September brings cooler weather, the beginning of fall and another season of baseball. For young players, fall ball should be one of the best opportunities of the year to develop.
Development is simple: getting better.
Fall ball gives players the freedom to try new things, make adjustments and find out what works and what does not. A hitter may experiment with a new approach at the plate. A pitcher may develop another pitch. A player may learn a new position, improve his footwork or become more aggressive on the bases.
That process requires room to struggle. Unfortunately, the constant pressure on travel programs to prove they are the best can take that room away.
When every tournament feels like a championship and every game becomes a test of a program’s reputation, coaches play to win now instead of developing players for later. Kids become afraid to make mistakes, parents become anxious about results, and growth gets replaced by performance.
Fall ball should not feel like spring baseball with cooler temperatures. It should have a different purpose.
The Lesson I Have Learned from Marathon Training
I am a marathon runner. Training for a marathon requires a lot of miles, but every run is not supposed to be fast. Some days are recovery runs. I am still running and still improving, but I intentionally slow down.
Those slower miles allow me to recover while working on my breathing, form, rhythm and discipline. They prepare my body for the harder work ahead. If I tried to set a personal record every time I ran, I would eventually break down physically, mentally or emotionally.
Young baseball players need recovery seasons and recovery moments, too.
That does not mean they stop working or competing. It means the purpose of the work changes. They can slow the pace, learn something new and play without carrying the burden of having to prove themselves every inning.
Rest and recovery are not signs that a player lacks commitment. They are part of becoming elite.
Entry-Level, Emerging and Elite
I evaluate player development in three stages: entry-level, emerging and elite.
An entry-level player is learning the game, building basic skills and developing confidence.
An emerging player has a growing skill set and is beginning to perform with more consistency against stronger competition.
An elite player consistently produces at a level that creates opportunities to compete at Power Four colleges and universities and beyond, including professional baseball.
A player does not become elite because of the team he plays for, the uniform he wears, the tournaments he attends or what his parents post on social media. He has to produce his way to elite.
But what if your son is not elite right now? That does not mean he cannot become elite. The better question is whether he is showing signs that he is on the right path.
Here are five indicators that a young player is developing toward an elite level. These apply to baseball, but they also matter in life.
1. He is Coachable
Elite players receive instruction without becoming defensive. They listen, ask questions, apply feedback and make adjustments. They do not need every correction to feel comfortable.
Parents should look beyond whether their son agrees with a coach. Watch what he does after receiving feedback. Does he make excuses or does he make an adjustment?
Talent may get a player noticed, but coachability allows him to keep growing.
2. He is Consistent
One great game does not make a player elite. Elite players develop routines that help them perform repeatedly.
Consistency begins before game day. It can be seen in how a player prepares, practices, sleeps, eats, recovers and responds when no one is watching. An emerging player may show flashes of excellence. An elite player learns how to make excellence repeatable.
The goal is not perfection. The goal is dependable production.
3. He Can Make Adjustments
Baseball constantly asks players to solve problems. Pitchers change speeds. Hitters change approaches. Umpires have different strike zones. Fields, opponents and situations change.
Elite players do not panic when Plan A fails. They recognize what is happening, make an adjustment and compete with confidence. Fall ball is the perfect time to build this skill because players need opportunities to experiment without fearing that one mistake will cost them everything.
The ability to adjust is one of the clearest signs that development is taking place.
4. He Competes Without Being Pressed
There is a difference between playing with urgency and playing with anxiety.
Elite players compete hard, but they are not controlled by fear. They do not treat every at-bat as a final judgment of their talent or their future. They can stay present, respond to failure and trust their preparation.
A player who is constantly pressed may look busy and intense, but pressure can destroy confidence, decision-making and joy. Healthy competitors want to win while understanding that one game does not define them.
5. He Knows How to Recover
Elite performance includes the capacity to rest.
A developing player must learn how to recover physically after demanding activity, mentally after making a mistake and emotionally after disappointment. He should not have to keep doing more at the expense of his health just to prove that he belongs.
Recovery allows the body to rebuild, the mind to reset and confidence to return. The player who knows when to work, when to slow down, and how to prepare for the next opportunity is developing a skill that will serve him in baseball and throughout life.
A Better Way to Measure Fall Success
Parents, do not judge your son’s fall only by wins, batting average, velocity, rankings or trophies. Ask better questions:
- Did he try something new?
- Did he improve a weakness?
- Did he become more coachable?
- Did he learn to make adjustments?
- Did he compete with confidence instead of fear?
- Did he remain physically, mentally and emotionally healthy?
If the answers are yes, he is getting better. That is development.
Fall ball should give young players permission to learn, struggle, recover and grow. The goal is not to prove that they are elite before they are ready. The goal is to help them build the habits and produce the results that will allow them to become elite.
Sometimes the best way to move a player forward is to slow the pace, release the pressure and give development room to happen.
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.
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