Proof Our Process Works
Our members consist of the #1 ranked high school position players at multiple grad years across the nation, 8 different Cape Cod rostered players, several athletes invited to the MLB Combine, and dozens of athletes who have gone through testing and are currently rostered in MLB organizations.
Our process works for them, and it can work for you too if you are ready to step up to the plate and put in the work.
What’s Involved In Each Stage
Get insight into what you can expect from your coaching at Brain & Barrel.
P.S. As B&B paying clients, MLB-certified agents can (and often do) fly in their players to take advantage of our testing and designing segments. This allows them to see the results of their current game and receive an action plan for improvement, even if they can't stick around for the 8-week development program.
STAGE 1: TESTING
We begin by testing your swing, approach, and everything in-between with a proprietary algorithm that helps define the true value of each hit. Brain & Barrel has developed our own statistic, xVC, that can decipher real results based on actual happenings in the MLB.
xVC was created by gathering every single hit in the MLB since 2016, the Exit Velocities, Launch Angles, Hit Direction, and the corresponding (IN-GAME) result. We then considered the amount of each result based on the percentage of hits, outs, singles, doubles, triples, and home runs for that corresponding combination of EV, LA, and Direction.
By testing your hitting skills with xVC, we build out game-style profiles to maximize your personal ability to hit balls. Once profiled, we run a gauntlet of hitting-skill-specific mini-tests, such as:
- Pitch recognition
- Zone recognition
- Reaction timing
- Handling velocities
- Pitcher spin rates
- Breaking balls
- Arm angles
This thorough analysis gives us a detailed picture of what you do well, what to work on, and what could be altered in order to transform a potential untapped asset into a productive piece of your game.
STAGE 2: DESIGNING
Once we’ve completed testing your skills and analyzing the results, we will start crafting a blueprint for a custom development program. Your personal baseball development program will be based on three factors:
- Which skills should be a significant part of why high-level coaches will recruit you
- Which skills are lacking and should be polished to perform at the highest levels
- Which skills are your strongest and how you can lean into that aspect of your game
Our designing phase has worked for professional athletes who want to be ready to shine and get a leg up on their competition when Spring Training starts, while others are simply playing catch-up.
Many hitters are surprised that they struggle at specific exit velocities or can’t handle certain spin rates that they otherwise would have never known about. Designing a custom program can not only highlight areas for improvement but can also lay a foundation to get MLB-worthy results.
STAGE 3: DEVELOPING
Based on the test results and custom plan from stage one and stage two, you will spend the next 8 weeks training with one of Brain & Barrel's top baseball trainers who were taught their methodology by the master himself, Dan Hennigan.
Training under Dan's methods for 8 weeks will focus on what you need to perfect so that you are the best possible version of yourself, as well as focus on what aspects need ironing out before being exposed to the best pitching and defenses you can face.
Dan has worked with HR Derby participants, All-Stars, World Series winners, College All-Americans, and some of the highest-ranked High School athletes in the country. His hitting development program works because of its customized, logical planning and game-style training—plus, it inspires each athlete to put in the sweat to make it work.
STAGE 4: RETESTING
After 8 weeks of disciplined purpose-driven training, we retest the exact same stats to see where the rubber meets the road. Running our tests again gives you a certifiable, data-backed understanding of how much your hard work has paid off, but it also holds you and the Brain & Barrel team accountable for achieving our goals.
Retesting also serves as the starting point for our next 8-week training round. We take your updated tests, progress, and stats to refine our game plan and continue sharpening your game until you achieve your dream baseball goals.