development actually looks like behind the scenes and what most coaches and families are getting completely wrong.Cam breaks down why recruiting pitchers who "throw strikes" is the wrong way to think about command, what focal point training is and why it changes everything, and how he uses data and movement profiles to develop pitchers individually rather than forcing them into a one size fits all system.We also get into the Tommy John epidemic, why low volume training in the fall is actually the smartest thing a pitcher can do. He also mentions what he saw in a preferred walk-on that nobody else wanted that turned him into a scout magnet by the end of the season.This conversation is a must listen for pitchers, parents, and coaches who want to understand what modern elite pitching development actually looks like and why uniqueness beats everything else in recruiting.Topics Covered:0:00 Intro0:08 Is "recruit guys who throw strikes" actually true or just a social media trend3:55 What acquiring strikes actually means and why zone rate alone is misleading4:45 How focal point training works and why pitchers should stop throwing to their target7:35 What the average pitch miss differential is in the MLB and what it means for development8:39 What Cam would teach hitters knowing everything he knows as a pitching coach10:35 A simple breakdown of focal point vs target and how pitchers can use it today13:45 What Cam learned about patience from his mom being an English teacher15:58 The biggest differences between developing college pitchers and professional pitchers19:00 Why Cam keeps fall workloads intentionally low and what he is actually building toward21:39 The real reason Tommy John injuries spike at the start of every season25:03 How Cam gets pitchers to buy in when they are resistant or listening to someone else25:36 Why Cam always has a reason before asking a pitcher to make a change27:43 When is the right time for a pitcher to get a biomechanics assessment and 3D motion capture29:42 The preferred walk-on nobody wanted who became a scout magnet by the end of the season32:34 What Cam looks for first when he watches a pitcher and why uniqueness beats everything36:53 The advice Cam would give every player and family navigating the recruiting process todayFollow Cam Lanzilli:Twitter/X: https://x.com/LanzilliCam https://x.com/eckerdbaseball Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.