Few coaches in college baseball have had the kind of long-term impact Mike Birkbeck has made at Kent State. Since becoming Associate Head Coach in 2004, Birkbeck has helped guide the Golden Flashes to 10 MAC regular season titles, 10 MAC Tournament championships, and 10 NCAA Regional appearances. Widely respected as one of the top pitching minds in NCAA Division I baseball, Birkbeck brings decades of playing and coaching experience to the mound.

In this episode, Birkbeck shares his philosophy on pitching development, program-building, and preparing players for the next level. With 53 former players going on to sign professional contracts—including big leaguers Andrew Chafin and Eric Lauer—his track record speaks for itself. Whether you’re a coach or a pitcher, this is a masterclass in long-term development and consistency.

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The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more.

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