Coach Matt Maysey on Youth Baseball, Development, and the Analytics Debate

(Interview edited for clarity and length) As youth baseball continues to evolve with increased access to data, technology, and social-media-driven training trends, many parents are left wondering what actually matters for long-term development. According to Coach Matt Maysey, a longtime baseball instructor who has worked with players at multiple levels, the answer hasn’t changed as much as people think. Maysey’s perspective comes from both sides of the game. He played professional baseball, debuting in Major League Baseball with the Montreal Expos before later pitching for the Milwaukee Brewers. Today, he applies those experiences to teaching players at the youth and high-school levels. While Maysey acknowledges that today’s players are bigger, stronger, and throwing and hitting the ball harder than ever, he believes the mental side of the game risks being simplified too early. “The game has definitely evolved,” Maysey said. “But with positioning cards, wristbands, and pitch-calling systems, a lot of the thinking is being done for players. Some of that information can help — but we can’t remove the player’s ability to read the game, react, and learn.” Analytics: Helpful, Not Defining Maysey does not dismiss analytics outright, but he cautions against relying too heavily on numbers without understanding how to use them. “Technology and data are only as good as the person interpreting them,” he said. “You can have all the information in the world, but if you don’t know how to use or apply it, it won’t help.” Data, Maysey emphasized, must be applied correctly. When it isn’t understood or used with purpose, technology alone does not lead to improvement. He believes some data can support development, but it should not replace athleticism, instincts, or feel for the game — especially at younger ages. “Kids need to be athletes first,” Maysey said. “As players get older, the ones with better baseball IQ and natural athletic ability tend to separate themselves.” Parents, Pressure, and Perspective Maysey said many parents feel pressure to optimize every aspect of their child’s development, often influenced by what is promoted online. “I think parents get caught up in analytics too early,” he said. “A lot of that is what’s being sold on social media.” Former players, he noted, often take a different approach. “They rely less on numbers,” Maysey said. “The ball, the opponent, and the situation usually tell the real story.” According to Maysey, parents frequently worry about factors that are largely outside of their control. “Failure is part of the process,” he said. “You have to fail, fail again, and fail again before you succeed. A lot of people don’t fully understand that.” He added that the development window from roughly ages 8 through 15 or 16 is critical — and often misunderstood. “That’s prime learning time,” Maysey said. “Too many teams focus on winning first, and don’t get me wrong — winning isn’t a bad thing. Winning, skills, and knowledge go together. But the focus should be on learning the game and playing it the right way. When that happens, winning will follow — not the other way around.” Maysey noted that success may not come immediately. “Winning may not happen for two or three years,” he said. “But it will happen. The more baseball IQ a player has, the more it will show later down the line.” Fundamentals Still Matter Despite changes in training methods and performance tracking, Maysey says the fundamentals of baseball have remained constant. “Home plate is still 17 inches wide,” he said. “Pitchers still need to execute over the plate and keep hitters off balance. Hitters still want to hit good pitches hard and wait for pitchers to throw over the plate.” The game may be faster and stronger, he said, but the core principles remain the same. What Separates Players — and What Causes Burnout Maysey believes the difference between players who continue to develop and those who plateau often comes down to what happens outside of organized practice. “What separates kids is what they do outside of instruction,” he said. “The ones who watch the game, think about it, and learn from it usually grow more.” Burnout, he added, often occurs when pressure is applied without explanation. “You can push a player,” Maysey said. “But you also have to explain the ‘why’ — why an error happened, why a strikeout occurred. Teaching matters.” A Teacher’s Approach Maysey views his role not as selecting who deserves instruction, but as teaching the players in front of him. “I don’t decide who I work with the way people might think,” he said. “I see myself as a teacher. Teachers don’t pick students — they teach the ones they have.” Advice for Parents His advice for parents navigating modern youth baseball is straightforward. “Let kids fail and help them understand what went wrong,” Maysey said. “If possible, get instruction from people who know how to teach. Professionals may cost more up front, but amateurs often end up costing families much more in the long run.” Working With Coach Maysey Coach Maysey continues to work with youth and high-school athletes on a selective basis, focusing on long-term development, baseball IQ, and strong fundamentals. While he is selective in the athletes he works with, he does accept new players when the fit is right. Parents interested in learning more about Coach Maysey’s approach or exploring whether his instruction may be a good fit for their athlete can contact him at https://mattmaysey.com/