Baseball parents spend a lot of time worrying about winning, playing time and whether their son is falling behind.

Former MLB pitcher Aaron Barrett says one of the biggest things parents worry about is FOMO. Trying to keep up with what everybody else is doing instead of looking at where your own kid is right now.  

 Aaron has seen player development from just about every angle. He pitched parts of four seasons with the Washington Nationals, made it back to the Major Leagues after more than four years away following Tommy John surgery and a fractured humerus, and was part of Washington’s 2019 World Series team. After his playing career, he moved into player development with the Philadelphia Phillies. In his first season managing the Single-A Clearwater Threshers, his team finished 74-55 and Aaron was named Baseball America’s Single-A Manager of the Year and Florida State League Manager of the Year.  

 In this episode of the Chasing Baseball Dreams Podcast, Aaron and I get into what actually separates players as they move up, why consistency and handling failure matter so much, what development should look like at younger ages, and why playing catch still matters. 

 We also talk about youth pitching and arm health, how parents should vet coaches and instructors, multi-sport athletes, baseball IQ, analytics, player ownership, Aaron’s four MLB Draft experiences, his incredible comeback to the big leagues, and some of his favorite Major League memories. 

 Aaron also explains why parents need to ask more questions before handing their son’s development over to somebody else, especially when it comes to pitching and training.  

 His closing advice is simple: use the information and experience available to you, then bring the decision back to your child and what’s best for him right now. Development isn’t linear.  

 TIMESTAMPS 

 00:00 Aaron Barrett’s MLB career, comeback and move into managing 

02:05 What separates players in professional baseball 

05:08 Baseball IQ and how players are being developed today 

08:17 Development vs. winning 

11:31 What development should look like for young players 

14:24 Why playing catch still matters 

17:17 When parents should stop trying to fix every struggle 

19:35 Helping a young player through an injury 

22:25 What parents should ask about pitching and arm care 

25:19 Aaron on youth arm injuries and Dr. Andrews 

26:48 Aaron’s wild MLB Draft story 

29:10 Growing up as a multi-sport athlete 

31:02 When parents should hand ownership back to the player 

35:28 Data, analytics and paralysis by analysis 

39:37 In-and-Out with Aaron Barrett 

40:20 What baseball parents worry about too much 

41:38 What he’d tell the parents of his 12-year-old self 

42:34 The toughest hitter Aaron faced in the Major Leagues 

43:39 Aaron’s favorite baseball memories 

50:41 Favorite baseball movie and his upcoming documentary 

53:53 Aaron’s final advice for baseball parents