LSU's Coach Cain on What Makes Players Successful | Travis Chick, Will McGuffey | MLB Draft Series #13

We continue our MLB Draft Podcast with another installment of our College Coaching Series as we sit down with Louisiana State University Recruiting Coordinator Nolan Cain. In this episode, Coach Cain sharesexperiences and stories as both a player and coach at LSU and in professional baseball, as well as other advice gleaned from teammates and players that he has coached. 

His journey from winning the College World Series as a player in 2009 to today as the Recruiting Coordinator at his alma mater gives him great insight into the realities of the day-to-day life and thought processes of individuals that have been successful both on and off the field. Coach Cain gives a fascinating look into several topics including the effects of Covid on their roster, why having a plan off the field frees you up as a player on the field, what a network is and why it matters, and how technology is constantly changing and shaping the game. 

Having a cohesive plan that was formulated through education and preparation off the field has shown to be advantageous for players during both their college and professional careers. Coach Cain’s insider perspective continues to shed light on the importance of preparing yourself well in advance of the MLB Draft and surrounding yourself with the right people who can provide you the right information to make sure that you are making the best possible decision when it comes to choosing between attending college or pursuing professional baseball immediately out of college.

AWM Capital's Will McGuffey and Travis Chick interview Coach Cain and cover topics and questions like: 

(1:00) Navigating how CoVid has impacted the MLB Draft and college roster construction.(4:58) How to keep players focused on today and the pressures that players face.(8:10) How to handle expectations and the perspective of players facing important decisions during their journey as a college player.(12:10) Why having a plan and educating and preparing yourself off the field is important for players to be able to have success on the field.(17:55) The negative impact of making an emotionally based business decision.(20:00) How playing freely with little pressure can change your perspective and outcomes on and off the field.(22:15) Market Value v. My Value…what is it?(24:50) If you aren’t getting financial advice from someone in the sports world that understands your contracts and career, you aren’t getting the whole picture when making a life changing decision.(26:28) Why is my network important and how does a college impact my network?(30:15) Philosophies surrounding the MLB Draft and a different perspective on how to look at your career.(33:30) Technology in baseball and how it has changed the way players are developed.(40:20) The collaboration between MLB and NCAA Baseball, and how the two actually work together.(45:00) Social media, perspective on who you are, and why every path is different.