ABCA Podcast

2026 ABCA/Soldier Sports NCAA Div. II Assistant Coach of the Year, Jenzen Torres, enters his 14th season on the Cal Poly Pomona coaching staff and his sixth as Associate Head Coach. He wears a lot of hats for the Broncos, serving as the pitching coach, catching coach, and recruiting coordinator—and the results speak for themselves. During his time on staff, the Broncos have compiled nearly 400 wins, while Torres has recruited and coached multiple All-Americans and helped develop 18 players who have gone on to play professional baseball, including 15 who were drafted out of Cal Poly Pomona. And on the pitching side, since 2020, the Broncos have consistently ranked among the top programs in the CCAA in categories including ERA, strikeouts, fewest walks allowed, and WHIP. But long before he was developing pitchers and building recruiting classes, Torres was one of the most accomplished players in program history. A four-year starter at Cal Poly Pomona from 2009 through 2012, he was a three-time All-West Region selection and remains the program’s all-time home run leader, launching 34 home runs in 199 career games. Torres also ranks second all-time in RBIs and finished his career as a .300 hitter. After his playing career, Torres spent time in professional baseball before quickly transitioning into coaching—and has since had the opportunity to coach some of the game's top talent, including a championship summer with the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox in the Cape Cod League. This episode is brought to you by Rapsodo Baseball. Great coaching starts with knowing what to work on next. Rapsodo gives coaches the objective data, video, and instant feedback they need to make every rep more purposeful. With 20+ hitting and pitching data points, Live-on-Live capabilities, Seam Orientation, Scripted Sessions, and more, Rapsodo’s PRO 2.0 and PRO 3.0 units help coaches dial in on player development for their athletes with pro-level data and ball-tracking technology. From establishing baselines to validating adjustments and tracking progress, Rapsodo takes the guesswork out of development. Measure what matters. Train with purpose. Learn more by emailing [email protected] or visit their website: Rapsodo.com/Baseball. The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more. Download & Subscribe to the Podcast:https://abca.castos.comhttps://www.abca.org/podcastOnline: https://www.abca.orgABCA Member Benefits: https://www.abca.org/benefits Become a Member: https://www.abca.org/apply X/Twitter: https://x.com/abca1945 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abca1945 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ABCA1945 YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/abca1945

2026 ABCA/Soldier Sports NCAA Div. I Assistant Coach of the Year, Scott Jackson, is one of the most respected assistant coaches and recruiters in college baseball—and someone who has spent more than two decades helping build winning programs and develop players at the highest level. Jackson has been a key part of some of the most successful stretches in both North Carolina and Liberty baseball history, taking the 2026 Tar Heels team to the CWS Championship Series. During his first stint in Chapel Hill, Jackson helped the Tar Heels go 345-156, make three College World Series appearances, reach six straight NCAA Regionals, and win the 2013 ACC Championship. Jackson was also instrumental in building those Carolina rosters, helping recruit eight first-round MLB Draft picks and more than 40 players who went on to be selected in the draft. His recruiting classes were consistently among the nation's best, including the No. 1-ranked class in 2014 and another top-ranked class in 2016. Then, Jackson took over as head coach at Liberty, where he went 246-181 over eight seasons. He led the Flames to five 30-win seasons, three NCAA Regional appearances, a program-record 43 wins in 2019, and Liberty's first ASUN Championship. Along the way, 15 of his players were selected in the MLB Draft and 16 went on to play professionally. Jackson’s coaching journey stops included Campbell, Barton, Wofford, UNC Wilmington, Liberty, and even the Wilmington Sharks of the Coastal Plain League, where he earned Coach of the Year honors. So today, we're going to talk about what it takes to recruit at an elite level, develop players for professional baseball, build championship programs, and ultimately create a culture that consistently produces winning baseball. This episode is brought to you by Rapsodo Baseball. Great coaching starts with knowing what to work on next. Rapsodo gives coaches the objective data, video, and instant feedback they need to make every rep more purposeful. With 20+ hitting and pitching data points, Live-on-Live capabilities, Seam Orientation, Scripted Sessions, and more, Rapsodo’s PRO 2.0 and PRO 3.0 units help coaches dial in on player development for their athletes with pro-level data and ball-tracking technology. From establishing baselines to validating adjustments and tracking progress, Rapsodo takes the guesswork out of development. Measure what matters. Train with purpose. Learn more by emailing [email protected] or visit their website: Rapsodo.com/Baseball. The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more. Download & Subscribe to the Podcast:https://abca.castos.comhttps://www.abca.org/podcastOnline: https://www.abca.orgABCA Member Benefits: https://www.abca.org/benefits Become a Member: https://www.abca.org/apply X/Twitter: https://x.com/abca1945 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abca1945 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ABCA1945 YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/abca1945

Today’s guest on the ABCA Podcast is ABCA/Soldier Sports High School Div. I Assistant Coach of the Year, Kobe Wixon. Today’s guest is someone who understands that coaching is about far more than what happens between the lines. Wixon led Arizona College Prep to their first ever Arizona 5A State Championship this Spring. Wixon is an award-winning baseball coach, pitching coordinator, educator, and youth pastor based in Arizona. His coaching journey has included stops at the high school, junior high, and collegiate levels, including Arizona Christian University and Westwood High School. But what really sets Wixon apart is the way he approaches player development. He’s passionate about pitching, mental skills, team culture, leadership, and communication—but at the center of all of it is a simple philosophy: people first, always. Relationships matter more than anything else. Wixon is also deeply invested in developing young people away from the baseball field. After earning his degree in education from Northern Arizona University, he worked as a teacher and has served as a youth pastor in the Tempe area, using both ministry and coaching as avenues to help develop the next generation of leaders. He’s also an author and contributor, writing about pitching, mental skills, culture, and the lessons that baseball can teach us about life. You can read his article “No Such Thing as “Little Things” in the July/August 2025 edition of Inside Pitch Magazine. So today, we’re going to talk about pitching development, building a winning culture, the mental side of the game, leadership, relationships, and what it really means to coach the person—not just the player. The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more. Download & Subscribe to the Podcast:https://abca.castos.comhttps://www.abca.org/podcastOnline: https://www.abca.orgABCA Member Benefits: https://www.abca.org/benefits Become a Member: https://www.abca.org/apply X/Twitter: https://x.com/abca1945 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abca1945 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ABCA1945 YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/abca1945

Today’s guest on the ABCA Podcast is ABCA/Soldier Sports Pacific Association Assistant Coach of the Year, George Carralejo. Carralejo led Santa Ana College to the 3C2A Championship with a 44-7 record overall. Santa Ana had to beat Palomar in a double header on the last day of the championship. Carralejo has spent more than 20 years in the healthcare industry and 16 years coaching athletes at the collegiate, high school, and youth levels. Carralejo’s built sales teams, developed strategies for healthcare organizations, founded an eight-figure healthcare consulting company, and served as a chief strategist for multiple clinical diagnostics startups. Carralejo’s also earned national recognition throughout his corporate career, from Presidents Club honors to national awards as both a Regional Director and National Sales Director. Since 2009, Carralejo’s coached baseball at virtually every level, including serving as the pitching coach for a CIF Champion and a California State JUCO Champion. Along the way, his teams have won five league championships, 44 of his pitchers have earned Division I or Division II scholarships, 23 have received All-Conference recognition, eight former players have reached Major League Baseball, and an incredible 31 MLB Draft picks have played for him. Carralejo is a former Division I player at Cal State Fullerton, he was part of the 1999 Titans team that reached the College World Series, won two Big West Conference Championships, and was also part of a Cape Cod League championship team. In this episode you will get resources on organizational leadership and how to build successful teams in baseball and business. The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more. Download & Subscribe to the Podcast:https://abca.castos.comhttps://www.abca.org/podcastOnline: https://www.abca.orgABCA Member Benefits: https://www.abca.org/benefits Become a Member: https://www.abca.org/apply X/Twitter: https://x.com/abca1945 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abca1945 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ABCA1945 YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/abca1945

ABCA/Soldier Sports NAIA Assistant Coach of the Year, Justin Barber, is someone who has built his coaching career around developing pitchers and building championship-caliber pitching staffs. Barber finished his ninth season on staff at Taylor University, where he serves as the pitching coach and recruiting coordinator. And over that span, his pitching staffs have consistently ranked among the best in the NAIA. This past season Barber led Taylor University to a 56-7 record, finishing ranked 2nd in the country and played in the NAIA World Series Championship game. The Trojans pitching staff had a 4.73 era and held opponents to a .253 batting average. In 2025, Taylor put together the best regular season in program history at a 41-8 record and finished with a program-record 47 wins, climbed to No. 9 nationally, and captured its third straight Crossroads League regular-season championship and second consecutive tournament title. Barber’s pitching staff was a huge part of that success, ranking second nationally in WHIP, third in opponents’ batting average, and fourth in both ERA and strikeouts per nine innings. The staff also produced the Crossroads League Pitcher of the Year, three first-team all-league selections, an NAIA All-American, and an MLB draft pick. Barber’s track record goes well beyond his time at Taylor. Before arriving in Upland, he spent eight years with the Indiana Chargers, helping more than 90 players reach the collegiate level and working with four pitchers who eventually reached professional baseball, including three MLB draft picks. Barber started his coaching career as a high school varsity head coach and also worked as a pitching and hitting instructor at Great Lakes Baseball Academy. In this episode, we’re going to talk pitching development, recruiting, player development, and what it takes to consistently build a pitching staff that can compete at the highest levels of college baseball. The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more. Download & Subscribe to the Podcast:https://abca.castos.comhttps://www.abca.org/podcastOnline: https://www.abca.orgABCA Member Benefits: https://www.abca.org/benefits Become a Member: https://www.abca.org/apply X/Twitter: https://x.com/abca1945 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abca1945 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ABCA1945 YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/abca1945