Student Athlete Performance
What an MLB Strength Coach Sees When He Watches High School Baseball Players
A strength coach who spent 20 years in the Major Leagues can read a high school player in seconds. And what he's looking at first has nothing to do with how they swing or pitch. Jose Vasquez spent nearly two decades as head strength and conditioning coach for the Texas Rangers and is now a physical therapist working with baseball players across the Dallas area. In this episode, he shares what he watched separate the players who lasted in the big leagues from the ones who had the talent but burned out early — and what that means for high school athletes right now. We get into why the eye test at a showcase matters more than most parents realize, why spending money on showcases before your son's body is ready is money thrown away, how high school players are losing entire years of development by never putting the ball down long enough to build real strength, and why one bad night of sleep can wreck your body for two to three days — the same way a hangover does. Jose also answers the question every sports parent eventually asks: when should a high school athlete start lifting weights? His answer isn't what most expect — and it has nothing to do with age. Plus he breaks down the exact weekly schedule he builds for his top high school athlete, currently one of the best players in Texas, and the three things every high school baseball player needs to be doing right now to give themselves a real shot at the next level. If you play high school baseball and want to know what an MLB coach actually sees when he looks at you, this one is worth your time. Connect with Jose: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jvazquezptcscs/ Connect with Nick: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicklemkerd/ X: https://x.com/nicklemkerd
