2025 marked year 7 of the Elite Baseball Development Podcast. We kicked off the “Pinch Hit Friday” feature in 2024, and as a result, we released 66 episodes in 2025, our most in a year since we kicked this off in 2019. Here are our top five episodes from the year:

1. Dr. Keith Baar on Bulletproofing Tendons and Ligaments – World-renowned muscle physiology researcher Dr. Keith Baar to applied his tendon- and ligament-specific research to the world of baseball sports medicine. Dr. Baar shared fascinating insights relating to soft tissue adaptation to training, particularly with respect to isometric exercise.

2. Dr. Keith Meister on How Pitching Injuries Have Evolved – and What to Do About Them – Texas Rangers team doctor and renowned orthopedic surgeon Dr. Keith Meister joined the podcast for a conversation on baseball’s injury epidemic. Dr. Meister shared how injuries have evolved in the overhead throwing athlete over the course of his career; outlined causative factors; and proposed some potential solutions to attenuate the problem.

3. Spondy What? The Scoop on Stress Fractures in Adolescent Spines – In this solo episode, I discussed spondylolysis, the clinical term for a stress fracture of the spine. These issues are commonly seen with adolescent athletes involved in extension and rotation sports, and I’ve managed a lot of them over the years. I highlighted causes, diagnoses, treatments, and prevention strategies for spondylolysis.

4. Chris Martin on College Baseball Strength and Conditioning – LSU Baseball Strength and Conditioning Coach Chris Martin jointed the podcast to discuss physical preparation in the SEC. He highlighted the role of technology, and the ebb and flow of training during the calendar year. Chris also covered important competencies for aspiring D1 baseball players to have prior to arriving on campus. Additionally, for the aspiring coaches out there, he compared his experiences working in professional and college baseball.

5. When and How Should My Kid Start Strength and Conditioning? – I often get questions from the parents of 9-12 year-old athletes about when and how kids should get started with formal strength and conditioning. In this Pinch Hit Friday episode, I discussed key considerations and outline best practices for setting the stage for making progress and cultivating a favorable relationship with exercise for the long haul.

Finally, while I’ve got your attention, be sure to check out our foremost sponsor from the past year, AG1. It’s an all-in-one superfood supplement with 75 whole-food sourced ingredients designed to support your body’s nutrition needs across 5 critical areas of health: 1) energy, 2) immunity, 3) gut health, 4) hormonal support, and 5) healthy aging. In 2025, they introduced AG1 Next Gen, an updated version of product that also featured three new flavors: citrus, wild berry (my favorite), and tropical. This year also marked the introduction of AGZ, their wildly popular sleep supplement that I absolutely love. Head to https://www.drinkag1.com/cressey and claim my special offer today – FREE travel packs, a flavor sampler, and a cannister/shaker/scoop – with your first purchase. I use this product daily myself and highly recommend it to our athletes as well. I’d encourage you to give it a shot, too – especially with this great offer.

We’re back to the regular EricCressey.com content this upcoming week. Thanks for all your support in 2025! We’ve got some great stuff planned for 2026.