Aiden McIntyre was benched in high school, cut in college, and still drafted by the Oakland A’s. How much are baseball parents spending because they’re afraid their son is falling behind? 

The former professional pitcher and baseball YouTuber joins Bobby Minor on the Chasing Baseball Dreams Podcast to talk about late-blooming players, travel baseball costs, and the pressure parents feel to keep up. 

Aiden was a 5-foot-2 high school freshman who struggled throughout high school. He transferred three times in college before being selected in the 2018 MLB Draft. He shares what his parents got right during those difficult years and why being one of the best players at 12 tells you so little about what happens next. 

We get into private pitching lessons, $500 baseball bats, youth player rankings, and baseball showcases. Aiden explains why he wouldn’t consider a showcase before 16, why players need something to show when they get there, and how the fear of falling behind pushes families into spending they don’t need. 

For pitchers and their parents, Aiden walks through the development that took him from the mid-80s to the mid-90s, his experience with Driveline, and how baseball analytics helped him understand his strengths. He also explains why he’d rather face a hitter swinging for the fences than a scrappy hitter who refuses to strike out. 

We talk about minor league baseball, the injuries that helped him decide to walk away, and how a job at vidIQ helped him build a full-time YouTube career. 

And stay for his story about giving up eight runs without getting out of the first inning. A Dodgers scout was watching. What that scout told him afterward is something worth remembering the next time your son has a bad game. 

TIMESTAMPS 

00:00 Meet Aiden McIntyre 

01:47 Late bloomers and judging players too early 

05:04 Chasing big dreams while being honest about your ability 

08:58 Supporting your son without adding performance pressure 

14:31 Pitching development: how Aiden reached the mid-90s 

17:35 Pitch design, baseball analytics, and the hitters he hated facing 

22:31 Minor league baseball, injuries, and knowing when to stop 

27:06 From professional pitcher to full-time baseball YouTuber 

31:28 Youth baseball costs: $500 bats and private lessons 

34:21 When should players attend baseball showcases? 

36:38 FOMO, falling behind, and the pressure to “make it” 

44:20 Why Aiden opposes ranking young baseball players 

46:15 Your son doesn’t have to be the number-one player 

49:11 Looking ahead to the Field of Dreams event 

51:20 In-and-Out: pitching velocity, statistics, and handling failure 

53:28 Going 0-for-5 and still being a great teammate 

55:02 What a Dodgers scout saw in Aiden’s worst outing 

58:18 Favorite baseball memories and a first-year Triple-A win 

59:36 Wrigley, Fenway, and favorite MLB ballparks 

1:01:44 Where to follow Aiden McIntyre 

What’s one thing you’ve felt pressured to pay for because you were told your son would fall behind? Tell us in the comments. 

Subscribe to the Chasing Baseball Dreams Podcast on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts for more conversations that help baseball parents make better decisions for their sons. 

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