Adam Eaton was 5-foot-9, a 19th-round draft pick and, by his own admission, never a big-time prospect. He still found a way to play 10 years in the Major Leagues and win a World Series.

And his message to baseball parents is one I wish more people heard early: “It is not a talent contest.”

Adam joins me on Chasing Baseball Dreams to talk about what actually helped him beat the odds, what he learned working with college players at Michigan State, and what he now sees every day as the first base coach for the Los Angeles Angels.

We get into why parents put way too much importance on early success, why he believes kids need to play multiple sports, what coaches notice when a player goes 0-for-4, and why learning how to fail may be one of the most important skills a young player can develop.

Adam also shares what he’s learned being around players like Shohei Ohtani, Juan Soto and Mike Trout, why young players need to actually watch and study baseball, and the advice he gives parents of 10-year-olds:

“Your only job as a parent is to make sure he signs up next year.”

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Adam Eaton joins Chasing Baseball Dreams
02:10 What actually matters for the undersized young player
04:47 Why Adam played multiple sports growing up
08:49 Why young players should play different positions
14:14 “Baseball is not a talent contest”
16:58 The best players Adam ever played with
19:06 What separates Shohei Ohtani and Juan Soto
21:18 What coaches notice when your son goes 0-for-4
25:52 Being a great teammate when the bat isn’t working
29:23 Turning failure into better work
31:11 The toughest pitchers Adam ever faced
33:58 Why bunting is making a comeback
38:26 Why young players need to watch more baseball
40:12 What Kirk Gibson taught Adam from the bench
45:18 How parents should handle injuries and setbacks
48:44 Why kids need to become athletes first
52:45 What Mike Trout does differently
55:29 In & Out with Adam Eaton
55:48 Adam’s advice for parents of 10-year-olds
56:40 What parents value too much in youth baseball
57:24 The one thing every player needs to learn
58:17 Could Adam Eaton become an MLB manager?
1:01:11 Adam’s favorite baseball memories
1:05:04 Adam’s favorite baseball movie
1:06:52 Adam’s message directly to baseball parents