Craig Hamilton

New York Kid living in the South

[New York Yankees @Yankees]

The Yankees have signed all 20 of their 2026 First-Year Player Draft selections ✍️

Our 2026 Draft Class by Position:
• Pitcher – 7 (5-RHP / 2-LHP)
• Catcher – 1
• Infielder – 6
• Outfielder – 4
• Utility – 1
• Two-Way Player – 1

[Coach Gunnar Hayes @CoachGunHayes]

10 Ways to Stand Out as a HS Recruit at a Showcase/ Tournament

Everyone wants to stand out with their tools.

But coaches are evaluating much more than your physical ability.

Here are 10 ways to stand out that having nothing to do with your measurables 🧵

[Troy Silva @TroyPSilva]

If you sucked today, suck it up so you don't suck again tomorrow! It definitely sucks to suck, and it's guaranteed that you'll suck sometimes, but the best ballplayers don't suck at dwelling on their suckiness. They move on and focus on making their opponent suck next time! Suck it up!

#BaseballTruth

[Josh Chambers @JoshChambers]

The Captain himself, Derek Jeter (@derekjeter) on why his leadership style worked and how important it is to know the difference between leadership and leadership 🎭 theater:

Ironically the @Yankees legend earned his nickname specifically because:

He never declared himself a leader.
He never waited for the cameras to correct a teammate.
He never treated every person the same.

His approach was almost too simple:

🤔 Get To Know The People
🔑 Communication Is Key
1️⃣ Lead By Example

Real leadership doesn’t have to be loud or performative.

It often times happens in private conversations within honest relationships, and when nobody is watching.

You do not become a leader by announcing that people should follow you. 🙅‍♂️

You become one by living in a way that makes them want to!

[MLB @MLB]

Nathan Flewelling, @RaysBaseball's No. 2 prospect, wins MVP honors in the @Nike Futures Game!

[Charleston RiverDogs @ChasRiverDogs]

Congrats to former RiverDogs catcher Nathan Flewelling on winning MVP for the MLB Futures Game! ⭐️⚾️

[Talkin' Yanks @TalkinYanks]

Yankees select Andy Pettitte's son Luke, a two-way player with their 8th round pick

[Greg Berge @GregBerge]

20 years as a head coach will teach you things no clinic ever will.

Maybe one sticks.

28 Lessons Learned.

1. Coaching is all about relationships. Work to build relationships with your players.

2. Play the long game with culture. There are no shortcuts to success.

3. Develop your leaders. Don’t hope or wish for leaders.

4. You are never as good as you think in a win. And after a loss, you are never as bad.

5. When in doubt, less is more. The earlier you learn this, the better.

6. As the coach, you are the leader. Lead by example in all you do.

7. Culture is what you allow and what you emphasize.

8. Create practices with a purpose.

9. Do things in groups of 3’s. It is simple and easy to remember.

10. Energy givers make a team. Reward your energy givers.

11. Put your players in situations where they can use their strengths.

12. Communication is vital. Be clear, concise, and proactive.

13. Remember, comparison is the thief of joy. Don’t compare yourself to others.

14. Be a lifelong learner. The best coaches are constantly learning and getting better.

15. There is no substitute for hard work. As a coach, model the work ethic you want.

16. Culture is every day. You must think this way. If not, your culture will erode.

17. Find a supportive spouse. Coaching is challenging and time-consuming.

18. Over-communicate roles for your players and team.

19. Remember, leadership is a lifestyle. Be a servant leader.

20. Do not try to please anyone. It is impossible and will only cause problems.

21. Be incredibly honest with kids and parents. Do not sugarcoat anything.

22. Do yourself a favor and be very organized. It shows competence.

23. Celebrate the small wins. Use the game within the game to set goals.

24. Focus on the process, not the prize.

25. Always celebrate WE over ME.

26. Think about your player’s mental health. It is more important than ever.

27. Get to know your parents when their kids are young. These relationships matter.

28. Enjoy the time with your players and have fun!

[Kretz Files @CoachRonKretz]

If your tryouts are based on "vibes," you're inviting parent complaints.

Protect your program with data:

✅ Create a player rubric

Data doesn't lie.

Objective scores end arguments.

👇 Clone our pre-formatted tryout evaluation spreadsheets.

[Craig Hamilton @Chamilton34]

@jjcoop36 Got to hit up Orleans if your up there one of the best parks in the country

[Play Ball @PlayBall]

Bryan Woo, Paul Skenes, Jacob Misiorowski, and other MLB pitchers discuss the importance of building the right foundation for velocity and letting it come naturally with time.

[Baseball IQ @BaseballIQ_App]

🚨 Korean Pitching Movement Drills

• Emphasis on a stable front leg
+
• Keeping the back leg loaded

⭐️ The legs are the engine. Flexibility & strength in your lower body is one of the healthiest way to create more power/velocity.

[Tom Griffin @catchblockthrow]

Various ways to develop arm strength. Example for weekly throwing. Throwing footballs or softballs are effective tools to add. Younger ages (Middle school & lower) more days off during week. Work within light and medium days only. Longer break from throwing between seasons

[Craig Hamilton @Chamilton34]

@JomboyMedia His mom is going to ask for the ball and post this video on social media with the Caption “ Carson got another HR guys” love MLB lol 😂

[Talkin' Yanks @TalkinYanks]

Ben Rice shared on Instagram that he will make his Home Run Derby debut!

[Trevor Bauer (トレバー・バウアー) @BauerOutage]

Stop Throwing With Your Arm

[Trevor Bauer (トレバー・バウアー) @BauerOutage]

Most pitchers aim at a spot. I aim at a spot based on how I know I'll miss it.

Every pitch has a miss pattern. Once you map it, you stop fighting it and start using it.

My cutter and gyro ball miss pretty evenly around the target. Not a lot of shape to the miss. So I just throw at the glove and trust it'll be close.

My sweeper is completely different. I almost always miss up arm side or down glove side. I almost never miss up glove side or down arm side. That's an elongated miss pattern with a clear direction.

So in an 0-2 count, my catcher sets the glove in the zone. I throw at it. If I'm on, the pitch starts at their front hip and they take it for a strike. If I yank it, it breaks off the plate and they chase it. Either way, I win.

My curveball misses up or down, almost never side to side. So my catcher sets the glove on the ground at his feet. If I miss up, it lands in the zone for a strike. If I bounce it, it's a chase pitch in the dirt.

I'm not trying to hit the perfect spot every time. I'm engineering outcomes from my actual misses.

That's the difference between guessing and having a system.

[Baseball Dudes Inc. 🇺🇸⚾️ @BaseballDudes48]

Pitching keys:

• Strike 1
• Zero 3 ball counts
• No walks
• Ground balls
• Control the running game
• Tempo
• Multiple put away pitches
• Mental stability
• Short term memory
• Honest self evaluation
• Healthy mechanics
• Pitcher/Catcher relationship
• Overall body strength
• Arm health