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Gabe started his career in professional baseball in 2015 and has since worked across strength & conditioning and player development in a variety of roles with the Nationals organization. His experience includes six seasons as an affiliate strength coach, time overseeing S&C in Latin America, and now serving as the MiLB Strength & Conditioning Coordinator. Before getting into pro baseball, Gabe played at the University of South Carolina Beaufort and also spent a season playing in Puerto Rico.Topics covered in this episode:-His playing career and journey to professional baseball-Sticking to first principles-Being a Minor League Strength and Conditioning Coordinator-Programming, Data Collection and Testing, Bucketing AthletesQuotes:-"I think I'm crazy in that I don't have something that's super crazy" (9:50)-"I truly believe that if you just stick to the first principles almost anything can work" (10:09)-"It's just up to us to be responsible, right? And it's up to us to have their best interest in mind and do what we can to just account for as much as we possibly can" (24:13)If you would like to learn more from Gabe, you can connect with him on social media:Instagram:@gabetorres_7

Shane joined the Washington Nationals in December 2016, beginning his career with the Auburn Doubledays before progressing through multiple affiliates and the FCL. He was promoted to Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coordinator in 2023. Shane played in the Milwaukee Brewers organization and earned a master's degree in Applied Physiology and Kinesiology from the University of Florida.Topics covered in this episode:-Skateboarding-Routines and preparation-Finding success and advice for others-Continuing education resourcesQuotes:-"When guys come in it seems like they try to do everything. And then as they progress throughout their careers they realize that they don't have to do as much and then their warm-ups and their routines are much more calculated" (6:47)-"Building relationships with the players is probably what's gonna make an S&C coach successful" (18:15)-"I'm big on if I'm gonna give guys certain things to train then I wanna try them on myself first so I know what they feel like" (24:30)If you would like to learn more from Shane, you can connect with him on social media:Instagram:@shaner25_32

Shane joined the Washington Nationals in December 2016, beginning his career with the Auburn Doubledays before progressing through multiple affiliates and the FCL. He was promoted to Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coordinator in 2023. Shane played in the Milwaukee Brewers organization and earned a master's degree in Applied Physiology and Kinesiology from the University of Florida.Topics covered in this episode:-His journey and being in one organization for a decade-Mastering the basics-His professional playing career-Skateboarding Quotes:-"It's been a blessing, honestly. We've been pretty consistent with our staff as far as S&C goes" (1:25)-"I think people get far away from just training general qualities too quickly" (11:52)-"Getting guys stronger through just the basic movements and progressively overloading them, it can do wonders before you go down any specific rabbit hole" (14:31)If you would like to learn more from Shane, you can connect with him on social media:Instagram:@shaner25_32

This is a celebration of the 9-Year Anniversary for The PBSCCS Podcast. The episode is a "Year in Review" episode discussing all of the interviews over the past year:-Joe Hudson - Gratitude / Working Big Leagues vs. Minor Leagues / In-Season Programming Adjustments-Grace Cullen - Working College vs. Pro Ball / Navigating the field as a younger coach-Jake Kistaitis - Entering Pro Ball during COVID / Being Texas League SCOTY-Luis Cervantes - Winning the ACL multiple times / Working in different organizations / Arizona Fall League-Campbell Quirk - Being Midwest League SCOTY / Keys to finding success-Steven Thayer - Current trends in the field / Being in the Pacific Coast League / Breaking up the monotony of a long season-Alexa Garcia - Valuable lessons in leadership / Collaboration & Autonomy in Programming-Spring Training Group Discussion - All things Spring Training with Logan Jones and Grace Cullen-Blaine Taylor - Firefighting, Martial Arts, Gymnastics, Climbing / Life outside of baseball / Ikigai-Megan Pierro - The "Spanish Immersion Program" / Her professional softball career-World Baseball Classic Group Discussion - All things WBC with Alexa Garcia and Jose Salas-Meagan Vota - Mastering the basics / Bodybuilding, Powerlifting, Long-Term Athletic Development / Coaching at the IMG Academy

Meagan Vota is a Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Wichita Wind Surge, the Double-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins. She is currently in her second season in this role which happens to be her first experience in professional baseball. Previously, she spent 2.5 years at IMG Academy, specializing in long-term athletic development for their 11 baseball teams from middle school through post-graduate levels. Meagan holds both Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Exercise Physiology from the University of Louisville (2016 - 2022) and is certified through the NSCA (CSCS) and USA Weightlifting (L1). With experience ranging from youth and private sector to collegiate and professional sports, she is passionate about helping athletes maximize their performance while developing confidence, discipline, and leadership skills that extend into everyday life.Topics covered in this episode:-Coaching at IMG Academy-Finding success and advice for others-Continuing education resourcesQuotes:-"That's why I love Spring Training so much and having everyone around you for a few months, you just get that social aspect a little bit more" (8:03)-"I think at the end of the day I'm probably meant for youth athletics a little bit more than I am pro ball, but I am, again, loving where I'm at right now" (13:29)-"I think you can be great at your job and still leave it at the field" (26:25)If you would like to learn more from Meagan, you can connect with her on social media:Instagram:@meagan_vota

Meagan Vota is a Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Wichita Wind Surge, the Double-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins. She is currently in her second season in this role which happens to be her first experience in professional baseball. Previously, she spent 2.5 years at IMG Academy, specializing in long-term athletic development for their 11 baseball teams from middle school through post-graduate levels. Meagan holds both Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Exercise Physiology from the University of Louisville (2016 - 2022) and is certified through the NSCA (CSCS) and USA Weightlifting (L1). With experience ranging from youth and private sector to collegiate and professional sports, she is passionate about helping athletes maximize their performance while developing confidence, discipline, and leadership skills that extend into everyday life.Topics covered in this episode:-Her journey to professional baseball-Mastering the basics with athletes-Bodybuilding, powerlifting, and long-term athletic developmentQuotes:-"I am someone that loves experiences" (5:47)-"I absolutely love long-term athletic development, I love youth sports. But I wanted to find a version of myself that I didn't know, and that was working with professional athletes" (6:37)-"I think that there is a difference between modifying to personalize for performance and modifying to just make your programming seem snazzy and appealing" (15:38)If you would like to learn more from Meagan, you can connect with her on social media:Instagram:@meagan_vota

This episode of The PBSCCS Podcast is a group discussion on the 2026 World Baseball Classic. This is Part Two of the interview.Speakers:-Alexa Garcia (Houston Astros)-Jose Salas (Milwaukee Brewers)Topics covered in this episode:-All things related to working the World Baseball ClassicQuotes:-"It's kind of like a balance of having that feel and understanding where to push and pull" (1:27) - Alexa Garcia-"The best part was winning" (6:04) - Jose Salas-"It really, really put into perspective to me that this game is more than just a game, and it's more than just something that gives me a paycheck and health insurance" (11:02) - Alexa Garcia-"Everything is a learning experience" (14:22) - Jose SalasIf you would like to learn more from the guests on this episode, you can follow them on social media:Instagram:@alexaa_garciaa - Alexa [email protected] - Jose Salas

This episode of The PBSCCS Podcast is a group discussion on the 2026 World Baseball Classic. This is Part One of the interview.Speakers:-Alexa Garcia (Houston Astros)-Jose Salas (Milwaukee Brewers)Topics covered in this episode:-All things related to working the World Baseball ClassicQuotes:-"I think they did a great job of supplying the players with what they needed" (26:02) - Jose Salas-"Sometimes when you go to a new organization you might have maybe, depends on the kind of person you are, maybe a week or two weeks to adapt. There, you probably had a day or two days to do all of that" (31:55) - Jose Salas-"We've all been in this game a long time, we know how variable it can be" (34:45) - Alexa Garcia-"Just knowing you can always get something done and being in that optimistic mindset the whole time helped a lot" (35:12) - Alexa GarciaIf you would like to learn more from the guests on this episode, you can follow them on social media:Instagram:@alexaa_garciaa - Alexa [email protected] - Jose Salas

Megan Pierro is in her 3rd year as a Strength & Conditioning Coach with the Tampa Bay Rays organization (seasonal in 2024, full-time in 2025 and 2026). She is originally from Lutz, FL and attended the University of South Florida, where she played 5 seasons as a D1 softball player (2019-2023). She graduated with a B.S. in Biomedical Health Science and a Minor in Nutrition. She is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) with the NSCA and will be playing professional softball this summer for the Florida Breeze in the Professional Softball League (PSL).Topics covered in this episode:-Her softball playing career-Finding success and advice for others-Continuing education resourcesQuotes:-"I think for me as a coach establishing relationships with my players is a very important piece" (0:41)-"Baseball you have to take into consideration that they're playing so many games, and we have to be able to optimize our players to go out there and perform to their greatest potential throughout the whole season" (5:21)-"The best thing I think we can do as coaches is to just be a sponge to the information around us and try to absorb it all" (14:38)If you would like to learn more from Megan, you can connect with her on social media:Instagram:@meganpierro

Megan Pierro is in her 3rd year as a Strength & Conditioning Coach with the Tampa Bay Rays organization (seasonal in 2024, full-time in 2025 and 2026). She is originally from Lutz, FL and attended the University of South Florida, where she played 5 seasons as a D1 softball player (2019-2023). She graduated with a B.S. in Biomedical Health Science and a Minor in Nutrition. She is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) with the NSCA and will be playing professional softball this summer for the Florida Breeze in the Professional Softball League (PSL).Topics covered in this episode:-Her journey to the Rays organization-Participating in the "Spanish Immersion Program"-The value of using the textbookQuotes:-"I learned very quickly that speaking Spanish is a huge part of working in baseball, especially at the complex level" (4:43)-"I think it's easy to get caught up in wanting to always try new and different things, but at the end of the day, especially at the level that I work at, I think sometimes simple can be better" (14:39)-"I started to realize that this was actually something that we might be able to make work, and turns out that we are, so I will be playing this summer" (18:49)If you would like to learn more from Megan, you can connect with her on social media:Instagram:@meganpierro

Blaine Taylor is a strength and conditioning coach currently working in Lake Tahoe, California. Prior to his current role, he has had stops with both the Cincinnati Reds and Philadelphia Phillies organizations, working in various roles throughout their Minor League systems.Topics covered in this episode:-Advice for others-Continuing education resources-Lightning RoundQuotes:-"I think as an athletic trainer or a physical therapist or what we do, you're sacrificing a lot of things for the job" (1:15)-"Sometimes you need a little bit more to lean on; you gotta lean more on someone else than yourself" (15:42)-"I think that's why I think social media is such a cool tool, you can use it almost as a journal or a resume in some sense" (19:55)If you would like to learn more from Blaine, you can connect with him on social media:Instagram:@blainepatricktaylor

Blaine Taylor is a strength and conditioning coach currently working in Lake Tahoe, California. Prior to his current role, he has had stops with both the Cincinnati Reds and Philadelphia Phillies organizations, working in various roles throughout their Minor League systems.Topics covered in this episode:-Life outside of professional baseball-Ikigai-Finding successQuotes:-"Some jobs don't always work out in certain phases of life" (3:09)-"We have free will, but there is this divine path we are supposed to walk. And we have the choice to not walk it" (11:14)-"You have to truly experience it yourself to speak the language and to know you're gonna deliver the right product to the right person" (21:38)If you would like to learn more from Blaine, you can connect with him on social media:Instagram:@blainepatricktaylor

Blaine Taylor is a strength and conditioning coach currently working in Lake Tahoe, California. Prior to his current role, he has had stops with both the Cincinnati Reds and Philadelphia Phillies organizations, working in various roles throughout their Minor League systems.Topics covered in this episode:-His journey to his current role-Firefighting, martial arts, gymnastics, and climbing-His best professional baseball storiesQuotes:-"I think our road is paved and you follow that road. And you know when you're on the right road" (7:17)-"Getting players through a season with zero injuries was always my goal as a strength coach every season" (14:44)-"Sometimes, you know, we don't always get it right. But when you do, it's super cool, super rewarding" (19:00)If you would like to learn more from Blaine, you can connect with him on social media:Instagram:@blainepatricktaylor

This episode of The PBSCCS Podcast is a group discussion on Spring Training. This is Part Three of the interview.Speakers:-Logan Jones (Chicago White Sox)-Grace Cullen (Tampa Bay Rays)Questions/topics covered in this episode:-Ways to stay sharp in the off-season-Collaboration amongst departments-Ways to improve Spring TrainingQuotes:-"I need to be coaching or doing something and working with athletes to get better" (10:38) - Grace Cullen-"The prep work needs to come from how the athlete is moving when they're throwing or hitting" (11:27) - Grace Cullen-"Whatever it is, how can we speak some of those common languages across disciplines to show the player we really are truly invested into their growth and development" (17:25) - Logan Jones-"I think, by nature, we're problem solvers" (22:09) - Logan JonesIf you would like to learn more from the guests on this episode, you can follow them on social media:Instagram:@logan_jones95 - Logan Jones@coachgracecullen - Grace Cullen

This episode of The PBSCCS Podcast is a group discussion on Spring Training. This is Part Two of the interview.Speakers:-Logan Jones (Chicago White Sox)-Grace Cullen (Tampa Bay Rays)Questions/topics covered in this episode:-Excitement for the upcoming season-Navigating the World Baseball Classic-Current stressors and how they are navigating themQuotes:-"Obviously, as a strength coach, you want to have an impact on the guys and their routine and how they can prepare" (1:23) - Grace Cullen-"I do believe that you could have all of the tactical knowledge and information in the world and if you can't communicate it to the player in a digestible and simplistic way it doesn't matter" (9:47) - Logan Jones-"Bowling Green is kind of on the outskirts of everywhere, so our shortest travel is to Rome and it's five hours, and then everywhere else we usually bus seven hours or we fly" (26:24) - Grace Cullen-"I think that Spring Training itself is always a form of a stressor and some years are better than others" (28:42) - Logan JonesIf you would like to learn more from the guests on this episode, you can follow them on social media:Instagram:@logan_jones95 - Logan Jones@coachgracecullen - Grace Cullen