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 

Is your son dominating youth baseball because he’s developing, or because the competition isn’t challenging him anymore? 

Former MLB player Lou Collier joins Bobby Minor on the Chasing Baseball Dreams Podcast to talk about reclassing, playing up and the decisions behind his son Cam Collier’s path to the MLB Draft. 

Before the Cincinnati Reds selected Cam 18th overall, his family made the decision to have him graduate early and play junior college baseball against older competition. Lou explains what he saw in Cam, how he used feedback from experienced baseball people and why the decision involved much more than his son’s ability on the field. We also get into what would’ve told him they’d moved too soon. 

That leads to a conversation about reclassifying in the other direction. Lou shares his concerns about older players dominating younger competition and what happens when the game finally gets tougher. He also makes an important distinction: challenging a player doesn’t mean putting him at a level he isn’t physically ready to handle. 

We talk about the challenge of being both a coach and a baseball dad, including what Lou learned about backing off as Cam matured. Later, he explains why a younger player needing encouragement isn’t the same as an older teenager refusing to put in the work his goals require. 

For parents thinking about baseball training and player development, Lou gets specific about infield fundamentals, learning multiple positions and what working alongside Ron Washington taught him about instruction. He also discusses baseball access for young African American players, his work with MLB Develops and the training behind the Hillboys program. His explanation of practice reps versus game reps gives parents something to consider before filling another weekend with games. 

Cam’s path gives us a real decision to examine. The question for your family is what your son needs, how you’re evaluating that and whether his baseball environment is preparing him for tougher competition. 

Timestamps 

00:00 Meet Lou Collier, former MLB player and Cam Collier’s dad 

02:25 Being a baseball dad without always being the coach 

05:02 Why Cam Collier reclassified and played junior college baseball 

10:50 What would’ve told Lou they moved too soon 

12:19 College baseball beyond the “D1 or bust” mentality 

13:41 Infield fundamentals and learning multiple positions 

17:05 What Ron Washington taught Lou about infield development 

19:47 Recognizing when a player needs tougher competition 

20:47 When should your son take ownership of his baseball goals? 

23:09 Growing up playing baseball on Chicago’s South Side 

25:31 African American players, baseball costs and access 

31:30 MLB Develops, Dream Series and Breakthrough Series 

36:38 Reclassing down and the temporary age advantage 

41:52 What separates players who keep getting better 

43:10 The toughest MLB pitchers Lou faced 

44:19 Favorite ballparks and playing back home in Chicago 

46:41 In-and-Out with Lou Collier 

48:29 A Wrigley Field home run and a favorite baseball movie 

50:44 Lou’s message to parents: Be honest about your son 

52:54 The Hillboys and Lou’s approach to youth baseball training 

55:22 Practice reps versus game reps 

56:31 Closing thoughts 

Subscribe to the Chasing Baseball Dreams Podcast on YouTube, Apple Podcasts or Spotify so you don’t miss the next episode. 

#BaseballParents #YouthBaseball #ChasingBaseballDreams 

Former MLB player Niko Goodrum joins Bobby Minor on the Chasing Baseball Dreams Podcast to talk youth baseball, travel baseball, player development, versatility, mindset, and what parents may be rushing too soon.

Niko was a second-round pick out of high school and played seven seasons in Major League Baseball with the Minnesota Twins, Detroit Tigers, Houston Astros, Tampa Bay Rays and Los Angeles Angels. One of the most surprising parts of his journey: he didn’t grow up playing travel baseball. He played local summer ball, attended a few showcases and still developed into a Major League player.

For baseball parents, some of Niko’s strongest advice comes when he talks development. He says he wouldn’t rush power, exit velocity, throwing velocity or strength with young players. Niko was 168 pounds when he was drafted and eventually played at 220. Physical development comes with time, but the skill of actually playing baseball still has to be there.

Niko also talks about when a player may be ready for travel ball, why parents should watch how much their son is driving his own development, and why decisions should fit the individual kid instead of what everybody else is doing.

We also get into how versatility helped Niko reach and stay in the Major Leagues, playing multiple sports, becoming a switch hitter in high school, professional baseball in Korea, the moment he knew his playing career was over, and what separates talented players who keep moving from those who stall out.

Niko shares what he learned from Victor Martinez, why the mental side matters more as the level rises, and what it was like facing Jacob deGrom and Chris Sale.

If you’re a baseball parent trying to make better decisions about travel baseball, training, strength, player development, versatility or your son’s long-term path, this conversation is for you.

TIMESTAMPS

• 00:50 Meet Niko Goodrum and his MLB journey
• 01:34 Why Niko chose Kennesaw State over bigger-name programs
• 03:11 Getting drafted in the second round vs. going to college
• 04:30 Why development can take years, even for elite players
• 06:17 Niko reveals he never played travel ball
• 07:02 Why playing basketball helped his baseball development
• 08:53 How versatility became Niko’s path to the Major Leagues
• 11:23 Playing when your role and future aren’t guaranteed
• 12:42 What playing professional baseball in Korea was really like
• 17:05 The morning Niko knew it was time to retire
• 19:11 Adjusting to life after professional baseball
• 22:08 What separates talented players who keep advancing
• 24:02 Becoming a switch hitter in high school
• 26:08 What parents of talented 12 and 13-year-olds should focus on
• 27:43 Why parents shouldn’t rush strength, exit velo or throwing velo
• 29:10 When should a kid start playing travel baseball?
• 31:41 Facing Jacob deGrom, Chris Sale and MLB’s toughest pitchers
• 32:30 Niko’s favorite Major League stadiums
• 36:00 In-and-Out: earning trust, development, technique and simplifying the game
• 38:50 Why mindset becomes the separator at higher levels
• 42:05 What Niko learned from Victor Martinez
• 45:14 Niko’s favorite baseball memories
• 47:42 His favorite baseball movie
• 48:24 Where to follow Niko Goodrum