This week we are joined by one of the Dodgers’ top prospects, Alex Castellanos. Alex was a tenth round draft pick by the Cardinals in 2007 and then traded to the Dodgers last season in a deal for Rafael Furcal. As he’s worked his way towards the big leagues (now in AAA), he has changed positions from infield to outfield and back again in order to eventually allow his bat into the big league lineup. In his first full season of AA in 2011, Alex hit over .320 and has started 2012 in AAA on a tear.

Many thanks to Alex for taking the time to sit down with Next Level Ballplayer to talk about fighting through failure, how he gets out of slumps, importance of practicing hitting the ball the other way, what he thinks in the batter’s box, if he guesses pitches, his advice on taking your game to the next level and more.

What is one baseball-related lesson that has led to your success through the years?

Always work hard.  When things aren’t going your way, keep fighting and eventually, something will happen.  You have to love the game, because this game is tough.  It’s a game of failure.  If you can overcome that, you’ll become a great baseball player.

How do you get out of slumps?

I keep telling myself that I’ve done this before. I’ve gotten out of this before.  I get back into the cage and start working on those little things I’d do when I was playing well.  Eventually, I come out of it and it pays off.

Do you have one drill that you especially go back to?

I start hitting every ball away and make sure I hit them all to the opposite field.  Then, when that’s an inside pitch, I just react and pull it.

When you’re in the game, are you looking away and reacting?

It depends what kind of pitch and what pitcher.  It depends if it’s a pitcher I’ve faced before, what he is throwing to me.  I might look at video before to see if he is a righty or lefty.  I always read the pitcher first.  During the pitch, though, I’m just thinking about going up the middle.

Do you have a focus point before you get to the release point?  What do you look at from the box?

Sometimes I look at the pitcher’s grip.  I look at the screen in the back and see if it’s easy to pick up the ball when he’s throwing.  That’s pretty much it.

How do you prepare for your at bat in the on deck circle?

When I’m on deck, I try to time the pitcher the best I can.  I take note of what he’s throwing.  Then I just go up and hope for a hit.

How do you quiet your mind from the batter’s box?

Try not to think up there.  I just go up there and use my tools.  I react to the pitches.

Let’s say you’ve missed a pitch you should have drilled, do you do anything to refocus?

If I miss a pitch that I should have ripped, I make sure I don’t miss it again.  If you miss those rare cookies that the pitcher may give you, it’s not easy to get those back.

What’s the best hitting advice you’ve ever heard?

To be honest, I’ve heard so many things… I can’t remember!

What was the hardest adjustment for you when you reached professional baseball?

The pitches were so much better, especially coming from a D2 school.  Adapting and adjusting to those things is difficult for a while.

Do you guess pitches?

Not really.  Let’s say I’m batting third and he is throwing a lot of off-speed pitches to me.   Then I might cheat a little by guessing those pitches.  That’s it, though.

Do you have a mindset of hitting with power or does that come naturally with your approach?

Everyone loves to hit home runs.  I’ll be on deck, checking out who is on base and the situation.  And that will dictate my approach during that at bat.

What’s one piece of advice you would give aspiring baseball players who want to get better?

Work hard.  Make sure you love it.  It’s a tough game.  Work your butt off.  A lot of people will tell you that you can’t do it.  That happened my whole life, but I still went out there and did what I needed to do.

Hey catchers and coaches, listen up! We have a catching-specific interview today with long time MLB catcher and current AA coach for the Blue Jays, Sal Fasano. Sal played for 10 different teams over his 13 seasons and was well-known for his great defense and ability to handle a pitching staff. In his free time Sal still works with a lot of young catchers around the country through FuMan Fitness. For more info on Sal’s workouts for catchers, go to http://salfasano.com/FuManFitness.html.

In today’s interview with Sal we dig into the details of the biggest room for improvement for most young catchers (posture), the most important thing for catchers (flexibility), how he handled pitchers (including bullpen routine), and more.

You guys have been awesome.  I’ve received a boatload of supportive emails recently about the college baseball recruiting process as well as the College Baseball Recruiting Survival Guide that I recently announced.  I’m glad there are people as excited as I am about this.

To be eligible to win a free College Baseball Recruiting Survival Guide, all you have to do is answer ONE question in the comments section of this post.

The winner will receive:

1. College Baseball Recruiting Survival Guide ($47)
2. Next Level Ballplayer T-Shirt ($15)
3. Personal 20 minute follow up call from me 1-2 weeks after you’ve read the CBR SG to answer any specific questions you might have about recruiting, or anything else (Priceless… just kidding).

The ONE Question:

Why do you think the College Baseball Recruiting Survival Guide can help you achieve your goal (or your son’s goal) of getting a baseball scholarship?  (Note:  Let me know exactly which aspects of the recruiting process you most want help with.)

How I pick the winner(s):

I’ll read through all the comments and pick out what I feel is the best answer.

You might be asking yourself right now, “What the heck is the College Baseball Recruiting Survival Guide?” Great question. The short simple answer:  The CBR SG is an all-inclusive product that includes everything a player and parent need to get a baseball scholarship without wasting time and money on questionable recruiting services and showcases.

A coach recently emailed me after hearing about the CBR SG; “I’m just tired of all the Vultures/Scavengers that lurk waiting to drain parents of hard-earned money with costly showcases, and other schemes claiming to assist in the process.”

This is only one of many college baseball recruiting problems that players and parents must navigate through.

Let’s address a few main points.

Some topics covered in the book:

• The Recruiting Process from the Perspective of the College Coach
• Factors that Influence College Baseball Coaches (Beyond Talent)
• How Do Coaches Find You?
• How to Stand Out When Playing in Front of College Coaches
• Are You Good Enough to Play D1?  If Not, Where Do You Stack Up?
• College Recruiting Services:  Scam or Value?
• The Showcase Scam that is Sweeping America
• How To Decide Which Showcases are Legitimate?
• How to Not Waste Your Day at a Showcase!
• How to Determine Which Colleges Are the Right Fit for You
• Beware of the “String Along”
• Why “Walking On” Usually Means the End of your Competitive Baseball Career
• How to Email and Call a Coach
• What to Do When The Scholarship Offers Come

There will also be four bonuses included, but I’m going to keep those a secret for now… Okay, one hint. One of them is an interview with the greatest college baseball recruiter on the planet.

Who the CBR Survival Guide is for:

This is for the high school player who wants to play at the next level – college baseball.  This is for the parents who want the best for their son and want to understand the ins and outs of the college baseball recruiting process (without breaking the bank).  This is for the high school coach who wants an insider’s look at the college recruiting process so he can better help his players.

Why I decided to write the CBR Survival Guide:

“I have so many (college recruiting) questions I am not even sure where to start.  I have read about a thousand articles on baseball recruiting and still feel as confused as before I started.”

– Michael, Georgia (Baseball Parent and NLB Reader)

For the last several years, I have been a sounding board to countless high school players and parents as they navigate through the maze of the college baseball recruiting process.  Often, the questions and stories are ones of frustration and confusion (as quoted above).  Beyond that, I have seen aspiring ballplayers shorten their playing careers by choosing the wrong school, or even worse, getting left out of college baseball all together while waiting for a scholarship that never came.

How the CBR Survival Guide will help you:

Numerous high school players and their families will spend thousands of dollars (way too much) wading through the college baseball recruiting process. This book will save you from overspending off the field, as well as show you how to stand out on the field. If you are going to spend time and money, I want to help make sure your time and money is well spent. This book should be the starting point of every single high school baseball family and player who aspires to play baseball in college. For those of you already further along in the recruiting process, don’t worry! This book will help you best prioritize your time and money to give you the best chance of receiving a college baseball scholarship.

Remember to leave a comment in the comment section below for a chance to win a free copy of the College Baseball Recruiting Survival Guide (Available for pre-sale on Tuesday April 24^th).

As you probably know, Next Level Ballplayer loves the mental side of baseball and interviews like this one. Not one interview with a big league ballplayer goes by without me asking about his mental approach and for any tips or routines that he can pass onto our NLB community of ballplayers, coaches, and parents. Today, we have the opportunity to learn from one of the best mental baseball coaches out there, Steve Springer (“Spring”).

How can I label Spring as one of the best mental baseball coaches out there? Besides being employed with the Blue Jays as their mental coach, I have gotten to know him (and his material) personally over the past year. Check out some of these big leaguers who love Spring’s information and awesome hitting CD/DVD —Jose Bautista, Ben Zobrist, Mark Trumbo, Hank Conger, Clint Hurdle, Billy Beane (Spring’s minor league roommate and yes, this is the Moneyball Billy Beane) and many more.

I rarely endorse products, as there’s a lot of junk out there. Springer’s CD/DVD is an exception. So, if you are a player, coach, or parent, I highly encourage you to check it out.

Many thanks to Spring for sitting down with NLB to talk about how to define success for a hitter, what constitutes a “quality at-bat”, why you should be a ‘guess hitter’ like Ted Williams, the definition of ‘hunting pitches’, the importance of breathing, and more.

This week we are joined by Reds’ shortstop Zack Cozart. Zack was a second round draft pick by the Reds in 2007 and has worked his way through the organization to become their shortstop of the future. Early on in his professional career, he was best known for his defense. Zack hit around .220 his first year of Pro baseball, leaving people wondering if his offense would ever catch up to his defense. It’s safe to say his hard work has paid off as he moved up a level every year until making his big league debut in 2011.

Many thanks to Zack for taking the time to sit down with Next Level Ballplayer to talk about how he developed his hitting, the one piece of hitting advice that got him out of his worst slump (led to a 5-5 night two hours later), the mental side of hitting and fielding, how he handles high expectations, his advice on taking your game to the next level and more.

At the All-Star break of the 1991 season, John Smoltz was 2-11 with a 5.16 ERA. It was the middle of his second full season in the Big Leagues and even though he had had some success in his rookie year, there were many people that doubted whether he would ever develop into a winning pitcher. As the story goes, Smoltz turned things around in a big way and went 12-2 with a 2.62 ERA in the second half of the season and never looked back.

How did Smoltz make that incredible turnaround? He credits his psychologist, Dr. Jack Llewellyn, with helping him turn around that disastrous first half of the 1991 season, saying, “Dr. Jack was a big key in my turnaround. The main thing he taught me was to focus on the good and forget the bad.”

There are countless pitchers out there in dire need of turning things around in order to reach that “Next Level” or return to form of past success. Today we sit down once again with the ‘Mental Genius’ behind Smoltz’s turnaround, Dr. Jack Llewellyn. If you are a pitcher or a coach, this article should be treated like pure gold and applied immediately as we outline what Dr Jack did with Smoltz and what pitchers can do today to make their own turnaround a reality.

Enter Dr. Jack Llewellyn:

What Was the Starting Point For Your Mental Training with John Smoltz?

He had tremendous talent, good family support, was a solid Christian man, and had a deep desire to succeed. With that in place, it was obvious to me that he needed to control the things that he can control and let the other stuff go. MOST OF THE THINGS WE WORRY ABOUT IN LIFE ARE THINGS THAT ARE OUT OF OUR CONTROL.

What Was Your Main ‘Mental Goal’ For Smoltz When You Guys Were Getting Started?

My goal was to get John to spend all his energy on things he can control and let the rest go.

The goal for John and every other pitcher for that matter is to go into the game with the attitude that every single pitch is a pitch towards winning.

Why Do You Think Smoltz Was Struggling So Much Before You Started Working With Him?

What had happened was that he was such an emotional guy, that he started pitching not to lose. When that happens, you have no chance. It’s like trying not to miss a free throw- you have no shot. EVERY pitch needs to be a pitch to win.

What Role Did Golf Play In Your Mental Training Program with Smoltz?

Most of his mental training program we did on a golf course. (Most people know that Smoltz is a great golfer whom Tiger Woods has labeled as the best golfer he’s seen outside of the PGA.) If I could get him to leave a bad golf shot and go to the next shot mentally and with confidence, then we could talk about leaving a bad pitch and going to the next pitch with confidence as well. Golf was a great illustration for John.

What’s the Worst Thing A Pitcher Can Do Mentally?

You will see this all the time at every level of baseball. The worst thing you can do as a pitcher is this- Throw a great pitch and a guy gets a hit or throw a bad pitch AND THEN throw the next pitch off of that previous pitch. You can’t be successful throwing off of something bad. You can only be successful throwing towards something good.

For example, if you wind up to throw and you don’t want to go up and in, that doesn’t mean anything. It’s all about where do you WANT to go- NOT where to you not want to go. Never go away from a spot, always to a spot! Always go towards something good. What happens is that the guys behind you see you pitching to win and they play the same way.

For pitchers out there that want to improve, but don’t know where to start, what are the first three things they should do to maximize their potential?

1^st First you need to have good pitching mechanics.

2^nd Second you need to embrace what we just talked about- Never go away from a spot, always to a spot! Always go towards something good. Pitch to win.

(Franco’s quick point: Think about this for a second- No matter what the score is or the situation you’re pitching in, every pitch you throw has the potential to be the difference in the game. If the bases are loaded and your team is already down by 3, the tendency is to start feeling the pressure and pitching off a losing mentality. Instead, switch that around with the positive spin of knowing that each pitch is a pitch to win, NO MATTER WHAT HAS HAPPENED up until that point. Your team very well might score 4 more runs in that game. You executing and staying positive while down by 3 runs can be the difference in winning or losing that game. Pitch like a winner… even when you’re losing. )

3^rd Third you need to work on body language. You need to show the guys playing behind you that you are throwing to win every single pitch.

Can You Please Expand On the Importance of Having Good Body Language as a Pitcher?

You need to show positive body language. The Braves have traded guys in the past mainly because they had bad body language. Just like when Glavine, Smoltz or Maddux would step on the mound, other teams would look out to the mound and say “Oh Crap! This guy looks like he’s ready to go”. The body language has a psychological impact on your opponent, but also on guys that are playing behind you.  I CANNOT over emphasis the importance of body language!

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Let us know what you think in the comments section below. What was helpful? What do you need to work on first?

This week in Coaches’ Corner we sit down with University of Iowa assistant baseball coach and recruiting coordinator, Ryan Brownlee. Coach Brownlee is in his ninth season with the Hawkeyes and has established himself as one of the top recruitors in the Midwest. His 2011 recruiting class was ranked #1 in the Big Ten and #4 in the Midwest. Just in the last three years 12 of the players Coach Brownlee has recruited to Iowa have been drafted by MLB teams.

We appreciate Coach Brownlee stopping by for this insightful look into: the college baseball recruiting process, the hardest adjustment for freshman to make at the collegiate level, the best ways to prepare for college baseball, his advice to ballplayers that want to get better, a special message to parents of high school baseball players and more.

Before we start, here is a quote from the interview that should probably make it onto your wall!

“Have your kids do everything in the recruiting process.  That’s a huge red flag for a college coach if all the communication is through the parents.” University of Iowa Baseball Recruiting Coordinator Ryan Brownlee

What advice would you give high school players looking to play at Iowa?

Like any college program, we first look at athleticism especially for our position players, but even for our pitchers.   We figure we can teach them other aspects.  For example, foot speed – there needs to be a baseline level before they get to us.  To get to the next level, they should find out what college programs are doing now and start now.  That way they can be on the same routine and regimen before they get there.  The more college experience you give yourself early on, the better.   There’s a place for anyone to play somewhere on the college level.  I played at the University of Evansville, but I only looked into D3 schools in high school.  I didn’t know how I measured up, and I only started really working at baseball my Senior year.  The more players can learn as much as they can about playing in college, the better.   Not everything works for everyone, so players shouldn’t feel like they need to do everything.   Just try things that work for you.

How can a player get on your recruiting radar?

We see a lot of players here.  From Memorial Day to that early signing period, we see maybe 6,000-8,000 players.   We do some showcases like Perfect Game because it gives us exposure to national players, especially younger guys that we’ll follow for a few years.  It’s harder here in Iowa because their high school season is in the summer.  Because of the weather in the Midwest, it gets a little tricky to see everyone.

What’s the best way for a player to reach you?

Email is fine, but phone is tough.  Don’t get upset if we don’t contact you back.  There are a lot of rules and regulations for who we can call back.  There are a lot of recruiting services, but a player is better off with a personal email.  If you’re going to attach video, the best and quickest way for us is YouTube.  Save the money on the DVDs and videos.   Game footage is great, but I only need to see a few swings in the cage.  Pitch or hit against a live person, not just in the cage.

When you’re watching players on the field, what are ways they can stand out?

If a guy plays catch with purpose, that stands out, even on the Junior College level.  If they’re warming up and playing catch with purpose, he picks up points with me.  Bob Smith who coached at Kentucky and VCU said that these players make it easier for coaches.  Actually, Bob would start at full scholarship level for players he was recruiting, and as he watched them and noticed things he’d have to instruct, he’d drop their scholarship accordingly!  If a player is polished, even during warm ups, that’s one less thing we need to teach.   Hustling is also a big one for us.  Today, players aren’t playing as hard as they used to.  A player who plays with effort and tempo stands out now more than ever.

What is the most difficult adjustment for freshmen players coming into college?

Time-management skills.  That first fall semester is difficult – balancing academics and baseball is hard.  I remember my first semester… although I balanced everything well, I played terrible baseball that fall.  It looked like I forgot to play.   Any opportunity to work on time-management will help your baseball.  It’ll always be an adjustment, and everyone is scared those first few weeks, even students who aren’t athletes.   That’s part of it.  You’ll learn how to take care of yourself.

What are some ways for high school players to prepare right before they start college ball?

Don’t stop playing.  We see this all the time.  Some of our best players were guys we signed on 2 months before we started playing.  They came in great shape since they were playing all summer.  On the other side, we sign some guys early who end up slacking off all summer.  If you’re heading into college baseball, you can’t stop playing.  It’ll be a lot harder when you get there to play catch up.  Get yourself in the best shape possible, because no matter what, you will not be ready for the tempo of college ball.  So don’t make it harder by slacking off before you get there.   Your coaches, even though they like you, will be evaluating your performance every day.  So put your best foot forward.

What are some of the best ways that underclassmen can get playing time in a talented program like Iowa?

Our program plays a lot of underclassmen.  We rarely red shirt players.  That’s one thing to look into – is this program going to play underclassmen?  I didn’t play any of the first 8 games, but after I worked extremely hard over the winter, I finally got to play.  The guys that feel sorry for themselves will never get their butts off the bench – ever.  Learn how to act on the bench, even if you’re not playing.

How do you define a winning ballplayer?

A winning ballplayer is a mentality.  It goes into how they approach every aspect of their life.  It’s not just a winning ballplayer, it’s a winning person.  You look at any successful businessman or athlete, they’re committed to what they do.  It’s usually not luck.  No such thing as overnight success.  It’s about living, eating, breathing your dreams.  Balance is important, and some time for yourself is important.  Reward yourself with breaks here and there.  Bill Walton was a track coach at James Madison who said, “There is no such thing as burnout.  People’s likes and dislikes change.

What’s one piece of advice you’d give aspiring ballplayers to take their game to the next level?

It’s goes back to working at it.  If you want to be good at anything, you must invest the time to do it.  Today, everyone wants a quick fix, but especially in baseball, you don’t get instant feedback.  You have to trust that the work you’re putting in is going to pay off.  You have to enjoy the routines of baseball.  Enjoy the extra swings.  Make that part fun.  It will make your time better.   You may be busting it, but it won’t feel like work if you’re enjoying it.  Teams that win a lot of games have fun together, too.  Winning teams spend a lot of time together, even after practice.

(Coach Brownlee, “Wait, can I give a message to the parents?”)

Have your kids do everything in the recruiting process.  That’s a huge red flag for a college coach if all the communication is through the parents.  It means either a) the parents have done everything for the kid his whole life and are going to continue trying that in college (will doesn’t work), or b) he is not that passionate about baseball.  That’s another way for players to separate themselves out since we get so much from parents.  Parents, show your kids the right way, but it’s their path.  Let them put the work in, so that when things work out for them, it’ll mean much more to them.  Their name is going to be on the college diploma.

This week we are joined by longtime MLB hitting machine Sean Casey. Nicknamed “The Mayor” and known for being a great guy, Casey hit .302 over his 12 year career in the big leagues. Before getting drafted in the 2^nd round by the Indians in 1995, he led all of Division 1 College Baseball in hitting with a .461 average for the University of Richmond. It’s safe to say he knows a little bit about hitting and playing the game the right way.

I want to give a ‘tip of the cap’ to JP and Kevin from Green Diamond Gallery (greatest baseball memorabilia collection outside of Cooperstown) for asking these questions for NLB after one of their events. Also, many thanks to Sean Casey for taking the time to talk about hitting, hustle and his advice to ballplayers looking to take their game to the next level.

Before we start here is a great Sean Casey interview quote for your locker:

“If you can’t give your teammates four (hard) seconds down the line, than you shouldn’t be wearing the uniform.”

Today, we have a treat for infielders out there who want to learn from one of the best. We are joined by current Los Angeles Dodgers infield coach and longtime Major League infielder, Juan Castro. Juan had a .229 batting average over his 17 seasons in the big leagues with five different teams (Dodgers, Reds, Twins, Orioles, & Phillies). Why then did teams continue to sign him for 17 years? Because he was a magician with the glove and coaches knew they would get dependable defense out of him at any infield position (make sure to watch the video down below of him turning a sick double play with Chase Utley).

In the history of Major League Baseball, Juan ranks 15^th in career fielding percentage for shortstops. So in all of baseball history there are only 14 shortstops with a better career fielding percentage!! Ok, if you are an infielder, parent of an infielder, or a coach, I know you’re hooked. In this sit down interview with Juan Castro, we talk about, his top defensive tip for infielders, how to slow the game down on defense, how to quickly move on from an error, how all shortstops should be leaders, the mental side of being a shortstop, and more.

Before we start, here’s a quick Juan Castro quote for your bulletin board:

“One of the biggest enemies for an infielder is trying to be too fast.  That’s when all the errors and mistakes come in because we’re trying to be quick.”

Let’s talk defense.  What’s the best defensive tip that you heard early on in your career that really impacted you over the years?

There’s a lot of little things that make defense big, but one of the best things for an infielder is not to rush yourself.  Not to do everything too fast.  If you think in slow motion, then your adrenaline will take you to your perfect level.  If you think about catching the ball, fielding the ball, and getting rid of the ball as fast you can, that’s when you’re going to rush and make mistakes.   For me, it was big when I learned this myself – to relax and take things in slow motion.

If you feel yourself getting too fast, is there anything you can do in a game or practice to slow the game down on defense?

At first, it was the coaches telling me that I was rushing too much.  But as I got older and was learning more through work and repetition, I could tell on my own when something was wrong.  Then I started trying to think in slow motion.  One of the biggest enemies for an infielder is trying to be too fast.  That’s when all the errors and mistakes come in because we’re trying to be quick.

Let’s say you make an error in a game.  Is there something you would do to move on?

At that moment, I purposefully forget about it.  It’s an error.  It’s a mistake and I know mistakes are going to happen.  I just choose to shut it down and start from scratch.  I try to be really positive right after that mistake.  When I was young, I’d make a mistake and not stop thinking about it.  Just concentrate on that next ground ball.  I think I learned to forget about mistakes in that moment right after they happen and then concentrate on the next ball.

When you look at younger infielders in high school and college, what are some problems that you see?

You know, everybody’s different, but there are still so many little things you have to do to get better.  Especially from college to professional, that’s a big jump in experience.  You play the game a different way.  It’s more mental.  As an infielder, many people don’t know how hard it is in your mind.  You’re thinking of all of the game.  If you’re a shortstop, you’re thinking of the second baseman.  You’re thinking of the pitcher, the catcher, and the third baseman.  The outfielders.  You’re anticipating the plays.  I remember every time I finished the game, I’d sit down and be exhausted.  Not physically, but mentally.  I was tired of thinking of the entire game.

From a shortstop’s perspective, what does it mean to be the leader of the infield?

I think as a shortstop, you have to become a leader.  I know it’s a lot of responsibility, but at the same time, it’ll make you grow as a ballplayer.  You realize how important it is to communicate with everybody.  You learn how to be in the game one hundred percent.  You learn how to read the catcher’s signs, to know your pitcher and what he throws and how he will pitch to every hitter.  You have to be on top of your pitcher.  You have to be the guy sometimes who goes to the mound and calms him down. You have to help your outfielders.  There are a lot of things you must learn to be a leader and a shortstop.  Every position is very important, but they consider the shortstop to be a leader.  You gotta help everyone.

From your perspective, what is the toughest play for a shortstop to make?

I would say, from a shortstop’s perspective, taking a ground ball to the third base side.  You have to have a good arm.  For me, I took all the ground balls with respect.  Don’t take anything for granted.  I put the same emphasis on a slow grounder as a hard one.

What’s one piece of advice you’d give aspiring infielders looking to get better at defense?

The main thing is working hard.  You can have good hands or good footwork, but you can only get better by working at it the right way.