Beyond Baseball by Prospects Live: Recent Episodes
Prospects Live
Beyond Baseball is a bi-weekly series presented by Prospects Live featuring human side stories from current and former players.
Join Jared Perkins and Dr. Caleb Mezzy for interviews with some of your favorite players who provide insights from their journeys through professional baseball, how they overcame adversity and mental battles, trying to find themselves outside of the game, their passions beyond baseball, and how they transitioned to life after baseball.
Graeme Stinson was a highly touted prospect out of Duke during the 2019 MLB Draft. So much that the Tampa Bay Rays took him in the 4th round. Stinson battled injuries, velocity decreases, and many other challenges during his professional career. He's back healthy and strong, striking out dudes like crazy in 2023. Jared sits down with Graeme as he shares his journey and the things that have helped him power through moments of adversity.
YouTube:
Prospects Live - https://www.prospectslive.com/
Twitter @ProspectsLive - https://twitter.com/ProspectsLive
Jared Perkins' Twitter @JaredCP1
Caleb Mezzy's Twitter @Caleb_Mezzy
Trevor Hildenberger was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 22nd round of the 2014 MLB Draft and made his major league debut in 2017. His journey to the pros wasn't easy, even prior to being drafted. No matter what, he had the mindset of never giving up on chasing his dream. Whether it was changing his arm slot in college, finding new ways to be effective on the mound, or powering through moments where he was released, Hildenberger kept pushing forward. He joins us this week to share his story with you all and talk about the things in life who have made him the player and human being he is today.
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dR31o93xkUE
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Prospects Live - https://www.prospectslive.com/
Twitter @ProspectsLive - https://twitter.com/ProspectsLive
Jared Perkins' Twitter @JaredCP1
Caleb Mezzy's Twitter @Caleb_Mezzy
Brycen Mautz shuffled between being a starter and reliever at the University of Sandiego before finally moving full-time into the rotation last year. He had a massive breakout where he led the West Coast Conference in wins and finished second in strikeouts. Jared sits down with Brycen to talk about his unique journey to becoming a draft prospect, what is looking forward to most in his first full professional season, and some of his passions away from the game.
YouTube:
Powered by Blast Baseball. Click the link below and enter code "LIVE" at checkout to save $10. Unlock your potential with Blast! https://www.blastmotion.com/products/baseball/?utm_source=prospects+live&utm_medium=paid+endemic&utm_campaign=2023+B2C&utm_content=baseball”
Prospects Live - https://www.prospectslive.com/
Twitter @ProspectsLive - https://twitter.com/ProspectsLive
Jared Perkins' Twitter @JaredCP1
Caleb Mezzy's Twitter @Caleb_Mezzy
Anderson Miller was a highly touted prospect out of Western Kentucky University. So much that the Kansas City Royals took him in the 3rd round of the 2015 MLB Draft. Miller got to Triple-A in 2021 and decided to elect for free agency after that. It was a tough market and he found himself playing independent ball. On top of that, he had just become a dad, was trying to finish his degree, and working at Costco to make ends meet to make sure his family had everything they needed. He ended up signing a minor league free agent deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers right before spring training. Jared and Caleb sit down with Miller to have a real discussion about how he pushed through adversity, things in his life that allowed him to change his perspective and outlook on life, and what has allowed him to keep pursuing his dreams.
YouTube:
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Prospects Live - https://www.prospectslive.com/
Twitter @ProspectsLive - https://twitter.com/ProspectsLive
Jared Perkins' Twitter @JaredCP1
Caleb Mezzy's Twitter @Caleb_Mezzy
The first word you think of when you hear Brewer Hicklen's name is leadership. The Kansas City Royals' outfielder is a guy that so many just gravitate towards. He made his major league debut in 2022, but his journey in professional baseball hasn't always been easy. In this week's Beyond Baseball Shorts, Brewer joins Jared to discuss some of his darkest times in baseball and how he found light in those dark times. They touch on the power of perspective, what he's done to find groundedness, and what he's looking forward to most in the upcoming 2023 season.
YouTube:
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Prospects Live - https://www.prospectslive.com/
Twitter @ProspectsLive - https://twitter.com/ProspectsLive
Jared Perkins' Twitter @JaredCP1
Caleb Mezzy's Twitter @Caleb_Mezzy
Beyond Baseball is back for Season 2! We excited to kick off the major league season with Chicago White Sox third baseman Jake Burger. Jake joins us as we have a candid discussion about mental health and the battles Jake went through, his journey in professional baseball thus far (the good and the bad), and how he's using his experiences to help others through raising awareness for mental health and helping people find a sense of community!
Be sure to check out Jake's mental health awareness initiative called Burger BOMBS (@JakeBurger30), which aims to create an online community around the subject.
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYT25zhqmos
Prospects Live - https://www.prospectslive.com/
Twitter @ProspectsLive - https://twitter.com/ProspectsLive
Jared Perkins' Twitter @JaredCP1
Caleb Mezzy's Twitter @Caleb_Mezzy
Devin Mesoraco was drafted 15th overall in the 2007 MLB Draft by the Cincinnati Reds which led him to having an eight year big league career where he had to overcome much adversity due to injuries and other factors. In the final episode of season 1 of Beyond Baseball, Jared and Caleb sit down with Devin to discuss his journey through baseball, what it was like to catch a Mets rotation full of DeGrom, Harvey and Syndergaard, how he powered through moments of adversity, and how important his family is in his life!
YouTube:
Prospects Live - https://www.prospectslive.com/
Twitter @ProspectsLive - https://twitter.com/ProspectsLive
Jared Perkins' Twitter @JaredCP1
Caleb Mezzy's Twitter @Caleb_Mezzy
Undrafted free agent. Dominated hitters in 2021. Arizona Fall League invite. Thoracic outlet syndrome. Houston Astros pitching prospect Jonathan Sprinkle has faced all the ups and downs baseball has to offer. This week on Beyond Baseball Shorts, Jared is joined by Jonathan as they discuss his recent success, what it was like to face the competition in the Arizona Fall League, how he has overcome adversity, what he is looking forward to most about getting back on the field, and much more!
YouTube:
Prospects Live - https://www.prospectslive.com/
Twitter @ProspectsLive - https://twitter.com/ProspectsLive
Jared Perkins' Twitter @JaredCP1
Caleb Mezzy's Twitter @Caleb_Mezzy
The World Baseball Classic kicks off on March 7th and Great Britain will be playing in its first ever tournament after qualifying for the first time ever since the WBC began. We are lucky enough to be joined by the amazing gentleman at Bat Flips and Nerds (Britain’s biggest baseball podcast and website) as we host a 2023 World Baseball Classic Preview Episode with special guest Justin Wylie, an INF/OF for the GB National Team. We dive into what the World Baseball Classic means for players and fans beyond the game itself, what to expect from the Great Britain team as they prepare for game 1 against team USA, and much more!
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDs2qOKyWrY
Prospects Live - https://www.prospectslive.com/
Twitter @ProspectsLive - https://twitter.com/ProspectsLive
Twitter @batflips_nerds - https://batflipsandnerds.com/
Jared Perkins' Twitter @JaredCP1
Caleb Mezzy's Twitter @Caleb_Mezzy
Russell Eassom's Twitter @REassom
Justin Wylie's Twitter @Jdubtalks
Undrafted out of North Carolina A&T, San Francisco Giants pitching prospect Evan Gates broke out in a big way in 2022 posting a 1.95 ERA across three levels in only his second year in the pros. Jared sits down with Evan to talk about the journey from being undrafted out of a HBCU, what led to his success in 2022, how he plans to build on it going into 2023, and some of the things outside of baseball that he is passionate about!
YouTube:
Prospects Live - https://www.prospectslive.com/
Twitter @ProspectsLive - https://twitter.com/ProspectsLive
Jared Perkins' Twitter @JaredCP1
Caleb Mezzy's Twitter @Caleb_Mezzy
Frank Catalanotto had a long 14-year career as an outfielder with the Detroit Tigers, Texas Rangers, Toronto Blue Jays, Milwaukee Brewers, and New York Mets. Now he's taken his lessons learned from his ilustrious baseball career to Hofstra where he serves as head baseball coach. Jared and Caleb sit down with Coach Catalanotto to discuss how he made his way from playing to coaching NCAA DI baseball, what it was like to breakdown at bats with some of the games greats like Carlos Delgado and Alex Rodriguez, the small-ball style of play he brought to the field each day, and his recent success with the Hofstra Baseball team!
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIcc8_9SiHQ
Prospects Live - https://www.prospectslive.com/
Twitter @ProspectsLive - https://twitter.com/ProspectsLive
Jared Perkins' Twitter @JaredCP1
Caleb Mezzy's Twitter @Caleb_Mezzy
Born in Venezuela but raised in British Columbia, Toronto Blue Jays top 30 prospect Damiano Palmegiani has some LOUD pop and mean bat flips! Jared sits down with Damiano to discuss his journey through professional baseball, his experience playing JuCo ball the College of Southern Nevada, what it was like being drafted by the team in his home country, some of his goals for 2023, and how he aims to be a good teammate each day!
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkSF-wafPWQ
Prospects Live - https://www.prospectslive.com/
Twitter @ProspectsLive - https://twitter.com/ProspectsLive
Jared Perkins' Twitter @JaredCP1
Caleb Mezzy's Twitter @Caleb_Mezzy
Baseball is full of stories, good and bad. This week on Beyond Baseball, we are joined by Brandon Puffer. Brandon was taken in the 24th round of the 1994 MLB Draft and spent four years in the big leagues until he made choices that ended his career. He joins Caleb and Jared to share his journey through baseball, how choices he made have led him to trying to find redemption, and how he is using his lessons learned to make sure others don't make the same mistakes he did.
YouTube:
Prospects Live - https://www.prospectslive.com/
Twitter @ProspectsLive - https://twitter.com/ProspectsLive
Jared Perkins' Twitter @JaredCP1
Caleb Mezzy's Twitter @Caleb_Mezzy
Evan Reifert was drafted by the Texas Rangers in the 2018 MLB Draft out of North Iowa Area Community College. Reifert opted to not sign and made his way to Central Missouri where we had to overcome a lot of adveristy. Jared sits down with Evan as they discuss his journey through professional baseball as an undrafted free agent. They touch on what it was like to be traded to the Tampa Bay Rays, finding success in the Arizona Fall League and becoming the AFL Reliever of the year, and some of his passions away from the game!
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVemzr6Mg7M
Prospects Live - https://www.prospectslive.com/
Twitter @ProspectsLive - https://twitter.com/ProspectsLive
Jared Perkins' Twitter @JaredCP1
Caleb Mezzy's Twitter @Caleb_Mezzy
Clayton Richard had a long 11-year career as a starting pitcher with the San Diego Padres, Toronto Blue Jays, Chicago Cubs, and Chicago White Sox. Over the years, he learned invaluable lessons that helped shape him and become a leader. Jared and Caleb sit down with Clayton in this latest episode of Beyond Baseball to discuss some of his greatest memories from his playing career, being a two sport athlete in baseball and football at the Unviersity of Michigan, how baseball helped him become the person he is today, and how all his experiences drove him to coaching and mentoring the next generation of athletes.
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvAaJs0ln1g
Prospects Live - https://www.prospectslive.com/
Twitter @ProspectsLive - https://twitter.com/ProspectsLive
Jared Perkins' Twitter @JaredCP1
Caleb Mezzy's Twitter @Caleb_Mezzy
13 different uniforms. 5 different major league organizations. 3 seasons playing in foreign leagues. Matt Gage has made stops almost everywhere. Hope kept him going. In 2022, Matt's hope turned into reality. The 29-year-old left hander made his major league debut with the Toronto Blue Jays. In this episode of Beyond Baseball Shorts, Jared sits down with Matt as he dives deeper into his journey to the pros, starting at a small school in Siena College. They discuss what kept him going and the feelings that overcame him when all his hard work finally paid off!
YouTube:
Prospects Live - https://www.prospectslive.com/
Twitter @ProspectsLive - https://twitter.com/ProspectsLive
Jared Perkins' Twitter @JaredCP1
Caleb Mezzy's Twitter @Caleb_Mezzy
It is a New Year and Beyond Baseball by Prospects Live is back with our TENTH episode! Many of you know our next guest by the Italian Nightmare or the Italian Breakfast! Caleb and Jared are joined by Kansas City Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino. They discuss everything from his decision to play baseball at Old Dominion University, his excitement for his new manager from his alma mater Matt Quatraro, being a line cook at a burger joint during COVID-19, and how he has developed his personality on and off the field!
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6GxMZWHgjE
Prospects Live - https://www.prospectslive.com/
Twitter @ProspectsLive - https://twitter.com/ProspectsLive
Jared Perkins' Twitter @JaredCP1
Caleb Mezzy's Twitter @Caleb_Mezzy
Bring you a special post-Christmas episode of Beyond Baseball Shorts! Jared is joined by San Francisco Giants top 30 prospect RJ Dabovich. They discuss his time and experience playing college baseball at Arizona State University, developing at the JuCo level, what it was like to play in the Arizona Fall League, and his goals for the offseason and the upcoming 2023 season!
YouTube:
Prospects Live - https://www.prospectslive.com/
Twitter @ProspectsLive - https://twitter.com/ProspectsLive
Jared Perkins' Twitter @JaredCP1
Caleb Mezzy's Twitter @Caleb_Mezzy
John Creel went to three different universities out of high school where he struggled with velocity and some injuries. He completely revamped some of his training techniques, powered through the injuries, and ended up signing with the Seattle Mariners in 2022. Jared sits down with John to talk about his journey to making to professional baseball, how he overcame the adversity of velocity decreases and injuries, his training plans this offseason, and what he is looking forward to most in his development in 2023.
Austin Byler was a prospect with the Arizona Diamondbacks where he broke Paul Goldschmidt's rookie ball home run record! Austin struggled with mental health and substance use battles during his playing days which led him to creating Major League University to help the next generation of athletes with the mental side of the game.
Austin joins Caleb and Jared to discuss how he has used his own life experiences to help give back and help others as the navigate their way through athletics as well as finding their identity outside of their sport!
Max Bain has had an incredible journey that took him from a division II school (Northwood University) to independent league ball to eventually signing a contract with the Chicago Cubs. Jared sits down with Max to talk about the ups and downs he endured on his way to signing a pro contract, how the Cubs pitching development has improved drastically, his offseason plans to improve in 2023, and his focus on being present with the ones he loves this offseason.
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VpCkwitPWzY
Coming out of high school, Cord Sandberg was a multi-sport athlete who had a college scholarship to play quarterback at Mississippi State and was also drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 3rd round of the 2013 MLB Draft. Cord decided to chase his passion with baseball, but that didn't mean his football career was over.
Jared and Caleb sit down with Cord to discuss his playing days with the Phillies, how he transitioned to playing quarterback at Auburn in 2018 and then wide receiver at Eastern Kentucky University, the important role his mentors have played in his journey through athletics and life, and how he's used lessons learned from his experiences to coach the next generation!
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5wpkxcLuxs&t=666s
Sean Burke was taken out of the University of Maryland in the 3rd Round of the 2021 MLB Draft and has quickly risen to become a top 10 prospect in the Chicago White Sox organization. This week, Jared sits down with Sean to discuss his playing days at the University of Maryland, how he has learned to deal with failure, his quick rise through the minor league, and his offseason plans and goals for the 2023 season!
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBDpusj9vLU&t=39s
Dr. Andy Bass was a prospect with the Tampa Bay Rays organization and during his professional career, he experienced the yips which ultimately led to his career ending. Dr. Bass took his own personal experience to develop a career focusing on the mental side of the game and currently is the Mental Performance Coordinator for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Jared and Caleb sit own with Andy Bass to discuss his journey through professional baseball, how he took his passion for the mental side of the game and transitioned to career post-baseball, and how he uses the mental side of the game to help players find their identity outside of baseball.
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1vxisaTuxc&t=1s
Miami Marlins first base prospect Troy Johnston not only worked his way into the top 20 prospects in the system, but also earned himself the Double-A MVP! Jared sits down with Troy to discuss what led to his success this year, what it is like to transition to the upper minors, some of his offseason goals, how he is preparing for 2023, and much more!
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7Ez6LInzzc
Adam Whitt once found himself walking on to the University of Nevada, Reno. He transformed into a side arm thrower and wound up getting himself drafted by the Houston Astros in 2015. His story through professional baseball is great itself, but what he endured after baseball not many of us could imagine. After being released by the Astros he was diagnosed with a rare form of Leukemia. Through his battles, he has stayed strong and what he has done after that is incredible. Jared and Caleb sit down with Adam to talk about how he has powered through and overcome so much, his current transition to becoming a golf pro and trying to make the PGA tour, and starting a foundation to give back to others!
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEtWvyACQBo
MLB Playoffs have started and the regular season is over! Beyond Baseball Shorts will still be going strong giving you a behind the scenes look into some of your favorite prospects offseason routines and the human beings beyond their performances on the field. This week Jared is joined by Brad Case, a pitcher with the Pittsburgh Pirates. They discuss his journey through professional baseball, his passion for content creation and podcasting, and playing this offseason in Puerto Rico.
Brad is interviewing a ton of incredible players with his podcast Minor League Take which you can find on Twitter at @MiLBTake! He's streaming on Spotify, Apple, and YouTube: https://linktr.ee/bradqueso
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yeOmtTKcek4
Ryne Ogren had a minor league career full of transitions. After being taken in the 12th round of the 2018 MLB Draft by the Seattle Mariners as a middle infielder, Ogren found himself being traded to the Baltimore Orioles a couple of years later and switching positions to catcher.
In this episode of Beyond Baseball, Ogren discusses how these transitions helped set him up for life after baseball and helped him to learn how to take control of his own destiny. We talk about Ogren's journey through professional baseball, what it is like to be traded, what went into his decision-making to voluntarily retire, and how he has transitioned to a life after baseball!
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EiUoafZSYLk&t=992s
A mental performance coach can transform the way a player approaches his craft in such a way that the on field performance changes. In this week's episode of Beyond Baseball Shorts, Jared sits down with Kris Goodman, who is a mental performance coach with the Tampa Bay Rays, to discuss the role mental performance coaches play in the development of players and prospects.
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uDX9Z3-rUY&t=5s
Tyler Zuber has faced and overcome adversity throughout his college and professional baseball career. In this episode of Beyond Baseball, Jared and Caleb discuss with Tyler about how he used his hunter mentality to not only overcome adversity, but grow as a human being outside of the game. Tyler also dives into the rehab process and overcoming injuries as well as his passions for hunting, fishing, and collecting baseball cards!
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGLOI9ODxto&t=1325s
In this episode of Beyond Baseball Shorts, Jared sits down with Josh Zamora of the Miami Marlins to give a behind the scenes look at his journey to professional baseball as an undrafted free agent, his success at the college level playing for the University of Nevada-Reno, his experiences in his first professional season with the Marlins, plans for his first offseason ever, and much more!
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3a6LG43vd4&t=1s
We have made it to Episode 3! This one was a fun one and might be our best episode yet! Jared Perkins and Caleb Mezzy had the opportunity to sit down with Jacob Turner. Jacob was a 1st round (9th overall) draft pick in the 2009 MLB Draft by the Detroit Tigers. We touch on a little bit of everything:
- How the MLB Draft process helped him with life after baseball
- Growing up in professional baseball and how it helped develop him as an individual
- Lessons learned from playing overseas
- The importance of building relationships
- Transitioning to life as a financial advisor and how he is using it to help the next generation of players
Caleb and Jared also sit down prior to the interview to chat about the suspension of Fernando Tatis, Jr. and the human elements that come along with that for both him and the people around him.
You won't want to miss this episode!
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rhl9Grxv3kY&t=1354s
Beyond Baseball Shorts aims to bring you quick, behind-the-scenes looks into the different aspects of professional baseball. Jared Perkins is joined by Kansas City Royals pitching prospect Ben Kudrna to dive into the MLB Draft process and the transition from high school to pro ball. They discuss:
- Insights into his experience on draft day
- The vital role his relationships with fellow draftees Frank Mozzicato, Carter Jensen, and Shane Panzini has been in transitioning to pro ball
- The feeling of stepping onto the mound for the first time in pro ball
- The importance of finding passions away from the game
- Advice for future players transitioning from high school to the pros
And much more!
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbbuP96bKfY&t=2s
In Episode 2 of Beyond Baseball, Jared Perkins and Caleb Mezzy sit down with former Kansas City Royals/Atlanta Braves prospect and now area scout with the Philadelphia Phillies Hilton Richardson. Join us as we dive into a variety of topics, including:
- Going from high school to professional baseball
- Being released and playing football at Boise State University
- His passion for building tables
- Helping the next generation of athletes as a scout
And much more!
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYVL8G1VUIY
Welcome to Beyond Baseball! A brand new bi-weekly podcast bringing you insights about players behind the numbers and their performances on the field.
In Episode 1, Jared Perkins and Dr. Caleb Mezzy are joined by former MLB All Star and 10 year veteran pitcher Tyson Ross. Join them as they dive into Tyson's journey through professional career and how he transitioned to life after baseball. We touch on:
- Handling the ups and downs of failure and injuries
- What baseball has meant to him outside of just playing
- Tyson's passion for art and museums
- The importance of building communities
- His work building Loyal to my Soil
And much more!
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NqA2NTmymw&t=1048s
On August 11 we're launching a brand new podcast for all listeners. Welcome to Beyond Baseball with Jared Perkins and Dr. Caleb Mezzy!
Beyond Baseball is a bi-weekly series presented by Prospects Live featuring the human side of baseball. Join us as we interview current and former players who will provide insights from their journeys through professional baseball, the support (or lack of ) they had trying to find themselves outside of the game, and how they transitioned to life after baseball.