Episode #21 Former MLB Player Aaron Barrett | Youth Baseball Development, Arm Health & the FOMO Trap

Baseball parents spend a lot of time worrying about winning, playing time and whether their son is falling behind.Former MLB pitcher Aaron Barrett says one of the biggest things parents worry about is FOMO. Trying to keep up with what everybody else is doing instead of looking at where your own kid is right now.   Aaron has seen player development from just about every angle. He pitched parts of four seasons with the Washington Nationals, made it back to the Major Leagues after more than four years away following Tommy John surgery and a fractured humerus, and was part of Washington’s 2019 World Series team. After his playing career, he moved into player development with the Philadelphia Phillies. In his first season managing the Single-A Clearwater Threshers, his team finished 74-55 and Aaron was named Baseball America’s Single-A Manager of the Year and Florida State League Manager of the Year.   In this episode of the Chasing Baseball Dreams Podcast, Aaron and I get into what actually separates players as they move up, why consistency and handling failure matter so much, what development should look like at younger ages, and why playing catch still matters.  We also talk about youth pitching and arm health, how parents should vet coaches and instructors, multi-sport athletes, baseball IQ, analytics, player ownership, Aaron’s four MLB Draft experiences, his incredible comeback to the big leagues, and some of his favorite Major League memories.  Aaron also explains why parents need to ask more questions before handing their son’s development over to somebody else, especially when it comes to pitching and training.   His closing advice is simple: use the information and experience available to you, then bring the decision back to your child and what’s best for him right now. Development isn’t linear.   TIMESTAMPS  00:00 Aaron Barrett’s MLB career, comeback and move into managing 02:05 What separates players in professional baseball 05:08 Baseball IQ and how players are being developed today 08:17 Development vs. winning 11:31 What development should look like for young players 14:24 Why playing catch still matters 17:17 When parents should stop trying to fix every struggle 19:35 Helping a young player through an injury 22:25 What parents should ask about pitching and arm care 25:19 Aaron on youth arm injuries and Dr. Andrews 26:48 Aaron’s wild MLB Draft story 29:10 Growing up as a multi-sport athlete 31:02 When parents should hand ownership back to the player 35:28 Data, analytics and paralysis by analysis 39:37 In-and-Out with Aaron Barrett 40:20 What baseball parents worry about too much 41:38 What he’d tell the parents of his 12-year-old self 42:34 The toughest hitter Aaron faced in the Major Leagues 43:39 Aaron’s favorite baseball memories 50:41 Favorite baseball movie and his upcoming documentary 53:53 Aaron’s final advice for baseball parents