From MLB Draft To Baseball YouTuber: Aiden McIntyre’s Journey Beyond the Game
Baseball is at the center of this episode of The Slide Podcast. Aiden joins Coach Aaron, Mikey Barrels, and Brian to share his journey through the game.
Aiden played baseball from a young age. He later played college baseball and was drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the 22nd round of the MLB Draft.
However, his path to professional baseball was not typical. Aiden played several positions before becoming a pitcher in college. Over time, he developed his velocity and eventually reached 97 MPH.
Life in Minor League Baseball
Aiden gives The Slide Podcast an honest look at professional baseball. He explains what life was really like in the minor leagues.
He talks about long seasons, constant travel, housing, food, and the financial challenges players can face. In addition, he explains how players move through the different levels of professional baseball.
Aiden also shares what it felt like to join the Oakland A’s after being drafted. Most importantly, he explains how much work is still required after hearing your name called in the MLB Draft.
Developing Young Baseball Players
The conversation then turns to youth baseball development. Aiden shares advice for young players who dream of playing college or professional baseball.
He talks about hard work versus talent. He also discusses velocity and why young players should not rush their development.
For example, Aiden explains that being great at 12 or 13 does not guarantee a college scholarship. Instead, young players should focus on getting better each day.
At the same time, players need to give their bodies time to grow. Aiden believes that development takes time. Because of this, young athletes should not feel pressured to reach a certain velocity at an early age.
Keeping Baseball Fun
Another major topic is the pressure young athletes face today.
Aiden explains why taking breaks can be healthy. He also talks about playing other sports and avoiding early specialization.
Most importantly, he believes young players should continue to enjoy the game. Baseball can be difficult, so loving the game can help players handle failure and keep going.
From Professional Player to Baseball YouTuber
Aiden’s baseball journey eventually took him in a new direction. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he started creating YouTube content.
Since then, he has built a career as a baseball YouTuber and content creator. His goal is to stay connected to baseball while helping grow the love of the game for the next generation.
Ultimately, this episode is about much more than professional baseball. It is about development, hard work, patience, pressure, and finding a way to keep baseball fun.
Listen to Season 5, Episode 23 of The Slide Podcast for Aiden McIntyre’s story and his advice for the next generation of baseball players.