Are baseball parents spending thousands of dollars on travel teams, national rankings, and private lessons without knowing whether any of it is actually helping their son?

Coach Jason Ferber, better known as Coach Ferber on Instagram, joins Bobby Minor on the Chasing Baseball Dreams Podcast for a conversation every travel baseball parent needs to hear.

A former San Diego Padres scout who has worked with some of the country's top young baseball players, Coach Ferber shares what he's learned about player development, youth baseball rankings, recruiting, and the decisions parents face as their sons grow in the game.

We get into why he thinks cutting 6U and 7U players is ridiculous, what parents should investigate before joining an expensive national team, and why locking a 9-year-old into one position can hurt his long-term development.

He also shares the story of an overlooked young player who became one of the country's top prospects, explains what separates a good hitting instructor from someone who's just selling a swing philosophy, and gives parents practical advice on finding the right coach.

And when it comes to college recruiting, Coach Ferber explains why he'd start with local college programs before spending thousands chasing exposure across the country.

In this episode:

• Why early baseball rankings tell you very little about a player's future
• The problem with national travel teams for 8U, 9U, and 10U players
• What to ask a travel baseball coach before committing
• Why young players need multiple positions and other sports
• How to recognize a coach who's developing players
• Red flags to watch for with private hitting instructors
• What college coaches actually evaluate during recruiting
• When a player needs more exposure and when he needs to improve
• What Coach Ferber would prioritize for his own 10-year-old son

Episode Chapters

00:00 Meet Coach Jason Ferber
02:10 Why you can't predict a player's future at 12U
07:09 The danger of playing only one position
12:08 National teams for 8U and 9U players
14:04 What young players lose without pickup games
16:24 Coach Ferber's take on cutting 6U and 7U players
18:38 Why parents need to investigate travel coaches
22:01 Questions to ask before joining a national team
25:17 Do young players really need national exposure?
29:27 Why youth baseball rankings mean so little
33:59 What parents should focus on instead of rankings
35:38 The story of an overlooked top prospect
37:43 Winning tournaments versus developing players
40:17 What good coaches should teach during games
44:26 How to evaluate a private hitting instructor
49:46 The question to ask before paying for lessons
52:43 Why talented players still need tough coaching
53:59 Tough coaching versus tearing players down
57:16 College recruiting: When showcases aren't working
1:00:07 Why recruiting should start close to home
1:02:38 Where he'd spend money on a talented 10-year-old
1:07:07 The biggest mistake well-intentioned parents make
1:11:07 Bobby's experience with his son Julian
1:12:21 Where to follow Coach Ferber

Follow Coach Ferber:
Instagram: @coachferber

Follow Chasing Baseball Dreams:
Instagram: @chasingbaseballdreams

If you're a baseball parent trying to make the best decisions for your son, subscribe to the Chasing Baseball Dreams Podcast for conversations with experienced coaches, former Major Leaguers, and people who know what it takes to develop baseball players.

#TravelBaseball #YouthBaseball #BaseballParents #PlayerDevelopment #CoachFerber

Landon Bonner is committed to the University of Oklahoma and ranked No. 1 overall in Texas and No. 11 nationally by Perfect Game for the 2028 class. His dad, Marcus, will still tell you they spent money chasing exposure before Landon needed it. Some of that money would’ve been better spent helping him get better.  

 In this episode of the Chasing Baseball Dreams Podcast, Marcus and I talk about what he’d do differently if Landon were 10 again. We also get into the college decision. Oklahoma wasn’t initially in Landon’s top five, and Marcus explains what the coaches showed their family that set OU apart from the other schools they spoke with.  

In this episode we cover: 

- The money Marcus would rethink spending on showcases and exposure at 10, 11, and 12.  

- What made hitting instruction worth paying for, and why going to another lesson wasn’t always the answer.  

- When they started focusing on recruiting and how much Marcus thinks Perfect Game rankings factored into the interest Landon received.  

- Why the Bonners looked back five years to see how many freshmen each program actually played.  

- How NIL factored into the decision without becoming more important than an opportunity to get on the field.- The two years of Landon’s ABs Oklahoma’s coaches broke down and the development plan they laid out for him.  

- What Marcus would change about the car ride home after a bad game, and how he learned to let Landon come to him. 

Before you follow another family’s recruiting plan, hear what this family would change about its own. 

🎙️ Host: Bobby Minor  

⚾ Guest: Marcus Bonner, father of Oklahoma commit Landon Bonner  

🎧 Chasing Baseball Dreams Podcast 

Watch on YouTube or listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and other podcast platforms. Subscribe for more conversations about the decisions you’re making for your son. 

 #ChasingBaseballDreams #BaseballParents #CollegeBaseballRecruiting #TravelBaseball #LandonBonner

Episode description 

 Joey and Trina Taylor have an answer for people who watched 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐌𝐨𝐦𝐬 and decided they weren’t real baseball parents. The couple joins Bobby Minor on the Chasing Baseball Dreams Podcast to talk about the criticism and the years at the ballpark that came before reality TV. They also explain why they think the show portrayed them accurately, even though viewers didn’t see the whole story.  

The Taylors get into the cast drama, including the confrontation Joey says never aired. They also walk through some big decisions for their family. Trina explains how their daughter’s dance opportunities factored into the Arizona move, and both parents share what they’re learning as Jett takes more responsibility for his baseball development.  

 In this episode we cover: 

- Is Team Moms scripted? What Joey and Trina say about the drama and the editing 

- Nina’s barbecue and why the singing at the field upset them 

- How they’ve tried to keep disagreements between parents from affecting the boys 

- Jett’s regional championship home run and what reaching Williamsport meant to their family 

- Why Joey challenges the comparison between local Little League teams and national travel rosters 

- Their move from Washington to Arizona and why they chose Legendary Prep Academy 

- Watching for burnout, letting Jett own his development, and handling struggles against older players 

For a parent wondering how hard to push, there’s a moment worth hearing: Joey describes Jett going outside to hit without being asked and without filming it. Trina is seeing him take more interest in his nutrition. They explain what those choices tell them while keeping the conversation open about needing a break.

🎙️ Host: Bobby Minor  

⚾ Guests: Joey and Trina Taylor from 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐌𝐨𝐦𝐬 

 🔔 Subscribe to the Chasing Baseball Dreams Podcast for conversations that help baseball parents think through the decisions they’re making for their sons. 

Watch on YouTube or listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and other podcast platforms. 

 #TeamMoms #BaseballParents #TravelBaseball #LittleLeague #ChasingBaseballDreams

Texas Tailgators shortstop Jorden Hussein never planned on playing Banana Ball.

His path went from North Shore High School in Houston to Crowder College, Division I baseball at Little Rock, two seasons of independent ball, the Party Animals, and now the Texas Tailgators. At several points, the next opportunity looked nothing like what he originally pictured.

That’s exactly why I wanted him on the Chasing Baseball Dreams Podcast.

Jorden talks about why he chose JUCO when he had a Division I opportunity, why parents need to be realistic about where their son actually is as a player, and what his own parents got right throughout his baseball career. He also gives one of the better analogies I’ve heard about what a player needs from his dad after a bad game.

We also get into Banana Ball. Is the baseball real? Are the games scripted? And after playing inside it, does Jorden believe Banana Ball is actually here to stay? His answer might surprise some traditional baseball people.

In this episode we cover:

• Why Jorden chose JUCO instead of going Division I right away
• What parents should look at beyond the school name and division
• The reality check he thinks more baseball parents need about their son
• What each jump in competition exposed about his own game
• What his parents did when he struggled
• What NOT to do on the car ride home after your son goes 0-for-4
• How a phone call he almost turned down led him to Banana Ball
• Whether Banana Ball is scripted and how competitive the games really are
• Why he believes Banana Ball is here to stay
• What Banana Ball taught him about slowing the game down defensively
• Why parents should stop obsessing over statistics
• What he wishes he could tell his high school self

Jorden’s path is a good reminder for baseball parents: your son’s best opportunity may not have the name, logo, division, or path you pictured.

Pay attention to where he can play, where he can get better, and where people genuinely want him.

🎙️ Host: Bobby Minor
⚾ Guest: Jorden Hussein, Texas Tailgators shortstop
🎧 Chasing Baseball Dreams Podcast

Subscribe for conversations with players, coaches and baseball people who can help parents think more clearly about the decisions they’re making for their sons.

#ChasingBaseballDreams #BaseballParents #BananaBall

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

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