Jordan Gates is the Midwest Crosschecker for Perfect Game, covering key recruiting hotbeds across Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Illinois, and Michigan. His role puts him on the front lines of amateur baseball—evaluating players, building reports, and identifying both top-tier prospects and under-the-radar talent.

Gates began his journey with Perfect Game as an intern in the Ohio Valley, working events while also gaining hands-on experience inside a training facility environment. He later moved into a full-time role as a Southeast Tournament Director, where he built relationships with players, coaches, and organizations while getting exposure to high-level competition across the region.

After a stint working with the Cincinnati Reds organization, Gates returned to Perfect Game in a full-time scouting capacity. Known for his detailed evaluations and balanced perspective on projection vs. performance, he combines in-game observation, video analysis, and industry collaboration to assess players at every level.

His work emphasizes not just tools, but how those tools translate into real game performance—making him a trusted voice in the evolving landscape of player development and recruiting.

• "Projection is a fickle game."
• "Most overrated stat is batting average."
• "Deception in pitch tunneling is a key trait."

Chapters

00:00 Jordan Gates: Journey to Scouting

04:48 A Day in the Life of a Scout

09:59 The Art of Scouting: Finding Hidden Gems

14:43 Evaluating Players: The Perfect Game Scale

21:53 Showcase Insights: Maximizing Opportunities

36:36 Understanding Arm Injuries in Young Athletes

42:39 The Impact of Mental Health on Performance

47:30 Spotlight on Rising Baseball Talents

54:16 Evaluating Player Metrics and Traits

Resources

• Perfect Game Official Website
• Jordan Gates on Twitter/X

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, I sit down with Tyler Rubasky, first-year head coach at Anderson University, a D3 program in Indiana with a rich baseball history, including three D3 World Series appearances. We dig into:

• What it's actually like transitioning from assistant to head coach, and what he misses most
• Why he believes D3 baseball is the purest form of the game right now
• His approach to playing time transparency and keeping an open door
• The mental performance program that's changing how his players handle failure and pressure
• Why Anderson doesn't run a 60-yard dash, and what they measure instead
• Why Anderson baseball is "data supportive, not data driven"

Follow Tyler Rubasky and Anderson University baseball on X:

Tyler Rubasky: @tyrub3

Anderson University baseball: @AURavensBSB

Connect with Patrick Jones Baseball:

On X: @pjonesbaseball

📬 Sign up for the Recruiting Times, my weekly baseball recruiting newsletter – Get insights on college recruiting, player spotlights, and advice for parents and coaches.

https://www.patrickjonesbaseball.com/blog

⚾ Need help with college recruiting? – We help serious baseball players get recruited. Book a 1-on-1 consult.

https://www.patrickjonesbaseball.com/recruiting

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, I sit down with Jonathan Estes, assistant coach at Weatherford College, one of the top junior college baseball programs in the country.

Jonathan grew up in a town of 648 people in Arkansas, graduated in a class of 50, and worked his way through multiple small college stops before joining Weatherford this year. We dig into:

• How he structures batting practice to challenge hitters
• What he's looking for when he shows up to watch a high school player
• How fine the line really is between a junior college freshman and a Division I freshman.
• The sliding scale for pitching recruits
• Why making a JUCO roster isn't the same as playing
• What usually separates guys who succeed after transferring to a D1 from guys who struggle

We wrap up with the most important advice he'd give any high school player going through the recruiting process right now: Love the game.

Follow Jonathan Estes and Weatherford baseball on X:

Jonathan Estes: @estesthethird

Weatherford baseball: @WCoyoteBaseball

Connect with Patrick Jones Baseball:

On X: @pjonesbaseball

📬 Sign up for the Recruiting Times, my weekly baseball recruiting newsletter – Get insights on college recruiting, player spotlights, and advice for parents and coaches.

https://www.patrickjonesbaseball.com/blog

⚾ Need help with college recruiting? – We help serious baseball players get recruited. Book a 1-on-1 consult.

https://www.patrickjonesbaseball.com/recruiting

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.