Blue Jays' C.J. Ebarb on Preparing for the Draft | Will McGuffey, Travis Chick | MLB Draft Series #14

We continue our MLB Draft Podcast series as we sit down with the Toronto Blue Jays Midwest Crosschecker C.J. Ebarb. In this episode, C.J. pulls back the curtain to give players and their families valuable insight on the scouting process through the eyes of an MLB organization leading up to the MLB Draft, as well as what makes players successful once they are in professional baseball.

With so much information about mock drafts and rankings available through the internet and social media, it is sometimes hard to manage everything without being overwhelmed. C.J.’s insight into the evaluation process that an MLB organization goes through before the draft is invaluable and lends perspective on what is important, and how to take a step back and drown out the noise during the year before the draft. We also discuss how education and surrounding yourself with the right support systems before the draft and in professional baseball have helped similarly situated players be successful in their careers.

Passion, work ethic, and skill are all important attributes that MLB teams want to see and feel comfortable with before drafting a player. Throughout this podcast, C.J. talks about the importance of these characteristics, how they can ultimately positively impact the way that a team values a player in the draft enough to invest in them, as well as how these same attributes help a player achieve their full potential. 

Episode Highlights

(2:30) Mock Drafts – What do they mean and do they actually impact where you will be drafted?(3:54) Who are the different scouts that will come watch me from an MLB organization?(5:37) What is the importance of the summer before your draft year?(6:30) Is there an organizational philosophy on a certain type of player that you look for?(8:30) Do MLB organizations think it hurts a player’s leverage to hire a financial team before the draft?(11:30) In-home meetings with teams and the education process for a player - learning that baseball is a business and preparing yourself for it.(14:25) Traits that show a team that a player is ready to handle the rigors of professional baseball.(17:45) Is velocity the most important thing that MLB teams look at and should that be your main focus?(21:45) The pressures that players face during the draft process from MLB teams, friends, and social media, and how to handle this.(23:05) What makes a player have a successful transition to professional baseball?(27:00) How MLB teams are helping develop their players in different ways to handle the workload more efficiently.(30:55 Health is opportunity – Why and how you should invest in yourself on and off the field.(35:08) Can my agent help me get drafted higher?(37:40) Enjoy the process – Finding perspective in the last few months before the draft.