{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Chasing Baseball Dreams","title":"19: Niko Goodrum | What Baseball Parents Rush...Travel Ball, Development & MLB Lessons","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":2994,"description":"Former MLB player Niko Goodrum joins Bobby Minor on the Chasing Baseball Dreams Podcast to talk youth baseball, travel baseball, player development, versatility, mindset, and what parents may be rushing too soon.\nNiko was a second-round pick out of high school and played seven seasons in Major League Baseball with the Minnesota Twins, Detroit Tigers, Houston Astros, Tampa Bay Rays and Los Angeles Angels. One of the most surprising parts of his journey: he didn’t grow up playing travel baseball. He played local summer ball, attended a few showcases and still developed into a Major League player.\n\nFor baseball parents, some of Niko’s strongest advice comes when he talks development. He says he wouldn’t rush power, exit velocity, throwing velocity or strength with young players. Niko was 168 pounds when he was drafted and eventually played at 220. Physical development comes with time, but the skill of actually playing baseball still has to be there.\nNiko also talks about when a player may be ready for travel ball, why parents should watch how much their son is driving his own development, and why decisions should fit the individual kid instead of what everybody else is doing.\nWe also get into how versatility helped Niko reach and stay in the Major Leagues, playing multiple sports, becoming a switch hitter in high school, professional baseball in Korea, the moment he knew his playing career was over, and what separates talented players who keep moving from those who stall out.\nIf you’re a baseball parent trying to make better decisions about travel baseball, training, strength, player development, versatility or your son’s long-term path, this conversation is for you.\nTIMESTAMPS\n00:50 Meet Niko Goodrum and his MLB journey\n01:34 Why Niko chose Kennesaw State over bigger-name programs\n03:11 Getting drafted in the second round vs. going to college\n04:30 Why development can take years, even for elite players\n06:17 Niko reveals he never played travel ball\n07:02 Why...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/q3rQG5ngcoyZtBBqydY-LYe-2NzrWpT_DUSzYHdnSkI/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS84Zjgy/ODMwMjJlOGEzZDUz/M2RjN2UzOGM3OWQy/NWI5Yy5qcGVn.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}