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Jordan Gates is the Midwest Crosschecker for Perfect Game, covering key recruiting hotbeds across Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Illinois, and Michigan. His role puts him on the front lines of amateur baseball—evaluating players, building reports, and identifying both top-tier prospects and under-the-radar talent. Gates began his journey with Perfect Game as an intern in the Ohio Valley, working events while also gaining hands-on experience inside a training facility environment. He later moved into a full-time role as a Southeast Tournament Director, where he built relationships with players, coaches, and organizations while getting exposure to high-level competition across the region. After a stint working with the Cincinnati Reds organization, Gates returned to Perfect Game in a full-time scouting capacity. Known for his detailed evaluations and balanced perspective on projection vs. performance, he combines in-game observation, video analysis, and industry collaboration to assess players at every level. His work emphasizes not just tools, but how those tools translate into real game performance—making him a trusted voice in the evolving landscape of player development and recruiting. "Projection is a fickle game.""Most overrated stat is batting average.""Deception in pitch tunneling is a key trait." Chapters 00:00 Jordan Gates: Journey to Scouting 04:48 A Day in the Life of a Scout 09:59 The Art of Scouting: Finding Hidden Gems 14:43 Evaluating Players: The Perfect Game Scale 21:53 Showcase Insights: Maximizing Opportunities 36:36 Understanding Arm Injuries in Young Athletes 42:39 The Impact of Mental Health on Performance 47:30 Spotlight on Rising Baseball Talents 54:16 Evaluating Player Metrics and Traits ResourcesPerfect Game Official WebsiteJordan Gates on Twitter/X Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, I sit down with Tyler Rubasky, first-year head coach at Anderson University, a D3 program in Indiana with a rich baseball history, including three D3 World Series appearances. We dig into: What it's actually like transitioning from assistant to head coach, and what he misses mostWhy he believes D3 baseball is the purest form of the game right nowHis approach to playing time transparency and keeping an open doorThe mental performance program that's changing how his players handle failure and pressureWhy Anderson doesn't run a 60-yard dash, and what they measure insteadWhy Anderson baseball is "data supportive, not data driven" Follow Tyler Rubasky and Anderson University baseball on X: Tyler Rubasky: @tyrub3 Anderson University baseball: @AURavensBSB Connect with Patrick Jones Baseball: On X: @pjonesbaseball 📬 Sign up for the Recruiting Times, my weekly baseball recruiting newsletter – Get insights on college recruiting, player spotlights, and advice for parents and coaches. https://www.patrickjonesbaseball.com/blog ⚾ Need help with college recruiting? – We help serious baseball players get recruited. Book a 1-on-1 consult. https://www.patrickjonesbaseball.com/recruiting Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, I sit down with Jonathan Estes, assistant coach at Weatherford College, one of the top junior college baseball programs in the country. Jonathan grew up in a town of 648 people in Arkansas, graduated in a class of 50, and worked his way through multiple small college stops before joining Weatherford this year. We dig into: How he structures batting practice to challenge hittersWhat he's looking for when he shows up to watch a high school playerHow fine the line really is between a junior college freshman and a Division I freshman. The sliding scale for pitching recruitsWhy making a JUCO roster isn't the same as playingWhat usually separates guys who succeed after transferring to a D1 from guys who struggle We wrap up with the most important advice he'd give any high school player going through the recruiting process right now: Love the game. Follow Jonathan Estes and Weatherford baseball on X: Jonathan Estes: @estesthethird Weatherford baseball: @WCoyoteBaseball Connect with Patrick Jones Baseball: On X: @pjonesbaseball 📬 Sign up for the Recruiting Times, my weekly baseball recruiting newsletter – Get insights on college recruiting, player spotlights, and advice for parents and coaches. https://www.patrickjonesbaseball.com/blog ⚾ Need help with college recruiting? – We help serious baseball players get recruited. Book a 1-on-1 consult. https://www.patrickjonesbaseball.com/recruiting Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week's podcast, I sit down again with Dr. Adam Maloof, Princeton professor of Geosciences and athletics fellow for the baseball team. This time he’s tackling one of the most overlooked problems in baseball analytics: pitch classification. If you’ve ever looked at a scouting report and thought, “This guy doesn’t throw seven pitches,” you’re not alone. Dr. Maloof explains why existing pitch tagging data from popular systems (TrackMan, Synergy, and MLB’s StatCast) are often inconsistent, inaccurate, and difficult to use for data analysis. Together, we discuss: Why MLB’s pitch classifier is trained on what pitchers call their own pitches (and why that’s a problem for hitters and analysts)How Dr. Maloof analyzed nearly 5 million college pitches using a “blank slate” approach inspired by geologyThe “color wheel” analogy: why pitches within a category (fastballs, breaking balls, changeups) exist on a continuous spectrum with no natural boundariesHow Princeton’s staff uses reclassified data for scouting, pitch design, and pitching machine programmingPitch tunneling: what it is, how they measure it, and how they’re teaching it to pitchersThe role of arm slot, biometrics, and what’s next for this research Read Dr. Maloof's article on pitch tagging: How to Classify a Pitch https://medium.com/sabr-tooth-tigers/how-to-classify-a-pitch-a4805ce35082 Connect with Patrick Jones Baseball: On X: @pjonesbaseball 📬 Sign up for the Recruiting Times, my weekly baseball recruiting newsletter – Get insights on college recruiting, player spotlights, and advice for parents and coaches. https://www.patrickjonesbaseball.com/blog ⚾ Need help with college recruiting? – We help serious baseball players get recruited. Book a 1-on-1 consult. https://www.patrickjonesbaseball.com/recruiting Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this conversation, Nathan Collier and I sit down to talk about travel ball and high school baseball, and how both play a role in getting players recruited. We dig into what makes each one valuable — like how high school coaches can really vouch for a player's character and how competitive they are, while travel ball helps kids get seen by more coaches. We also talk about how youth baseball is changing, what college coaches are actually looking for, and why picking the right team can make a big difference in how a player grows and develops. Connect with Patrick Jones Baseball: On X: @pjonesbaseball 📬 Sign up for the Recruiting Times, my weekly baseball recruiting newsletter – Get insights on college recruiting, player spotlights, and advice for parents and coaches. https://www.patrickjonesbaseball.com/blog ⚾ Need help with college recruiting? – We help serious baseball players get recruited. Book a 1-on-1 consult. https://www.patrickjonesbaseball.com/recruiting Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, I sit down again with Nathan Collier, Recruiting Service Operations Director here at Patrick Jones Baseball. Together, we discuss the importance of mindset and process orientation in baseball, particularly during the in-season period. We explore common challenges players face, such as the "I'm Screwed Syndrome," and we talk about the need for players to adopt a process-driven mindset rather than a results-driven one. We also discuss the impact of social media on young athletes, the role of parents, and the significance of having both an approach and a plan at the plate. Connect with Patrick Jones Baseball: On X: @pjonesbaseball 📬 Sign up for the Recruiting Times, my weekly baseball recruiting newsletter – Get insights on college recruiting, player spotlights, and advice for parents and coaches. https://www.patrickjonesbaseball.com/blog ⚾ Need help with college recruiting? – We help serious baseball players get recruited. Book a 1-on-1 consult. https://www.patrickjonesbaseball.com/recruiting Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, I'm joined again by Nathan Collier, a former sports journalist and our Recruiting Service Operations Director here at Patrick Jones Baseball. Nathan and I chat about what high school players should be doing to continue the recruiting outreach process to college coaches now that school seasons are starting across the country. I explain how I think players can handle pressure during games and why success has to be defined by more than just stats in a box score. I also share practical advice on using social media the right way to create exposure that can help you get recruited. We also get into the role family support plays in the process and some of the most common mistakes I see players and parents make. Connect with Patrick Jones Baseball: On X: @pjonesbaseball 📬 Sign up for the Recruiting Times, my weekly baseball recruiting newsletter – Get insights on college recruiting, player spotlights, and advice for parents and coaches. https://www.patrickjonesbaseball.com/blog ⚾ Need help with college recruiting? – We help serious baseball players get recruited. Book a 1-on-1 consult. https://www.patrickjonesbaseball.com/recruiting Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, I sit down with Ryan Gipson, Oregon State Assistant Coach, who coaches hitting for the Beaver program. Ryan takes us through his journey playing baseball as a teen, redshirting at a JUCO, then playing two years at Oregon State before getting into coaching. Ryan shares what he likes to see from prospective recruits, why having a clear identity at the plate matters, and the "1-for-1" approach he advocates with his hitters. We also talk about how hitting mechanics have evolved over time and the role of summer baseball for his players. Follow Ryan on X: Ryan Gipson: @GipsonOSU Oregon State Baseball: @BeaverBaseball Connect with Patrick Jones Baseball: On X: @pjonesbaseball 📬 Sign up for the Recruiting Times, my weekly baseball recruiting newsletter – Get insights on college recruiting, player spotlights, and advice for parents and coaches. https://www.patrickjonesbaseball.com/blog ⚾ Need help with college recruiting? – We help serious baseball players get recruited. Book a 1-on-1 consult. https://www.patrickjonesbaseball.com/recruiting Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we welcome 16-year MLB pro Curtis Granderson to the podcast. Curtis does a great job breaking down what worked for him as a hitter, his approach at the plate, routines, and some of the key lessons he learned as a hitter during his career. He also reflects on his time playing college baseball at the University of Illinois Chicago. In addition to his accomplished playing career, Curtis is a wonderful ambassador for the game. If you'd like to learn more about his work giving back to the game, I highly recommend checking out the Chicago Baseball & Educational Academy: https://www.cbeauic.org/. Follow Curtis Granderson on X: @cgrand3 Chicago Baseball & Educational Academy: https://www.cbeauic.org/ Chicago Baseball & Educational Academy on X: @CBEA_UIC Connect with Patrick Jones Baseball Follow on X: @pjonesbaseball 📬 Sign up for the Recruiting Times, my weekly baseball recruiting newsletter – Get insights on college recruiting, player spotlights, and advice for parents and coaches. https://www.skool.com/patrickjonesbaseball ⚾ Need help with college recruiting? – We help serious baseball players get recruited. Book a 1-on-1 consult. https://www.patrickjonesbaseball.com/recruiting Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, I sit down with Nick Lemke, a registered dietitian who specializes in nutrition for baseball players. We talk about why nutrition plays such a critical role in athletic performance, with a specific focus on muscle gain and healthy weight management. We cover practical topics like tracking food intake, how often players should be eating, pre-workout nutrition, meal planning, hydration, and the role supplements can (and can’t) play. We also discuss how stress impacts both nutrition and on-field performance. Nick shares why consistency matters more than perfection and explains how players can better understand their individual nutritional needs to perform at their best. Connect with Nick Lemke, RD Follow on X: @nicklemkerd Nick's Linktree: https://clutchperformancenutrition.fit/linktree Connect with Patrick Jones Baseball Follow on X: @pjonesbaseball 📬 Sign up for the Recruiting Times, my weekly baseball recruiting newsletter – Get insights on college recruiting, player spotlights, and advice for parents and coaches. https://www.skool.com/patrickjonesbaseball ⚾ Need help with college recruiting? – We help serious baseball players get recruited. Book a 1-on-1 consult. https://www.patrickjonesbaseball.com/recruiting Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, I sit down with Giuseppe Papaccio, Associate Head Coach and Recruiting Coordinator for Seton Hall University. Giuseppe is one of the most disciplined coaches I've come across. We got into his daily routines, how he defines success as a coach, and why the mental game matters just as much as mechanics. Giuseppe shares how his time in professional baseball shaped the way he teaches hitters today, and we talked through the balance between swing work and mindset that every great hitter needs. We also dug into how recruiting is changing in college baseball and what players should understand about that shift. Throughout the conversation, one theme kept coming up: preparation, mental strength, and a commitment to continuous learning, and that's true whether you’re coaching, developing hitters, or working to play at the next level. On X: Giuseppe Papaccio: @gpapaccio2 Patrick Jones Baseball: @pjonesbaseball 📬 Sign up for the Recruiting Times, my weekly baseball recruiting newsletter – Get insights on college recruiting, player spotlights, and advice for parents and coaches. ⚾ Need Help with College Recruiting? – We help serious baseball players get recruited. Book a 1-on-1 consult. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, I sit down with performance and leadership advisor Zach Brandon. Zach spent seven years leading mental performance and coach development initiatives with the Arizona Diamondbacks and now works directly with professional and collegiate coaches. Zach takes us through his journey. We discuss sports psychology, the significance of individualized mental training, and the role of coaches in player development. We also talk about the nuances of breathwork, the balance between aspirational goals and process, and the importance of self-awareness and intentionality in performance. Huge thanks to Zach for coming on the podcast and sharing his expertise with us! On X: Zach Brandon: @MVP_Mindset Patrick Jones Baseball: @pjonesbaseball Zach Brandon's newsletter: Winning With Words — playbook of stories and principles for coaches to elevate their leadership and help their players win the inner game. 📬 Sign up for the Recruiting Times, my weekly baseball recruiting newsletter – Get insights on college recruiting, player spotlights, and advice for parents and coaches. ⚾ Need Help with College Recruiting? – We help serious baseball players get recruited. Book a 1-on-1 consult. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we’re doing something a little different—my guest joins us to interview me! Nathan Collier is a content specialist and a former sports journalist. He’s also a baseball dad, middle school coach, and president of his local rec league.  Nathan takes me through my baseball story. We go through my journey from youth leagues to high school, through my time playing D1 baseball at Xavier, the Independent Leagues, and then into my current role as a college baseball recruitment expert. We talk about our shared love of baseball, the mental side of the game, and the goal of providing honest, straightforward guidance for players, parents, and coaches trying to navigate the college baseball recruiting process.  We also talk about the all-new Patrick Jones Baseball Player Community, which launches today! You can request to join at this link: https://www.skool.com/patrick-jones-baseball-2715/about On X: Patrick Jones Baseball: @pjonesbaseball 📬 Sign up for my weekly baseball 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 M.L. Morgan, the head baseball coach at Norfolk State University. We discuss his journey from being a player to a coach, his experiences in compliance, and the importance of building a strong program. M.L. shares insights on recruiting, the significance of relationships in baseball, and what he looks for in players as a scout. On X: M.L. Morgan: @ML_Morgan Norfolk State University: @SpartanBSB Patrick Jones Baseball: @pjonesbaseball 📬 Sign up for my weekly baseball 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 interview John Yolich, a Chicago teacher, parent, and coach in the Cubs Nike RBI program. We talk about the unique aspects of the Cubs RBI program—its inclusivity, the resources it provides for families, and its focus on developing young athletes as whole people. John shares how he got involved in the program, the importance of mindset in youth sports, the role parents play, and how the program helps players prepare for life beyond baseball. We also discuss ways travel baseball organizations can improve their offerings, regardless of their budget. Follow Patrick Jones Baseball on X and Instagram https://x.com/pjonesbaseball https://www.instagram.com/pjonesbaseball/ 📬 Sign up for my weekly baseball 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.