The D2 Baseball Podcast

D2 Baseball

Watch the D2 Baseball Podcast on YouTube and listen/watch here on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Follow on X and Instagram at @diviibaseball.

  1. 2025-10-31

    Ep. 65: The Toughest Out: Dayson Croes on the Climb from DII to AAA and Beyond

    Want to be a part of a vibrant and growing community of baseball fans? Consider joining the D2 Baseball Patreon! patreon.com/diviibaseball In this special player story, Robert talks with former Quincy University Hawk Dayson Croes, who made a stunning journey from independent baseball to the San Francisco Giants organization, ending his 2025 season at the AAA level. Croes shares the incredible, unexpected phone call that led to him signing with the Giants just two weeks before his independent season began, initiating a rapid, multi-level ascent through the affiliated ranks. He details the grind of playing two full seasons in the independent American Association and the challenges of adapting to professional life and travel, including bus bunks. Croes also offers a fascinating international perspective, discussing his motivation to represent his home island of Aruba and the electric experience of playing in the Mexican Pacific Winter League, where he is currently working to improve his left-on-left hitting. He even recalls leading the 2025 Baseball Champions League tournament in batting average, finishing ahead of eight-time MLB All-Star Robinson Canó. Finally, Croes emphasizes his belief in his identity as a "contact guy, gap to gap guy" and a commitment to being the "toughest out" in any league. He offers powerful advice to current DII players: never give up, stay true to your skills, and take your development, especially the weight room, seriously.

    28 min
  2. 2025-10-27

    Ep.64: Coaching for WAR: Chris Rodriguez on Instilling His New Mantra

    Want to be a part of a vibrant and growing community of baseball fans? Consider joining the D2 Baseball Patreon! patreon.com/diviibaseball In this episode of 2025 Coaching Changes Series, Robert talks with Chris Rodriguez, the new Head Baseball Coach at the University of Illinois Springfield (UIS). After serving as the pitching coach and recruiting coordinator, Rodriguez discusses his smooth transition and how established relationships with the team created a level of trust. Coach Rodriguez introduces the team's new mantra, "WAR", which stands for Work, Accountability, and Resilience. He draws on his diverse coaching background, which includes the Lithuanian National Team and the Arizona Diamondbacks organization, to share insights on development and analytics. He emphasizes the importance of player growth, citing former player Seth Masters as a testament to the program's long-term development philosophy, even in the age of instant gratification. Rodriguez details his program's focus on pitching and defense, proudly noting the program's history of high national defensive rankings and the advantage of having a full turf infield to maximize defensive practice, even during tough Midwest weather. He also touches on how discipline is taught through the inspirational story of David Eckstein, encouraging players to "earn every opportunity" and prepare for the moment. Above all, fans can expect a competitive bunch of "ball players" ready to get after it this spring.

    22 min

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Watch the D2 Baseball Podcast on YouTube and listen/watch here on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Follow on X and Instagram at @diviibaseball.

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