The Five Tool Baseball Podcast

Episode 18: National Champion and McLennan Head Coach Mitch Thompson Shares his Baseball Wisdom

The championship theme continued thanks to McLennan head coach and 2021 JUCO national champion Mitch Thompson. The longtime, very successful coach shared thoughts on building a program, what he looks for in recruiting, some differences between D1 and JUCO, why he wants McLennan to be a springboard for his players and much more.

Episode 17: Mississippi State assistant coach Kyle Cheesebrough discusses national title, recruiting, development and more

The week of championship coaching guests kicks off with Mississippi State assistant coach Kyle Cheesebrough, who has a long and successful track record working with catchers and also works with hitters in Starkville. Cheesebrough discusses what went into winning the national title, finding "winners" who fit their program, importance of the offseason weight program, figuring out a recruit's makeup, why managing 11.7 scholarships is so tough and more.

Episode 16: Player-led development; finding the right fit; standout 2022/2023s; Texas vs. McLennan and more

Still recovering from Halloween candy consumption, but definitely not candy corn, Drew Bishop and Dustin McComas cover an array of topics, including: player-led development; how the fall impacts college rosters and recruiting; recapping our recent interviews with Sean Allen (Texas), Josh Blakely (Texas State) and Bryce Elder (Braves); some standout 2022s and 2023s we saw recently; Texas vs. McLennan scrimmage; Halloween candy, World Series and more.

Episode 15: Atlanta Braves Minor League Pitcher of the Year, former Texas ace Bryce Elder joins the show

Bryce Elder is a great example for young players. The former Texas Longhorns ace right-hander and this past season's Atlanta Braves Minor League Pitcher of the Year joined Drew Bishop and Dustin McComas to discuss his very unique path to UT, which included signing after his senior season and a multi-sport background that he credits for really helping his baseball career. What's it like to bet on yourself in high school and experience the ups-and-downs of major D1 and professional baseball? Elder explains. 

Episode 14: Texas State Recruiting Coordinator Josh Blakley goes in-depth on recruiting, building a team and more

Drew Bishop and Dustin McComas are joined by Texas State assistant coach and recruiting coordinator Josh Blakley. The Bobcats coach shares what he looks for in recruiting, who he calls to get background on players, explaining scholarship offers to families, their approach to development and building a team, the latest with the Texas State program and more.

Episode 13: Importance of makeup in recruiting; standout players from the weekend; MLB playoffs

Dustin McComas and Drew Bishop recapped their recent interview with Texas pitching coach and recruiting coordinator Sean Allen. They highlighted the importance of makeup in recruiting and winning at the collegiate level, players standing out by playing hard, and the MLB playoffs. Plus, the two highlighted some standout players they saw from Five Tool events in Dallas and Tomball this past weekend. 

Episode 12: Texas pitching coach/recruiting coordinator Sean Allen discusses recruiting, Longhorns, what he looks for and more

Drew Bishop and Dustin McComas welcomed their first guest to the show. University of Texas pitching coach and recruiting coordinator Sean Allen joined and discussed the recruiting process, what he looks for in players when evaluating, questions he likes to hear from players and parents, the correlation between makeup and winning at the college level and what's going on with the Longhorns this fall. 

Episode 11: Unofficial/official visits; scholarship offer is more than just an offer; critical questions to ask during visits

Fortunate enough to take unofficial or official visits for college baseball? Dustin McComas and Drew Bishop discuss important questions you should ask/consider during your visits, explain the difference between unofficial and official visits and explain why a scholarship offer is so much more than just an offer to play baseball. This is a must-listen episode for players/parents going through the recruiting process. 

Episode 10: Explaining D1 baseball recruiting calendar, 11.7 scholarships/roster limits and more

Ever wondered what the D1 baseball recruiting calendar looks like and how it impacts when a player can be seen and contacted? There is no one better than Drew Bishop to explain and he joins Dustin McComas to explore the calendar, 11.7 scholarships and roster limits, and questions parents and players should be considering or asking during the recruiting process. 

Episode 9: #FiveTool55 Follow List Breakdown; MLB postseason showing little things matter; TX/OU predictions

Dustin McComas and Drew Bishop wrap up their #FiveTool55 coverage by highlighting players from the "follow list." They also discuss the MLB postseason reinforcing the value of the little things like baserunning and defense and give their predictions for this weekend's Texas-OU football game.