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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...
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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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Subscribe to the Midwest Report and YBMcast Today!
Episodes & Posts
Episodes
Posts
Transcribed
16 SEP 2026 · What does the path to college baseball really look like when it doesn’t follow a straight line?
On this episode of Baseball 101, Dave “Diamond Dave” Wiggins welcomes Ryan Karl, currently pitching at Eastern Michigan College, for a player’s perspective on development, adversity, opportunity, and continuing to pursue the game at the next level.
Ryan brings firsthand experience from his own baseball journey to discuss the decisions, challenges, adjustments, and opportunities players can encounter after high school. Through each step, the common thread has been continuing to work, develop, and find the next opportunity to compete.
Dave and Ryan discuss the realities of the college baseball journey, the work that happens away from game day, handling adversity, continuing to develop as a pitcher, and the lessons younger athletes can take from someone who is currently living that experience.
For high school players wondering what comes next — and parents trying to understand what the college baseball path can actually look like — Ryan provides a perspective that comes directly from being in the middle of that journey.
📲 Follow Dave Wiggins
X (Twitter): @CruitsCoachDW
Instagram: @coachdave1338
📲 Follow Ryan Karl
Currently Pitching at Eastern College
Instagram: @rkarl27
X (Twitter): @RyanKarl27
🏠 Join the YBM Club
Get more from Youth Baseball Midwest and become part of the YBM community.
https://www.youthbaseballmidwest.com/ybm-club
🛒 Shop YBM Merch
Rep Youth Baseball Midwest with official YBM gear.
https://gorgeousware.com/collections/youth-baseball-midwest ⚾ Stay locked in with Youth Baseball Midwest—your hub for full-spectrum youth baseball insight in the Midwest. Subscribe and hit that dinger (🔔) to never miss a game-state insight.
🌐 More YBM:
Website: youthbaseballmidwest.com
YouTube: Youth Baseball MidwestInstagram: @youthbaseballmidwest
TikTok: @YouthBaseballMidwest
X: @YBM_cast
Facebook: Youth Baseball Midwest
Presented by our proud partners:
Game 7 Baseball: game7baseball.com
Prime Sports Midwest: primesportsmw.com
🎥 Production Partner:Red Earth Productions: redearthprod.com
Transcribed
15 SEP 2026 · Technology, data, metrics, rankings, numbers — we have more information available to evaluate baseball players than ever before.
But have we gotten away from the eye test?
On this episode of The Hitting Zone, Mitch Thomas welcomes Dave Wiggins, host of YBM’s Baseball 101, for a conversation about how we evaluate players in today’s game.
Numbers can tell us a lot. Velocity, exit velocity, pop time, spin rate, measurable tools and countless other data points have become part of the baseball landscape. But can those numbers tell us everything we need to know about a player?
Mitch and Dave take a swing at the balance between measurable data and simply watching someone play baseball.
What happens when the numbers say one thing, but your eyes tell you something different?
Are we putting too much weight on measurable tools?
Can you measure baseball IQ, competitiveness, instincts, toughness, decision-making or how a player responds when the game gets difficult?
And with players increasingly evaluated through numbers, rankings and short looks, is there still enough room for coaches and evaluators to trust what they see?
It’s another conversation about development, evaluation, and making sure the tools available to the game are helping us understand players — rather than becoming the only way we define them.
Step inside The Hitting Zone.
Follow Dave Wiggins / Baseball 101
Instagram: @coachdave1338
X: @CoachDW1338
Follow Mitch Thomas / The Hitting Zone
Instagram: @_mtsperformance
X: @TheHittingZoneSTL
TikTok: @thehittingzonestl
Follow Youth Baseball Midwest
⚾ Join the YBM Clubhouse on YouTube for early access to new episodes, exclusive content, exclusive discounts and more!
👕 Rep YBM — Shop the Official Merch Store:
https://gorgeousware.com/collections/youth-baseball-midwest
The Hitting Zone is sponsored by Kilo Gear.
Visit https://www.youthbaseballmidwest.com and click the Kilo Gear tab.
Use promo code YBM10 for 10% off your order!
YBM Partner: Game 7 Baseball ⚾ Stay locked in with Youth Baseball Midwest—your hub for full-spectrum youth baseball insight in the Midwest. Subscribe and hit that dinger (🔔) to never miss a game-state insight.
🌐 More YBM:
Website: youthbaseballmidwest.com
YouTube: Youth Baseball MidwestInstagram: @youthbaseballmidwest
TikTok: @YouthBaseballMidwest
X: @YBM_cast
Facebook: Youth Baseball Midwest
Presented by our proud partners:
Game 7 Baseball: game7baseball.com
Prime Sports Midwest: primesportsmw.com
🎥 Production Partner:Red Earth Productions: redearthprod.com
Transcribed
12 SEP 2026 · Welcome to the premiere episode of Youth Baseball Talk on Youth Baseball Midwest!
Host Dan Seddon is joined by Brian French to introduce the newest show in the YBM podcast lineup and take a look at how the youth baseball landscape has changed over the years.
Dan and Brian discuss the evolution of the game since Dan’s days playing youth baseball, including the growth of travel baseball, changes throughout the club landscape, and the different opportunities and decisions facing today’s young players and their families.
This premiere sets the stage for what Youth Baseball Talk is all about. Throughout the season, Dan will dive into the 8U–14U side of the game and tackle conversations surrounding player development, coaching, parents, travel and club organizations, culture, and the challenges that come with navigating youth baseball today.
This is where the baseball journey begins—and there’s plenty to talk about.
Subscribe to Youth Baseball Midwest and follow Youth Baseball Talk throughout the season!
⚾ JOIN THE YBM CLUBHOUSE
Become a member directly through the Youth Baseball Midwest YouTube channel by clicking the “Join” button on our channel page.
🛒 SHOP YBM
https://www.youthbaseballmidwest.com
💪 YBM PARTNER: KILOGEAR
Visit: https://www.youthbaseballmidwest.com
Click the Kilogear tab and use promo code YBM10 for 10% off your order.
#YouthBaseballTalk #YouthBaseballMidwest #YouthBaseball #TravelBaseball #BaseballDevelopment ⚾ Stay locked in with Youth Baseball Midwest—your hub for full-spectrum youth baseball insight in the Midwest. Subscribe and hit that dinger (🔔) to never miss a game-state insight.
🌐 More YBM:
Website: youthbaseballmidwest.com
YouTube: Youth Baseball MidwestInstagram: @youthbaseballmidwest
TikTok: @YouthBaseballMidwest
X: @YBM_cast
Facebook: Youth Baseball Midwest
Presented by our proud partners:
Game 7 Baseball: game7baseball.com
Prime Sports Midwest: primesportsmw.com
🎥 Production Partner:Red Earth Productions: redearthprod.com
Transcribed
11 SEP 2026 · So-ILL Baseball Talk is back as host Carl Lange sits down with Jason Varner, manager of the Pony League Marion Colts.
Carl and Jason discuss the role programs like the Marion Colts play in Southern Illinois baseball, the responsibility that comes with coaching young athletes, and what it takes to build a positive environment where players can develop both on and off the field.
The conversation explores youth baseball from a coach’s perspective, including player development, team culture, community involvement, and the importance of creating opportunities for young athletes throughout Southern Illinois.
Follow Jason Varner on X:
@MrVarnerMath
Subscribe to Youth Baseball Midwest and turn on notifications so you never miss a new episode of
So-ILL Baseball Talk.
⚾ JOIN THE YBM CLUBHOUSE
The YBM Clubhouse is available directly through the Youth Baseball Midwest YouTube channel. Visit our channel and select “Join” to become a member and support YBM.
💪 SHOP KILOGEAR
Kilogear is a proud partner of Youth Baseball Midwest.
Visit:
https://www.youthbaseballmidwest.com/
Select the Kilogear tab and use promo code YBM10 to receive 10% off your purchase.
🧢 SHOP YBM MERCH
https://gorgeousware.com/collections/youth-baseball-midwest
🌐 VISIT YOUTH BASEBALL MIDWEST
https://www.youthbaseballmidwest.com/
Follow Youth Baseball Midwest on Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok, and YouTube for more podcasts, interviews, rankings, live broadcasts, and baseball coverage from across the Midwest.
#SoILLBaseballTalk #YouthBaseballMidwest #SouthernIllinoisBaseball #MarionColts #PonyLeague ⚾ Stay locked in with Youth Baseball Midwest—your hub for full-spectrum youth baseball insight in the Midwest. Subscribe and hit that dinger (🔔) to never miss a game-state insight.
🌐 More YBM:
Website: youthbaseballmidwest.com
YouTube: Youth Baseball MidwestInstagram: @youthbaseballmidwest
TikTok: @YouthBaseballMidwest
X: @YBM_cast
Facebook: Youth Baseball Midwest
Presented by our proud partners:
Game 7 Baseball: game7baseball.com
Prime Sports Midwest: primesportsmw.com
🎥 Production Partner:Red Earth Productions: redearthprod.com
Transcribed
10 SEP 2026 · Show Me Baseball Talk is back for a new season on Youth Baseball Midwest!
Brian kicks off the season with a look at fall baseball across Missouri and dives into YBM’s Missouri Class 1 & 2 Top 10 Rankings.
Programs like Gainesville, Purdy, Fordland and Conway are part of the early conversation — but where do they land? And which other programs made their way into the Top 10?
Brian breaks down the rankings, looks at what these teams are bringing into the fall season, and sets the stage for what we’ll be watching as the year unfolds.
Who’s ranked too high? Who’s too low? And which team should everyone be keeping an eye on this fall?
Drop your thoughts in the comments and let us know what YOUR Class 1 & 2 Top 10 would look like!
💪 SHOW ME BASEBALL TALK PARTNER — KILO GEAR
Show Me Baseball Talk is proudly partnered with Kilo Gear!
Visit: https://www.youthbaseballmidwest.com/
Click the Kilo Gear tab to shop and use promo code YBM10 for 10% OFF your order!
⚾ JOIN THE YBM CLUBHOUSE
Want even more from Youth Baseball Midwest? Join the YBM Clubhouse right here on YouTube!
Click the JOIN button on the Youth Baseball Midwest YouTube channel to become a member and support YBM while getting access to Clubhouse member benefits.
🛒 SHOP YBM https://gorgeousware.com/collections/youth-baseball-midwest
#YouthBaseballMidwest #ShowMeBaseballTalk #MissouriBaseball #FallBaseball #HighSchoolBaseball ⚾ Stay locked in with Youth Baseball Midwest—your hub for full-spectrum youth baseball insight in the Midwest. Subscribe and hit that dinger (🔔) to never miss a game-state insight.
🌐 More YBM:
Website: youthbaseballmidwest.com
YouTube: Youth Baseball MidwestInstagram: @youthbaseballmidwest
TikTok: @YouthBaseballMidwest
X: @YBM_cast
Facebook: Youth Baseball Midwest
Presented by our proud partners:
Game 7 Baseball: game7baseball.com
Prime Sports Midwest: primesportsmw.com
🎥 Production Partner:Red Earth Productions: redearthprod.com
Transcribed
9 SEP 2026 · Season 3 of Baseball 101 is here!
Dave “Diamond Dave” Wiggins kicks off a brand-new season with Ryan Malzahn, Assistant Scouting Director and Head of Tournament Scouting for Prep Baseball, for a conversation every player and parent navigating the baseball development and recruiting landscape should hear.
Showcases and camps — are they really necessary?
With so many events available to young athletes, knowing when to attend, where to spend your time and money, and what to do with the information you receive can be difficult. Ryan brings the perspective of someone who evaluates players for a living to help families better understand where showcases and camps fit into the development and recruiting process.
Dave and Ryan discuss:
• What players should actually be looking for in a showcase or camp
• When athletes should begin attending these events
• How to determine which opportunities are worth pursuing
• What evaluators are looking for when athletes perform
• How players should use their results and data afterward
• The difference between simply attending events and using them as part of a larger development plan
A showcase can give you numbers. A camp can put you in front of coaches. But understanding why you're there and what you do next can make all the difference.
Season 3 starts with an important conversation for players, parents, and coaches trying to make informed decisions about the path ahead.
⚾ Baseball 101 with Diamond Dave Wiggins — where experience meets education.
📲 Follow Dave Wiggins
X (Twitter): @CruitsCoachDW
Instagram: @coachdave1338
📲 Follow Ryan Malzahn
X (Twitter): @PB_Malzahn
📲 Follow Prep Baseball Missouri
X (Twitter): @prepbaseballmo
Instagram: @prepbaseballmo
Other Socials: @prepbaseballmo
⚾ Join the YBM Club Today! Get more from Youth Baseball Midwest and be part of the YBM community. https://www.youthbaseballmidwest.com/ybm-club 🛒 Shop YBM Merch Rep Youth Baseball Midwest with official YBM gear. ⚾ Stay locked in with Youth Baseball Midwest—your hub for full-spectrum youth baseball insight in the Midwest. Subscribe and hit that dinger (🔔) to never miss a game-state insight.
🌐 More YBM:
Website: youthbaseballmidwest.com
YouTube: Youth Baseball MidwestInstagram: @youthbaseballmidwest
TikTok: @YouthBaseballMidwest
X: @YBM_cast
Facebook: Youth Baseball Midwest
Presented by our proud partners:
Game 7 Baseball: game7baseball.com
Prime Sports Midwest: primesportsmw.com
🎥 Production Partner:Red Earth Productions: redearthprod.com
Transcribed
8 SEP 2026 · Season 3 of The Hitting Zone is officially underway on Youth Baseball Midwest!
Mitch Thomas kicks off the new season by welcoming back Bobby Minor of Chasing Baseball Dreams for a conversation about something nearly every baseball family has felt in one way or another:
The $10,000 Summer.
How did we get to a place where families can spend thousands of dollars on club fees, travel, hotels, tournaments, lessons, equipment, showcases, and everything else that comes with a summer of baseball?
More importantly — what are families actually getting for that investment?
Mitch and Bobby dig into the expectations surrounding modern youth baseball and the pressure families can feel to spend more, travel farther, and constantly search for the next opportunity.
Mitch will also bring perspective from conversations Bobby's had with former MLB MVP Dustin Pedroia, adding another layer to the discussion about development, opportunity, expectations, and what young players actually need.
When does investing in your athlete make sense? When does the chase become too much? And are we creating better baseball players — or simply making baseball more expensive?
Season 3 starts with a conversation that goes right to the heart of what The Hitting Zone is about: asking difficult questions, challenging the current culture, and helping baseball families make better decisions.
Follow Bobby Minor / Chasing Baseball Dreams
Instagram: @chasingbaseballdreams
TikTok: @chasingbaseballdreams
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/chasingbaseballdreams/
Follow Mitch Thomas / The Hitting Zone
Instagram: @_mtsperformance
X: @TheHittingZoneSTL
TikTok: @thehittingzonestl
⚾ Join the YBM Club Today:
https://www.youthbaseballmidwest.com/ybm-club
👕 Rep YBM — Shop the Official Merch Store:
https://gorgeousware.com/collections/youth-baseball-midwest
The Hitting Zone is sponsored by
Kilo Gear.
YBM Partner: Game 7 Baseball ⚾ Stay locked in with Youth Baseball Midwest—your hub for full-spectrum youth baseball insight in the Midwest. Subscribe and hit that dinger (🔔) to never miss a game-state insight.
🌐 More YBM:
Website: youthbaseballmidwest.com
YouTube: Youth Baseball MidwestInstagram: @youthbaseballmidwest
TikTok: @YouthBaseballMidwest
X: @YBM_cast
Facebook: Youth Baseball Midwest
Presented by our proud partners:
Game 7 Baseball: game7baseball.com
Prime Sports Midwest: primesportsmw.com
🎥 Production Partner:Red Earth Productions: redearthprod.com
Transcribed
27 AUG 2026 · Well, we are here! Fall high school baseball is back, and so is a new chapter of coverage from Youth Baseball Midwest with the YBM Press Box!
Nearly 100 high school baseball programs will compete this fall, and many of these schools do not have football programs. We want to work throughout the season to bring these teams, players, and communities the coverage they deserve.
On our first edition of the YBM Press Box, we're talking 2026 Fall Contenders. We'll take an early look at some of the top teams across the state and hear from coaches leading programs we expect to be right in the middle of the conversation this fall, including our early #1 teams in Class 1 and Class 2, along with Licking Head Coach from Class 3.
Then it's time to play baseball.
Youth Baseball Midwest will be in Ozark, Missouri, for opening weekend at the Ozark Mountain Sports Complex, where Purdy, St. Elizabeth and Licking waste no time jumping into the 2026 season.
The two-day event will also feature Ellington, Southwest (Washburn), and Silo High School from Silo, Oklahoma.
We'll have the cameras rolling throughout the weekend, bringing you interviews, reactions, and coverage from the players and coaches as the 2026 fall baseball season officially swings into action.
Welcome to the YBM Press Box. Let's talk fall baseball.
💪 YBM PRESS BOX — SPONSORED BY KILOGEAR
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Train Smarter. Perform Stronger.
Doctor-designed weighted gear trusted by baseball athletes to improve speed, power, and overall performance.
👉 Visit https://kilogear.com/pages/team/youth-baseball-midwest
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Become a YBM Club Member and get early access to more content just like this!
Click the Join button above or click the link below:
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YouTube: @YouthBaseballMidwest
Instagram: @youthbaseballmidwest
TikTok: @YouthBaseballMidwest
X: @YBM_cast
Facebook: Youth Baseball Midwest
🎥 Production Partner:
Red Earth Productions
IG: @redearthproductions
Website: redearthprod.com
⚾ Show Partners:
Game 7 Baseball: game7baseball.com
Prime Sports Midwest: primesportsmw.com
Instagram: @youthbaseballmidwest
TikTok: @YouthBaseballMidwest
X: @YBM_cast
Facebook: Youth Baseball Midwest
🎥 Production Partner:
Red Earth Productions
IG: @redearthproductions
Website: redearthprod.com
⚾ Show Partners:
Game 7 Baseball: game7baseball.com ⚾ Stay locked in with Youth Baseball Midwest—your hub for full-spectrum youth baseball insight in the Midwest. Subscribe and hit that dinger (🔔) to never miss a game-state insight.
🌐 More YBM:
Website: youthbaseballmidwest.com
YouTube: Youth Baseball MidwestInstagram: @youthbaseballmidwest
TikTok: @YouthBaseballMidwest
X: @YBM_cast
Facebook: Youth Baseball Midwest
Presented by our proud partners:
Game 7 Baseball: game7baseball.com
Prime Sports Midwest: primesportsmw.com
🎥 Production Partner:Red Earth Productions: redearthprod.com
Transcribed
19 JUN 2026 · As the 2026 Missouri high school season comes to an end, Kevin Moulder of Prep Baseball joins the show to discuss the players who have made the list. Who are the Seniors who have stood out for their high school career and who are some of the up and coming Juniors and underclassmen making the list. We take a look at the All-State teams that remind us of these tremendous players who will now be moving on to the next phase of their journey. 2026 was dominated by seniors on the lists and we get to relive some of the memories and talk about where these players will be making the next stop in there baseball and academic careers.
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Follow Youth Baseball Midwest
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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YouthBaseballMidwest
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Website: https://www.youthbaseballmidwest.com ⚾ Stay locked in with Youth Baseball Midwest—your hub for full-spectrum youth baseball insight in the Midwest. Subscribe and hit that dinger (🔔) to never miss a game-state insight.
🌐 More YBM:
Website: youthbaseballmidwest.com
YouTube: Youth Baseball MidwestInstagram: @youthbaseballmidwest
TikTok: @YouthBaseballMidwest
X: @YBM_cast
Facebook: Youth Baseball Midwest
Presented by our proud partners:
Game 7 Baseball: game7baseball.com
Prime Sports Midwest: primesportsmw.com
🎥 Production Partner:Red Earth Productions: redearthprod.com
Transcribed
11 JUN 2026 · Who's #1! This is what we are discussing today in this episode of YBM Baseball Talk. Missouri American Legion Baseball is underway, and we have some players to talk about. Along with the first two Players of the Week and 19U Teams of the Week. YBM is dropping our first edition of the 2026 Power Rankings for 19U and 17U and we will discuss some of the players making an impact for their clubs. It is still early and some teams have got out of the gate playing a lot of games and some are still working their way into the season. Let's get going and see who is at the top of the list and why we think they may be the early favorites to win a state championship.
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Check out our sponsor's pages! Powered by Game 7 Baseball: game7baseball.com
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Follow Youth Baseball Midwest Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/youthbaseballmidwest Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YouthBaseballMidwest
X/Twitter: Youth Baseball Midwest (@YBM_cast) / X (twitter.com)
Website: https://www.youthbaseballmidwest.com ⚾ Stay locked in with Youth Baseball Midwest—your hub for full-spectrum youth baseball insight in the Midwest. Subscribe and hit that dinger (🔔) to never miss a game-state insight.
🌐 More YBM:
Website: youthbaseballmidwest.com
YouTube: Youth Baseball MidwestInstagram: @youthbaseballmidwest
TikTok: @YouthBaseballMidwest
X: @YBM_cast
Facebook: Youth Baseball Midwest
Presented by our proud partners:
Game 7 Baseball: game7baseball.com
Prime Sports Midwest: primesportsmw.com
🎥 Production Partner:Red Earth Productions: redearthprod.com
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...
show more
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!
show less
Subscribe to the Midwest Report and YBMcast Today!
Information
| Author | YBMcast |
| Organization | Brian French |
| Categories | Baseball |
| Website | www.youthbaseballmidwest.com |
| brian@redearthprod.com |
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