Jake and Mark sit down with Chris Martin, Head Strength & Conditioning Coach for SEC powerhouse LSU Baseball. Chris, previously with the Houston Astros organization, shares his experiences with training elite level athletes at both the professional and collegiate levels. Topics include the differences in how data is leveraged at different levels of baseball, fi nding the sweet spot of data utilization in strength & conditioning, and fitting the coaching lens and approach to specific athletes. Tune in and check out some awesome content from a true professional in the field!

(0:00) Intro

(1:18) Chris’ Baseball Journey

(5:55) Leveraging Data at Different Levels

(11:16) The Sweet Spot of Data in S&C

(18:17) Under the Radar Metrics

(21:49) Player Development 🤝 S&C

(28:28)Player Readiness & Injury Prevention

(39:14)Predictive Success

Jake and Mark reflect on their 2024 preseason breakout and bust picks to see where they went right and where they went wrong (spoiler alert: not a lot went wrong). They take a deep dive into the analytics to evaluate how and why certain players over- or under-performed the way they did, discussing which outcomes were bound to come true and which may have even been too good to be true. Were certain metrics particularly predictive when it came to season-over-season performance? How important is it to evaluate a player's career holistically as opposed to maximizing the emphasis on the most recent results?

(0:00) Intro

(1:36) Aaron Nola

(4:09) Cole Ragans

(6:24) Anthony Volpe

(12:02) Grayson Rodriguez

(15:13) Cody Bellinger

(16:20) Jordan Montgomery

(20:45) Blake Snell

(22:45) Nolan Jones

(26:12) 2025 Breakout Preview

Jake sits down with Brian Walker, the Assistant Head of Strength & Conditioning for Baseball at IMG Academy and former Strength & Conditioning Coach for the Cleveland Guardians. Brian has been coaching elite athletes for years, and he shares his insights on how he views the industry, his favorite parts of coaching, and extensive advice for both players and coaches. What role do data and technology play in day-to-day programming? Why is it important to embrace failure as you get better? And how valuable is a good mentor?

(0:45) Brian's Career Journey

(7:13)Using Tech & Data as Feedback

(13:10)Avoiding Paralysis by Analysis

(15:35)Athletic Shoulder (ASH) Testing

(21:34)Psychological Components of Training

(26:37)Embracing Failure & Competition

(42:11)Advice to Athletes & S&C Coaches

(46:42)Be Yourself & Be Great