by Dave Franco | Next Level Ballplayer
“There is no greater compliment to a ballplayer than being labeled as a “Dirtbag”… that player who loves the game and will do anything to win or improve. “ University of Kentucky coach Brian Green The term “dirt bag” represents an attitude, a mindset, a deep desire to...
by Dave Franco | Next Level Ballplayer
Being a great base runner is different from being a great base stealer. Too many ballplayers think they are one in the same, and therefore relax on the base paths if they don’t consider themselves base stealers. The truth is that everyone can be a great base runner...
by Dave Franco | Hitting, Mental Baseball, MLB Clubhouse Convos, Next Level Ballplayer
As a batter, should you be guessing pitches? What should you look for? What should be your mindset in the box when facing a tough pitcher with nasty off-speed stuff? A good rule of thumb that you hear around the baseball world is, “If the pitcher has a good fastball,...
by Dave Franco | Next Level Ballplayer
Pitchers 1. DON’T walk batters with 2 outs and nobody on. Over 60% of balls put in play turn into outs. Make them earn it! “I became a good pitcher when I stopped trying to make them miss the ball and started trying to make them hit it.” Sandy Koufax 2. Hang a...
by Dave Franco | Next Level Ballplayer, Training Tips
I hear the same thing from college coaches and MLB scouts all the time: “I’m always looking for athletes.” While there is always a level of God given ability (just ask Domingo Ayala), there are things you can do to improve your athleticism. Today we’re...
by Dave Franco | Next Level Ballplayer
Next Level Ballplayer has taken off much faster than expected. We have been hearing great feedback from ballplayers and coaches around the country and look forward to helping more and more players make it to the ‘next level.’ Our goal is to have 250+ new subscribers...
