We are only weeks away from the start of the fall baseball season and too many players are approaching it with the wrong mindset. The fall is not primarily about performance. The fall is about assessment.
Think of it like the NFL Combine. Athletes are evaluated, challenged, measured and exposed. The purpose is not to prove that you’re finished. The purpose is to discover what still needs to be developed.
Unfortunately, many players, parents and even coaches spend all four seasons in performance mode.
That is backwards.
The tail is wagging the dog.
Every year has seasons, and every season has a purpose.
- Fall: Assessment
- Winter: Development
- Spring: Performance
- Summer: Competition
When every season becomes about winning, development suffers. Players become afraid to fail. Coaches become afraid to experiment. Parents become obsessed with statistics instead of growth.
The result?
Players look polished today but plateau tomorrow.
Assessment Must Come Before Development
You cannot develop what you have not first assessed.
The best coaches don’t simply ask, “Can this player help us win today?”
They ask, “Who can this player become?”
Assessment requires freedom to experiment.
It requires permission to fail.
It requires enough patience to discover what works by first finding out what doesn’t.
If you’re never allowed to struggle, you’re probably not developing.
5 Things Every Player Should Experiment With This Fall
The fall is the perfect time to intentionally work on something that may temporarily make you worse before it ultimately makes you better.
For example:
1. Develop a New Hitting Load
A small adjustment in rhythm, timing or movement may unlock more consistency over the long term.
2. Learn to Switch Hit
If becoming a switch hitter is one of your goals, the fall is the time to begin. Don’t wait until games matter most.
3. Improve Bat Control
Instead of chasing power every at bat, learn to control the barrel, use the whole field, and consistently square baseballs.
4. Develop More Power
Power training often comes with more swing and miss in the beginning. That’s okay. This is the season to learn how to hit the ball harder without fearing temporary setbacks.
5. Become More Athletic
Athleticism is how you make things happen.
Fundamentals teach you what to do.
Athleticism helps you succeed when the game doesn’t go according to plan.
In baseball and in life, you won’t always know the perfect technique. You’ll still be expected to produce results. Great athletes solve problems in real time.
You need both.
Fundamentals and Athleticism Are Partners
Every skill has fundamentals.
There is a right way to field a ground ball.
A right way to load.
A right way to throw.
A right way to run.
But baseball is unpredictable.
Bad hops happen.
Pitches miss their spots.
Timing gets disrupted.
That’s where athleticism takes over.
Fundamentals give you a foundation.
Athleticism gives you solutions.
The best players develop both.
The Fall Is the Best Time to Fail
Failure isn’t the goal.
Learning is.
The fall gives you permission to fail with purpose.
Every failed experiment teaches you something.
Every adjustment makes you more prepared.
Every setback builds resilience.
Resilience is how you bounce back.
Perseverance is how you keep moving forward.
Those two qualities often become more valuable than the baseball skill itself.
A Story Worth Remembering
Imagine two young oak trees planted on the same day.
One is protected from every storm.
The other bends with every strong wind.
Years later, the protected tree looks perfect—but its roots are shallow.
The tree that endured the storms has roots that run deep.
When the biggest storm finally comes, only one remains standing.
The fall is your storm.
Don’t avoid it.
Grow through it.
Three Questions Every Player Should Ask a Coach Before the Fall
1. What is your development plan for me this fall?
If the answer only includes games, innings and wins, keep asking questions.
Development should begin with assessment.
2. Will I have opportunities to try new things, even if I struggle at first?
Growth requires experimentation.
If failure isn’t allowed, development is limited.
3. How will you evaluate my improvement beyond statistics?
Batting average doesn’t measure everything.
Ask how your coach evaluates decision making, athleticism, adaptability, resilience, baseball IQ, leadership and long-term potential.
A Final Thought for Coaches
If the players on your fall team will also be with you next spring and summer, don’t rush their development because of today’s scoreboard.
Give them room to experiment.
Give them permission to fail.
Give them opportunities to discover who they can become.
Championships are often won in the summer because coaches had the courage to develop players in the fall.
Assessment creates development.
Development creates confidence.
Confidence creates performance.
And performance, over time, creates players who are prepared not just for the next game, but for the next level.
Remember: Intelligence tops being smart.
For more information, visit www.diamonddirectors.com today.
If you found this inspiring and thought-provoking, or if you have any questions, comments or concerns, add me on Discord and let’s go deeper.
C.J. Stewart has built a reputation as one of the leading professional hitting instructors in the country. He is a former professional baseball player in the Chicago Cubs organization and has also served as an associate scout for the Cincinnati Reds. As founder and CEO of Diamond Directors Player Development, C.J. has more than 22 years of player development experience and has built an impressive list of clients, including some of the top young prospects in baseball today. If your desire is to change your game for the better, C.J. Stewart has a proven system of development and a track record of success that can work for you.
Leave a Reply