Baltimore Orioles Minor League Hitting Coach, Jake Ratz, joins the ABCA Podcast this week. Ratz joined the Orioles Organization in December of 2022 coaching in the Dominican Summer League. This past season Ratz coached in the Florida Coast League.

Ratz got his coaching start collegiately where he started his collegiate playing career at Ellsworth Community College. Other stops along his coaching journey were Southwestern Community College, Iowa Western, Butler University and Upper Iowa University. Ratz also spent summers coaching in the Northwoods, Prospect and MINK Leagues.

This episode is a deep dive in to coaching this generation of hitters. This episode is brought to you by Rapsodo Baseball – the trusted player development technology of coaches at every level.
Rapsodo has basically become THE gold standard for player development in baseball. Pitchers, hitters, college programs, big leaguers, even their Official Technology Ambassador Shohei Ohtani —everybody’s using it.
And it’s not just a radar gun with a fancy name. Rapsodo tracks spin rate, movement, release points, exit velo, launch angle—all the stuff that turns “he looks good” into “here’s exactly why he’s good.”
Coaches use technology like PRO 2.0 to build pitching profiles, hitters use it to fine-tune their swing, and parents use it to justify spending a mortgage payment on travel ball. It’s that good.
If you're serious about development—or just want to know why your curveball still gets hit 400 feet—go check them out. If you’re a high school program, they are offering $1,000 off, just head to rapsodo.com. It’s like science, but for baseball people.
Train smarter. Develop faster. Learn more at rapsodo.com.

The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more.

Download & Subscribe to the Podcast:
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This week on the ABCA Podcast is 2024 ABCA Hall of Fame class inductee and ABCA/ATEC NCAA Div. III Coach of the Year UW-Whitewater head coach, John Vodenlich. Vodenlich has now led UW-Whitewater to 3 National Championships (05’, 14’, 25’). The Warhawks were 49-6 and posted video game numbers with a .364 team batting average and 3.36 team ERA.

Get your pad and pen ready because this episode is full of great coaching and life advice.

This episode is brought to you by Rapsodo Baseball – the trusted player development technology of coaches at every level.
Rapsodo has basically become THE gold standard for player development in baseball. Pitchers, hitters, college programs, big leaguers, even their Official Technology Ambassador Shohei Ohtani —everybody’s using it.
And it’s not just a radar gun with a fancy name. Rapsodo tracks spin rate, movement, release points, exit velo, launch angle—all the stuff that turns “he looks good” into “here’s exactly why he’s good.”
Coaches use technology like PRO 2.0 to build pitching profiles, hitters use it to fine-tune their swing, and parents use it to justify spending a mortgage payment on travel ball. It’s that good.
If you're serious about development—or just want to know why your curveball still gets hit 400 feet—go check them out. If you’re a high school program, they are offering $1,000 off, just head to rapsodo.com. It’s like science, but for baseball people.
Train smarter. Develop faster. Learn more at rapsodo.com.

The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more.

Download & Subscribe to the Podcast:
https://abca.castos.com
https://www.abca.org/podcast

Online: https://www.abca.org

ABCA Member Benefits: https://www.abca.org/benefits

Become a Member: https://www.abca.org/apply

X/Twitter: https://x.com/abca1945

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abca1945

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ABCA1945

Next up on the ABCA Podcast, we’re highlighting another of our ABCA/ATEC Coaches of the Year with John Knott, head coach at Mount San Antonio College and the 2025 ABCA/ATEC Pacific Association Division Coach of the Year.

Knott guided Mt. SAC to a historic season in 2025, capturing the 3C2A Championship for the first time in 60 years. The Mounties finished with an incredible 45-6 record, including 22-2 in conference play, cementing themselves among the best teams in the country.

Since taking over the program in 2016, Knott has built Mt. SAC into a consistent contender, carrying over his winning pedigree from Bonita High School, where he led the team to its first CIF Championship since 1951 and six straight league titles from 2009–2014.

In this episode, Knott reflects on his program-building approach, the culture behind Mt. SAC’s title run, and lessons learned from both the high school and college levels.

This episode is brought to you by Rapsodo Baseball – the trusted player development technology of coaches at every level.
Rapsodo has basically become THE gold standard for player development in baseball. Pitchers, hitters, college programs, big leaguers, even their Official Technology Ambassador Shohei Ohtani —everybody’s using it.
And it’s not just a radar gun with a fancy name. Rapsodo tracks spin rate, movement, release points, exit velo, launch angle—all the stuff that turns “he looks good” into “here’s exactly why he’s good.”
Coaches use technology like PRO 2.0 to build pitching profiles, hitters use it to fine-tune their swing, and parents use it to justify spending a mortgage payment on travel ball. It’s that good.
If you're serious about development—or just want to know why your curveball still gets hit 400 feet—go check them out. If you’re a high school program, they are offering $1,000 off, just head to rapsodo.com. It’s like science, but for baseball people.
Train smarter. Develop faster. Learn more at rapsodo.com.

The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more.

Download & Subscribe to the Podcast: https://www.abca.org/podcast

Online: https://www.abca.org

ABCA Member Benefits: https://www.abca.org/benefits

Become a Member: https://www.abca.org/apply

X/Twitter: https://x.com/abca1945

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abca1945

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ABCA1945