In this episode, I sit down with Nick Flesher, recruiting coordinator and pitching coach at Milligan University, to talk about what it really takes to get recruited as a pitcher and what college coaches are actually evaluating when they get you on the phone.

Nick breaks down how Milligan builds their recruiting classes, why transparency with recruits matters more than selling a dream, and how their unique stackable aid system makes a high-academic school more affordable than most families expect.

We also get deep into the development side, why Nick doesn't call pitches during games, how he builds relationships with pitchers before he builds their mechanics, and what he's learned from being wrong in front of his players.

This conversation is especially valuable for pitchers, parents, and families trying to understand what coaches are really listening for during that first phone call and what separates the guys who get offers from the ones who don't.

Topics Covered:

0:00 Intro

0:04 What late May looks like for a coaching staff after the season ends

1:02 Why JUCO guys wait longer to commit and how Milligan operates around that

2:09 How Milligan's recruiting process works across all three coaches

3:35 The stackable aid system and how Milligan makes tuition more affordable

4:41 How late Milligan will go on a recruiting class and why

6:00 FaceTime campus tours and how Nick started using them for out of state recruits

7:22 Nick's personal portal journey from JUCO to Southeastern Louisiana to Tuskegee

8:26 Why Milligan is fully transparent with recruits about roster spots and roles

9:33 What Nick listens for the moment a pitcher picks up the phone

11:00 Why Milligan doesn't call pitches and the thumbs in vs index out philosophy

14:00 How Milligan's catchers are trained to become an extension of the pitching coach

14:57 The pitcher who went from struggling starter to a key contributor and what changed

18:20 What it looks like when Nick admits he was wrong to a pitcher mid-season

19:46 The hardest conversation Nick has had with a player and what he learned from it

22:39 Why getting to know a pitcher as a person comes before developing him as a player

23:10 What Nick attributes Milligan's 40-plus win seasons to over the last several years

24:32 Nick's favorite pitch to teach and why the knuckle ball is his secret dream

26:01 How Nick teaches a seam-shifted changeup to supinator pitchers

27:00 The hardest pitch to improve and what Nick does to fix a dead-zone fastball

28:00 Velocity or command first in recruiting and the minimum velo Nick will consider

29:15 The most underrated trait in a pitcher

29:52 The biggest recruiting red flag Nick sees

31:23 The most unexpected thing Nick has witnessed at a showcase or recruiting trip

Follow Milligan Baseball:

Twitter/X: @BuffBallMBB

Twitter/X (Nick): @CoachFlesh

Check Out Patrick's Stuff:

• 📬 Patrick's Weekly Recruiting Newsletter – Get insights on college recruiting, player spotlights, and advice for parents and coaches. Subscribe at https://www.patrickjonesbaseball.com/recruit

• ⚾ Need Help with College Recruiting? – We help serious baseball players get recruited. Book a 1-on-1 consult at https://www.patrickjonesbaseball.com/recruiting

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, I sit down with Justin Ebert, hitting coach and recruiting coordinator at Greensboro College, to talk about what it really takes to develop as a hitter at the college level and what high school players and families should be doing right now to prepare.

Justin shares how his background in psychology shapes the way he communicates with hitters, why mental resilience matters just as much as mechanics, and how he builds individualized routines that set guys up for success from day one.

We also get into the recruiting side of things, how Greensboro evaluates players, what intangibles they look for beyond tools and stats, and how the transfer portal has changed the landscape for high school showcases.

This conversation is especially valuable for high school players and families who want to understand what college coaches are actually looking for and how development, attitude, and fit can matter more than rankings or division level.

Topics Covered:

0:00 Intro

0:53 Justin's origin story and path from player to coach

3:46 Why psychology changed how Justin coaches and communicates

4:45 How he helps hitters manage failure and stay mentally even

6:10 The biggest gap for incoming freshmen, building a routine

7:31 How Justin builds individual drill routines for each hitter

8:30 Tee work and underhand toss philosophy at Greensboro

9:55 Where Justin learned his hitting philosophy and who influenced him

11:13 Using visual cues instead of mechanical adjustments

11:48 Batter's box positioning and two-strike approach

14:38 Justin's experience playing travel baseball with the Canes

16:31 What Justin learned coaching travel ball with Team Elite and the Canes

18:34 How the recruiting landscape has changed since he played

19:46 Players who surprised him during the recruiting process

21:10 How the transfer portal has changed showcase baseball

21:17 When Greensboro starts recruiting and how they build their classes

25:37 The type of player and person Greensboro looks for

26:58 Why Greensboro College baseball is a family and what makes it different

29:03 Life in Greensboro, the city, campus, and culture

30:16 Best local food spots in Greensboro

32:10 Campus life, housing, and living situation for players

33:46 Facilities and why coaching matters more than resources

35:27 What Justin will do differently in his second year as hitting coach

Follow Greensboro Baseball:

Twitter/X: @GCPrideBaseball

Instagram: @GreensboroCollegeBaseball

TikTok: @GCBaseball

Check Out Patrick's Stuff:

• 📬 Patrick's Weekly Recruiting Newsletter – Get insights on college recruiting, player spotlights, and advice for parents and coaches. Subscribe at https://www.patrickjonesbaseball.com/recruit

• ⚾ Need Help with College Recruiting? – We help serious baseball players get recruited. Book a 1-on-1 consult at https://www.patrickjonesbaseball.com/recruiting

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, I sit down with Nate Cole, recruiting coordinator and pitching coach at Harvard University, to talk about what it actually takes to play baseball at one of the most selective schools in the country.

Nate walks through Harvard’s recruiting process, what they look for academically, how they evaluate players beyond stats and rankings, and why being a great student alone is not enough to play at the Division 1 level.

We also get into the development side of Harvard baseball, including how Nate works with pitchers, how they use technology and data, why some players need more simplicity instead of more information, and what separates players who succeed at the college level.

This conversation is especially valuable for players and families who want to understand the balance between academics, baseball ability, work ethic, and finding the right fit in the recruiting process.

Topics Covered:

What Harvard looks for in baseball recruits

How academics filter the recruiting process

Why GPA, SATs, and AP classes matter

The importance of challenging yourself early in high school

How Harvard evaluates players in person

Why Harvard recruits nationally for small classes

What families misunderstand about Ivy League recruiting

Why being “an Ivy League kid” is not specific enough

The type of player Harvard baseball wants

Why players need to be self-driven

How Nate develops pitchers at Harvard

Using technology, data, and video in player development

Why some players overthink and need to simplify

The role of passion, work ethic, and love for baseball

How baseball can open academic opportunities

The biggest mistakes families make in recruiting

Why fit matters more than logos, rankings, or scholarships

Follow Nate Cole:

X: https://x.com/NateCole33

Check Out Patrick's Stuff:

• 📬 Patrick's Weekly Recruiting Newsletter – Get insights on college recruiting, player spotlights, and advice for parents and coaches. Subscribe at https://www.patrickjonesbaseball.com/recruit

• ⚾ Need Help with College Recruiting? – We help serious baseball players get recruited. Book a 1-on-1 consult at https://www.patrickjonesbaseball.com/recruiting

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.