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

Former MLB outfielder and first-round pick Lewis Brinson joins Bobby Minor on the Chasing Baseball Dreams Podcast for a conversation every youth baseball and travel baseball parent should hear.

Brinson was selected 29th overall by the Texas Rangers in the 2012 MLB Draft out of Coral Springs High School. He went on to play six seasons in the Major Leagues with the Milwaukee Brewers, Miami Marlins and San Francisco Giants, and his career later took him to Japan and Mexico.

In this episode, Lewis talks about the parts of the baseball journey parents rarely get to see.

He explains why parents can put way too much stock in batting average, exit velocity and other metrics at 9U and 10U, what actually mattered in his development as a young player, and why youth baseball shouldn’t start feeling like a business before baseball is actually a player’s job.

Lewis also gives an inside look at what being a top MLB prospect really means. More attention. More expectations. More opportunities to fail. And, sometimes, more pressure than a young player knows how to handle.

He shares what he learned after being traded by the Rangers in the Jonathan Lucroy deal, becoming a centerpiece of the Christian Yelich trade to Miami, and returning home with enormous expectations placed on him.

The conversation also gets into hitting development, why every kid shouldn’t be taught to swing like Aaron Judge, how parents can get more value from private lessons, what longtime big leaguers have in common beyond talent, and what a parent should say on the ride home after a bad game.

If you’re raising a young baseball player and trying to make better decisions about travel baseball, player development, hitting lessons, youth baseball stats, pressure, expectations and the long-term journey, there’s a lot in this one.

Chasing Baseball Dreams Podcast with Bobby Minor

00:00 Lewis Brinson joins Chasing Baseball Dreams
01:13 Getting traded by the Texas Rangers
05:01 When the business side creeps into youth baseball
07:17 Lewis Brinson’s travel baseball experience
08:23 What actually mattered in his development
10:42 Why parents put too much stock in youth baseball stats
13:31 The problem with radar guns and exit velocity at 9U
14:37 How Lewis fell in love with baseball
19:29 Florida or professional baseball? Making the draft decision
24:15 How baseball recruiting has changed
26:59 What being a “top prospect” really means
31:27 The people who shaped Lewis Brinson
34:05 The Christian Yelich trade and the pressure of coming home
41:39 Why Lewis listens to players who’ve been there
44:51 Hitting instruction and copying Major League swings
49:42 The toughest pitcher Lewis ever faced
51:20 Lewis Brinson’s favorite MLB ballparks
54:16 Why baseball stays uncertain even after you “make it”
59:55 In-and-Out: advice every baseball parent can use
1:05:12 Lewis’s favorite baseball memories
1:07:24 Favorite baseball movie
1:08:16 What might have been with the Texas Rangers
1:09:36 Lewis gives Bobby some hitting advice
1:10:37 Where to follow Lewis Brinson