Former Major Leaguer and current Arizona Diamondbacks special assignment scout Todd Greene has seen baseball from just about every angle.

He played parts of 11 seasons in the Major Leagues, became one of the greatest power hitters in college baseball history, moved into professional scouting, and built a travel baseball program that has helped more than 350 players reach college baseball.

In this episode of the Chasing Baseball Dreams Podcast, Todd joins Bobby Minor for a straight conversation every baseball parent needs to hear.

Todd explains why youth rankings “mean absolutely nothing,” why the best team isn't always the best situation for your son, why kids shouldn't be playing baseball year-round, and why parents need to stop treating 10U, 11U and 12U success like a prediction of what a player will become.

They also get into early specialization, showcases, playing time, choosing the right travel organization, late bloomers, multi-sport athletes, scout teams, the car ride home after a bad game, and the questions parents should ask before writing another check.

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Meet Todd Greene

01:36 What does a special assignment scout actually do?

03:08 What successful players had in common as kids

04:16 The problem with the D1 obsession

06:02 Todd's path from 27th-round pick to the Major Leagues

09:39 Why youth baseball rankings mean nothing

12:14 How early is too early to specialize at one position?

15:46 What Todd learned from Derek Jeter

16:40 Why kids shouldn't play baseball year-round

19:12 When baseball specialization starts to make sense

21:41 What parents should look for in a travel baseball program

25:29 Does an 8-year-old really need travel baseball?

28:36 When young players should start facing better competition

30:05 The truth about youth “scout teams”

31:54 IN & OUT: 80-game seasons, national teams, showcases and the ride home

34:04 Better team or better reps?

36:33 Early bloomers, late bloomers and development

39:37 Were Major Leaguers always the best players growing up?

41:48 Todd's greatest baseball memory

44:00 Todd's advice for the parent of a 12-year-old

45:18 Questions to ask BEFORE choosing a travel team

47:17 How much should young players practice versus play?

48:10 Where to find Todd Greene and TG D-backs

If you're raising a baseball player, this one is worth watching all the way through.

#TravelBaseball #YouthBaseball #BaseballParents #PlayerDevelopment