On this episode of the D1 Daily, prompted by the recent loss of Skip Bertman and a discussion of coaching legacy, Burkie and Roons debate the college baseball “Mount Rushmore” of Rosenblatt-era coaches.

Burkie & Roons agree three picks are obvious—Rod Dedeaux (10 national titles at USC), Augie Garrido (five titles at Fullerton and Texas), and Bertman (five titles at LSU). But then, the pair has to sift through contenders for the fourth spot using College World Series wins, national titles, and broader impact. Candidates for the fourth and final spot include Ron Fraser, Cliff Gustafson, Mark Marquess, and Mike Martin (noted for 2,029 wins but no title), plus others like Jerry Kindell, Jim Brock, and Ray Tanner. Who's on your Mount Rushmore?

00:00 Welcome Back

00:04 Thank Your AstroTurf!

00:38 Mount Rushmore Setup

01:55 The Big Three Coaches

04:51 Era Context - Rosenblatt Rules

06:11 Contenders for Fourth Spot

08:07 Mike Martin and Sustained Greatness

12:02 Ron Fraser's Case

14:21 Pat Casey Sidebar Program Builder

20:08 Marquess Story and Debate

21:51 Final Picks and Wrap Up

24:19 Closing Notes and Next Week

For athletes and sports programs of all levels, AstroTurf has managed the entirety of the synthetic turf manufacturing process for decades. By focusing on quality, safety, and performance, AstroTurf continues to provide customized surfacing solutions for baseball and softball programs across the professional and collegiate ranks, including being the Official Synthetic Turf of MLB®. For more information, please visit https://astroturf.com/

Kerriston Coffee is proud to be the official coffee of D1Baseball. With over 30 years in the business, this family-owned roastery delivers fresh, small-batch coffee made for college baseball fans, coaches, and everyone in between. Kerriston Coffee ships nationwide, and as a listener to The D1Baseball Podcast, you can use code D1 at https://kerristoncoffee.com to receive 15% off your first order!

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See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On this episode of the D1 Daily, Burkie and Roons welcome Ben McDonald to reflect on the passing and legacy of legendary LSU coach Skip Bertman.

The conversation centers on Bertman’s recruiting power, teaching of fundamentals and pitching specifics, individualized motivation, and program-building vision that helped transform LSU and college baseball, including the early adoption of strength, mental skills, and fan-experience initiatives. McDonald shares a final hospital visit with Bertman, plus a defining “tough love” story involving Mark LaRosa that illustrates Bertman’s methods and competitive edge.

00:00 Welcome Back!

00:19 Welcome to The D1 Daily, Ben McDonald!

00:53 Youth Baseball Stories From Ben

05:08 Remembering Skip Bertman

07:13 Being Recruited by Skip

09:52 Skip: The Teacher and Motivator

15:51 Skip’s Vision Changed College Baseball

18:36 What Made Skip a Closer

21:10 Skip Sees It Coming

23:17 Clean Baseball Fundamentals

24:17 Life Lessons Beyond LSU

27:37 Ahead Of The Game - Weightlifting

28:47 A True Five-Tool Coach

30:32 Gold Touch As An Athletic Director

31:38 One More Fun (Clean) Story

37:26 Final Wrap

For athletes and sports programs of all levels, AstroTurf has managed the entirety of the synthetic turf manufacturing process for decades. By focusing on quality, safety, and performance, AstroTurf continues to provide customized surfacing solutions for baseball and softball programs across the professional and collegiate ranks, including being the Official Synthetic Turf of MLB®. For more information, please visit https://astroturf.com/

Kerriston Coffee is proud to be the official coffee of D1Baseball. With over 30 years in the business, this family-owned roastery delivers fresh, small-batch coffee made for college baseball fans, coaches, and everyone in between. Kerriston Coffee ships nationwide, and as a listener to The D1Baseball Podcast, you can use code D1 at https://kerristoncoffee.com to receive 15% off your first order!

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Is your favorite team in the SEC? Make sure to check out our Highway To Hoover podcast with Joe Healy and Mark Etheridge on Apple Podcasts: https://d1ba.se/h2h-apple or Spotify: https://d1ba.se/41nyqSv

Or maybe you're a fan of ACC baseball? Then you need to check out the ACC Baseball Etc. podcast with Daron Vaught and Bradley Smart on Apple Podcasts: https://d1ba.se/etc-apple or Spotify: https://d1ba.se/4tBUuF9

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Mike Rooney is joined by Prep Baseball vice president of scouting Shooter Hunt to discuss which draft-eligible high school players actually make it to college amid NIL and transfer-portal volatility. They talk about why projecting freshman impact is harder than ever, how scouting and opponent “reports” now resemble pro ball, and why opportunity matters as much as talent.

After reviewing some hits and misses from last year’s freshman projections, Hunt names five potential immediate-impact newcomers: Oregon State's Blake Bowen, South Carolina's Ethan Bass, Vanderbilt's Gunnar Skelton, Clemson's Chase Kiker, and Vanderbilt's James Tronstein. They also cover Duke’s James Clark and Stanford's Archer Horn, then highlight strong incoming classes and key names at Tennessee, LSU, Mississippi State, Kentucky, Troy, and Stanford.

00:00 Welcome Back!

00:09 Introducing Shooter Hunt

00:58 On Campus List Explained

01:45 Why Freshmen Struggle Now

03:02 Scouting Arms Race in College

04:39 Last Year Hits and Misses

09:51 Five Impact Freshmen Picks

10:14 Blake Bowen - Oregon State

13:20 Ethan Bass - South Carolina

15:14 Gunner Skelton - Vanderbilt

17:35 Chase Kiker - Clemson

19:41 James Tronstein - Vanderbilt

21:38 James Clark - Duke

23:35 Archer Horn - Stanford

24:31 Stanford Lineup Pressure

26:35 Teddy Tokheim's (Stanford) Backstory

27:33 Tennessee's Impact Freshmen

29:49 LSU "Revenge Tour" Freshman Class

33:26 Mississippi State's Mega Arms

35:25 Kentucky's Two-Way Stars

37:39 Troy And Stanford Adds

40:16 Wrap Up And Next Shows

Kerriston Coffee is proud to be the official coffee of D1Baseball. With over 30 years in the business, this family-owned roastery delivers fresh, small-batch coffee made for college baseball fans, coaches, and everyone in between. Kerriston Coffee ships nationwide, and as a listener to The D1Baseball Podcast, you can use code D1 at https://kerristoncoffee.com to receive 15% off your first order!

SUBSCRIBE

Apple: https://d1ba.se/Pod-Apple

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Is your favorite team in the SEC? Make sure to check out our Highway To Hoover podcast with Joe Healy and Mark Etheridge on Apple Podcasts: https://d1ba.se/h2h-apple or Spotify: https://d1ba.se/41nyqSv

Or maybe you're a fan of ACC baseball? Then you need to check out the ACC Baseball Etc. podcast with Daron Vaught and Bradley Smart on Apple Podcasts: https://d1ba.se/etc-apple or Spotify: https://d1ba.se/4tBUuF9

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On this episode of the D1 Daily, Burkie and Roons break down college baseball's biggest offseason winners. Using Kendall Rogers' offseason recap as a guide, they evaluate which programs are best positioned for 2027 after balancing roster retention, transfer portal additions and incoming recruiting classes.

The duo discusses why LSU and Tennessee set the standard this summer, how Oklahoma continues to defy expectations under Skip Johnson and why Kentucky, Oklahoma State, Clemson, Southern California and Texas A&M all have compelling cases as offseason winners despite different roster outlooks.

They also share why Mississippi State deserves to be in the conversation, examine the importance of keeping draft-eligible stars on campus and explain why the end of the signing period marks the true beginning of college baseball's "pre-fake season" as optimism shifts toward fall practice and the 2027 campaign.

00:00 Welcome and Sponsor

01:05 Who Won the Offseason?

01:58 LSU Revenge Tour

05:25 USC Staff and Arms

06:38 Big Ten West Outlook

08:01 Oklahoma Hard to Read

10:42 Kentucky Program Paradox

13:54 Oklahoma State and Clemson

18:20 Texas A&M and Tennessee Reload

19:39 Vols Transfers Deep Dive

24:21 Mississippi State Stock Up

25:49 Pre-Fake Season, Wrap

For athletes and sports programs of all levels, AstroTurf has managed the entirety of the synthetic turf manufacturing process for decades. By focusing on quality, safety, and performance, AstroTurf continues to provide customized surfacing solutions for baseball and softball programs across the professional and collegiate ranks, including being the Official Synthetic Turf of MLB®. For more information, please visit https://astroturf.com/

Kerriston Coffee is proud to be the official coffee of D1Baseball. With over 30 years in the business, this family-owned roastery delivers fresh, small-batch coffee made for college baseball fans, coaches, and everyone in between. Kerriston Coffee ships nationwide, and as a listener to The D1Baseball Podcast, you can use code D1 at https://kerristoncoffee.com to receive 15% off your first order!

SUBSCRIBE

Apple: https://d1ba.se/Pod-Apple

Spotify: https://d1ba.se/40Ne9Dq

YouTube: https://d1ba.se/yt-sub

Is your favorite team in the SEC? Make sure to check out our Highway To Hoover podcast with Joe Healy and Mark Etheridge on Apple Podcasts: https://d1ba.se/h2h-apple or Spotify: https://d1ba.se/41nyqSv

Or maybe you're a fan of ACC baseball? Then you need to check out the ACC Baseball Etc. podcast with Daron Vaught and Bradley Smart on Apple Podcasts: https://d1ba.se/etc-apple or Spotify: https://d1ba.se/4tBUuF9

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On this episode of the D1 Daily, Burkie and Roons discuss how college coaches can help hitters with chase and in-zone contact challenges, especially as more talented power hitters slip through the draft due to swing-and-miss concerns.

The duo explores why some high-strikeout hitters are still worth betting on, using examples like Jac Caglianone, Vance Honeycutt and Tague Davis, and breaks down the difference between improving chase decisions and improving contact ability. They discuss how training tools, better swing decisions and count-specific approaches can help hitters maximize their offensive impact.

Burkie and Roons also debate the evolving role of coaching in college baseball, including how much information coaches should provide hitters before and during at-bats. They examine the balance between helping players win at the college level while still developing the skills needed for professional baseball, and explain why conviction might be the biggest key for hitters trying to improve.

00:00 Welcome Back, Update

07:06 Draft Trend Strikeouts

10:18 Fixing Chase First

13:40 Hand-Eye and Training

15:59 Called Takes, Joy Sticking

21:53 Approach vs High Fastballs

27:43 Conviction and Wrap-up

For athletes and sports programs of all levels, AstroTurf has managed the entirety of the synthetic turf manufacturing process for decades. By focusing on quality, safety, and performance, AstroTurf continues to provide customized surfacing solutions for baseball and softball programs across the professional and collegiate ranks, including being the Official Synthetic Turf of MLB®. For more information, please visit https://astroturf.com/

Kerriston Coffee is proud to be the official coffee of D1Baseball. With over 30 years in the business, this family-owned roastery delivers fresh, small-batch coffee made for college baseball fans, coaches, and everyone in between. Kerriston Coffee ships nationwide, and as a listener to The D1Baseball Podcast, you can use code D1 at https://kerristoncoffee.com to receive 15% off your first order!

SUBSCRIBE

Apple: https://d1ba.se/Pod-Apple

Spotify: https://d1ba.se/40Ne9Dq

YouTube: https://d1ba.se/yt-sub

Is your favorite team in the SEC? Make sure to check out our Highway To Hoover podcast with Joe Healy and Mark Etheridge on Apple Podcasts: https://d1ba.se/h2h-apple or Spotify: https://d1ba.se/41nyqSv

Or maybe you're a fan of ACC baseball? Then you need to check out the ACC Baseball Etc. podcast with Daron Vaught and Bradley Smart on Apple Podcasts: https://d1ba.se/etc-apple or Spotify: https://d1ba.se/4tBUuF9

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On this episode of the D1 Daily, Burkie and Roons run back Part 2 on the top 2027 draft-eligible hitters. They dig into Brodie Johnston’s year-over-year improvement at Vanderbilt, Trent Grindlinger’s standout contact and barrel metrics and the importance of proving he can catch, and why Jimmy Janicki’s big-stage performance could keep him in top-15 territory.

The conversation also covers Nate Savoie’s track record and power indicators heading into SEC play, Adrian “A-Rod” Rodriguez’s massive postseason surge and shortstop outlook, Bino Watters as a wait-and-see power bet at LSU, and Stanford’s Teddy Tokheim’s elite zone-contact profile.

00:00 Welcome Back!

00:04 Thank You AstroTurf!

00:35 Hitters Part Two Setup

01:23 Next Tier Names

02:11 The Key Metrics For Top 20 Picks

03:56 Brodie Johnston (Vanderbilt)

05:25 Trent Grindlinger (Tennessee)

07:58 Jimmy Janicki (Troy)

09:28 Nate Savoie (Clemson -> Texas A&M)

11:17 Adrian Rodriguez (Texas)

15:28 Bino Watters (Notre Dame -> LSU)

18:44 Teddy Tokheim (Stanford)

21:22 Wrap Up

D1Baseball's MLB Draft coverage is presented by MAI Capital. If you are a player (or parent) navigating NIL, the draft, or your first contract, MAI Capital can help. MAI has spent over 50 years cultivating deep relationships with a network of successful athletes and performers — helping them simplify and manage the complex challenges they face across different stages of their careers. A quick conversation can help you gain clarity on your next financial decision, identify costly mistakes early, and understand what you should be doing now. Get real guidance from advisors who've worked with over 110 first-round picks. https://d1ba.se/MAI

D1Baseball is proud to partner with MAI Capital to provide college baseball players with real financial guidance.

For athletes and sports programs of all levels, AstroTurf has managed the entirety of the synthetic turf manufacturing process for decades. By focusing on quality, safety, and performance, AstroTurf continues to provide customized surfacing solutions for baseball and softball programs across the professional and collegiate ranks, including being the Official Synthetic Turf of MLB®. For more information, please visit https://astroturf.com/

Kerriston Coffee is proud to be the official coffee of D1Baseball. With over 30 years in the business, this family-owned roastery delivers fresh, small-batch coffee made for college baseball fans, coaches, and everyone in between. Kerriston Coffee ships nationwide, and as a listener to The D1Baseball Podcast, you can use code D1 at https://kerristoncoffee.com to receive 15% off your first order!

SUBSCRIBE

Apple: https://d1ba.se/Pod-Apple

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On this episode of the D1 Daily, Burkie and Roons discuss the top pitching prospects in the 2027 MLB Draft.

They start the episode, however, by recapping Burkie’s weekend at the Prep Baseball Futures Games in Atlanta, noting how turf at LakePoint helped games resume quickly after weather delays and describing the varied coach “vibes” and challenges of evaluating players in showcase settings. They discuss how modern roster limits and nonstop portal/combine recruiting force programs to prioritize only a few targets, and how recruiting remains unstable even after commitments.

The episode then shifts to 2027 draft-eligible college arms, with Dax Whitney (Oregon State), Tomas Valincius (Mississippi State), and Chris Levonas (Wake Forest) as a clear top tier, using chase rate, fastball miss %, breaking ball miss %, and in-zone whiff to separate their profiles. They debate ceilings—Whitney as potential ace despite Tommy John, Levonas as higher-volatility upside, and Valincius as a safer mid-rotation type—and preview a deep next group while flagging Oregon’s Will Sanford as a breakout candidate.

00:00 Summer Daily Kickoff

00:15 AstroTurf Sponsor Shoutout

00:29 Thank You AstroTurf!

01:39 Recruiting Grind At Prep Baseball Futures Games

04:08 Parent Perspective At Recruiting Events

05:01 How Evaluators Really Decide

06:37 Roster Limits Change Recruiting

08:57 2027 Draft Class Pitchers: Tier One

10:59 Tier One Pitcher Comps

13:00 Dax Whitney: Unicorn?

15:06 Nerd Stats And Whiff Rates

23:51 Next Tier Of Arms To Watch

26:28 Will Sanford: Sleeper Pick?

28:59 Wrap Up

For athletes and sports programs of all levels, AstroTurf has managed the entirety of the synthetic turf manufacturing process for decades. By focusing on quality, safety, and performance, AstroTurf continues to provide customized surfacing solutions for baseball and softball programs across the professional and collegiate ranks, including being the Official Synthetic Turf of MLB®. For more information, please visit https://astroturf.com/

Kerriston Coffee is proud to be the official coffee of D1Baseball. With over 30 years in the business, this family-owned roastery delivers fresh, small-batch coffee made for college baseball fans, coaches, and everyone in between. Kerriston Coffee ships nationwide, and as a listener to The D1Baseball Podcast, you can use code D1 at https://kerristoncoffee.com to receive 15% off your first order!

SUBSCRIBE

Apple: https://d1ba.se/Pod-Apple

Spotify: https://d1ba.se/40Ne9Dq

YouTube: https://d1ba.se/yt-sub

Is your favorite team in the SEC? Make sure to check out our Highway To Hoover podcast with Joe Healy and Mark Etheridge on Apple Podcasts: https://d1ba.se/h2h-apple or Spotify: https://d1ba.se/41nyqSv

Or maybe you're a fan of ACC baseball? Then you need to check out the ACC Baseball Etc. podcast with Daron Vaught and Bradley Smart on Apple Podcasts: https://d1ba.se/etc-apple or Spotify: https://d1ba.se/4tBUuF9

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On this episode of the D1 Daily, Burkie and Roons discuss early 2027 draft outlooks, focusing on a standout group of sophomore (rising junior) hitters. They start with Brendan Lawson’s combination of power and strike-zone control, debate his long-term defensive home, and note improved defense late in the year, contrasting traditional stats with underlying data.

They cover Landon Hairston’s elite at-bats and top-10 potential despite a smaller left-field profile, then break down West Virginia’s Gavin Kelly as a rapidly improving bat with emerging power and possible catcher/second-base versatility.

The conversation highlights Chase Fralick’s case to stay at catcher, left-handed impact, elite in-zone contact, and below-average chase.

They close on Tague Davis’s massive home-run production, strong first-base defense, elite barrel rate, and the draft risk created by high chase and low in-zone contact, before tabling pitchers for a future episode.

00:00 Welcome and Thank You AstroTurf!

00:47 2027 Draft Prospects

01:19 Florida's Brendan Lawson

05:51 Arizona State's Landon Hairston

06:50 West Virginia's Gavin Kelly

09:24 Auburn's Chase Fralick

12:36 Louisville's Tague Davis

19:56 Wrap Up and Next Episode(s)

For athletes and sports programs of all levels, AstroTurf has managed the entirety of the synthetic turf manufacturing process for decades. By focusing on quality, safety, and performance, AstroTurf continues to provide customized surfacing solutions for baseball and softball programs across the professional and collegiate ranks, including being the Official Synthetic Turf of MLB®. For more information, please visit https://astroturf.com/

Kerriston Coffee is proud to be the official coffee of D1Baseball. With over 30 years in the business, this family-owned roastery delivers fresh, small-batch coffee made for college baseball fans, coaches, and everyone in between. Kerriston Coffee ships nationwide, and as a listener to The D1Baseball Podcast, you can use code D1 at https://kerristoncoffee.com to receive 15% off your first order!

SUBSCRIBE

Apple: https://d1ba.se/Pod-Apple

Spotify: https://d1ba.se/40Ne9Dq

YouTube: https://d1ba.se/yt-sub

Is your favorite team in the SEC? Make sure to check out our Highway To Hoover podcast with Joe Healy and Mark Etheridge on Apple Podcasts: https://d1ba.se/h2h-apple or Spotify: https://d1ba.se/41nyqSv

Or maybe you're a fan of ACC baseball? Then you need to check out the ACC Baseball Etc. podcast with Daron Vaught and Bradley Smart on Apple Podcasts: https://d1ba.se/etc-apple or Spotify: https://d1ba.se/4tBUuF9

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.