Kelly Mehrtens

With the 2024 MLB Draft in the books, let's take a look at how I would approach the process of evaluating and acquiring amateur talent for an organization. It isn't always enough to draft the best talent; you have to draft them with the understanding of how they fit in the organization, the cadence in which they arrive on the 40-man roster, and the logistics of your operations. Watch the video for more! #mlbdraft #mlb #baseball #logistics #operations #driveline #strategy

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Everything you need to know about the new RSPA (formerly USPTA), Poster Child For An Industry In Transition. https://lnkd.in/gE-PaHns

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The growth of Playfly continues.

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#30 New York Mets: The Top 3 Pitchers Drafted Since 2013 The Mets have shown improvement in 2024, but since 2013, their performance has been inconsistent. Prior to the start of the 2024 season, they ranked 14th in total wins, 5th in total days lost to pitcher injuries, and have relied on an astonishing 33 pitchers per season since 2021 to cover their workload. With elite talents like Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard, Matt Harvey, Zack Wheeler, and Steven Matz, the Mets were poised to have one of the most dominant rotations of the past decade. However, injuries shattered that potential, leaving a gap that top pitching prospects struggled to fill. The result? Persistent rotation instability and minimal contributions from their Top 3 draft picks since 2013, exposing deeper issues in player development and sustained pitching success. Injury Rate: 33% Of the 33 pitchers in this study, 11 have undergone surgery on their throwing arms, with an average time to surgery of just 196 innings. Notable surgeries include Anthony Kay (2016), Matt Allan (2019), and Calvin Ziegler (2021). Both Allan and Ziegler, drafted out of high school, required Tommy John surgery after logging fewer than 100 professional innings. MLB Pitchers: 3 Thomas Szapucki, David Peterson, and Eric Orze have each made at least one MLB appearance. Notably, Peterson has accounted for 98% of the 431 MLB innings pitched by the Mets' Top 3 draftees. Cost Efficiency – $/MLB IP: The Mets have spent nearly $70,000 per MLB inning pitched by their Top 3 pitchers, ranking second only to the Houston Astros in this regard. This includes nearly $10 million in signing bonuses for Justin Dunn, Anthony Kay, Simeon Woods Richardson, Josh Wolf, and Matt Allan, none of whom have thrown a single MLB inning for the Mets. While the Mets have actively traded away 12 of their top pitching prospects, the lack of returns on their investments highlights the ongoing struggles in producing and sustaining homegrown pitching talent.

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Some thoughts in our Quarterly Newsletter on the continued relevance of the Summer Olympics from a fan interest perspective, even prior to the recently concluded, superlative-filled Paris Games! 99% of sports/disciplines see a marked increase in interest during the Games and for 78% of the participating sports/disciplines, the Summer Games represent the pinnacle of interest in their sport! General Sports Worldwide #FanData #OlympicInsights #Paris2024 International Olympic Committee – IOC

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🤔Private Whatsapp Group for 🇺🇸 Youth Soccer Coaches, DOC's, College Recruitment Directors to help them with College Soccer Recruiting. I've been thinking for a while in setting up a private WhatsApp group for College Recruitment Directors, DOC's, coaches, at clubs across the USA to keep everyone updated with all things #CollegeSoccer offering advice, letting them know of what colleges are needing, and more. I get a lot of people private messaging me in these positions, but thought it would be a good idea to have a group. We (@SRUSA_Official) have our ears to the ground with all things College Soccer, and I know people in these positions are stretched for time, and its one of the most important pathways. If there's any interest, please comment below, and I'll gauge the interest before creating it.

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This partnership between #MajorLeagueBaseball and #Mastercard highlights the connection food has with baseball and sports overall, from traditional items like hot dogs, popcorn, ice cream, and peanuts to unique choices such as fried chicken donuts at #CitiField and the Mac Bat at #TropicanaField, a cone filled with Mac n Cheese. Utilizing the connection with culinary in your market can also bring the rewards of engaging both inside and outside your venue. Minor League Baseball and "Home Run Foods" Minor League Baseball (MiLB) partnered with local eateries to offer "Home Run Foods," delivering stadium favorites to fans' doorsteps. This initiative boosted fan engagement during the pandemic, achieving a 20% increase in merchandise sales tied to food orders. ECHL Inc. and "Fan Feast" The ECHL's "Fan Feast" program, launched in collaboration with regional food vendors, provided fans with team-branded meal kits. This initiative saw a 15% increase in online fan engagement and helped sustain local businesses. Local Quick Service Restaurant (#QSR) partnerships are crucial for community connections. They provide unique, regional flavors that resonate with local fans, enhancing the authenticity of the at-home experience. These collaborations also support local businesses, fostering community goodwill and creating a mutually beneficial relationship. ❇ Tips for Finding Local QSR Partners 1. Identify Popular Local Eateries: Look for restaurants with a strong local following or reflect the community. 2. Evaluate Brand Alignment: Ensure the QSR’s brand connects with your team’s values and fanbase preferences. 3. Leverage Existing Relationships: Utilize existing sponsorships or vendor relationships for potential partnerships. 4. Consider Logistics: Choose partners capable of handling high volumes and maintaining food quality during delivery. Building Community and Revenue Implementing these food delivery programs creates a strong community connection, and loyalty and generates new revenue streams. A simple, easy-to-activate idea is to collaborate with a popular local food provider to offer team-branded meals for delivery during home and away matches. This enhances the fan experience and supports local businesses, driving engagement and sales. Consider what your local culinary providers might offer your fans. #Sportsbiz #FanEngagment #Partnerships #Community #Baseball #Food #Concessions

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Grateful for the opportunity to participate in the NFLPA HBCU Symposium! 🏈✨ It was an enriching experience filled with valuable insights and knowledge. From networking with industry professionals to learning about the latest trends, I'm excited to apply what I've gained to my career journey. Huge thanks to the NFLPA and all involved for this incredible opportunity! #NFLPA #HBCU #ProfessionalDevelopment"

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On 10/1 in Sport Organizational Behavior, we had both Dr. Jeff Graham and Dr. Jasamine Hill join class to discuss their research pertaining to the sport workforce today and ways we sport organizations can retain top talent. #GSUSportAdmin #TheStateWay

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Interesting read

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The #Olympics mark the end of one quad and the start of the next. The next few months present a great opportunity for youth sports organizations to assess where they are and implement changes to elevate themselves to a different level over the next four years. In my latest #Substack post, I dip into some places where organizations might want to look for potential growth on the other side of the Olympic Reset. #OlympicReset #youthsports #Strategicplanning #Goalsetting #strengths #USASwimming #SportsStrategy #AthleteDevelopment #CoachingExcellence #QuadPlanning

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Before you go down the frozen pizza aisle, I would encourage you to watch the video below and consider Red Baron Pizza (Schwan's Company).

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This article sheds light on the stark reality of adults exploiting players and their parents to capitalize on their amateur success. The focus is to offer the opportunity to play in college or professional baseball while perpetuating a culture of fear of missing out if you don't participate. The revenues will continue to be funded by the mass herd of youth players participating in multiple events, all for a ranking and profile to platform you to the next event. What a cycle. Now, players can or have signed away their NIL rights for this organization to continue to scale while offering more tournaments and showcases all year round to a younger and younger player demographic. Renowned MLB agent Scott Boras said in the article, "There are many other facets of illustrating your skills where you don't need Perfect Game, and to give away rights that potentially could be of substantial value to you going forward," he said. "That is not the original intent of what this was, which was a fee-for-service. Now it's a fee-for-service, plus a loss of monumental rights for no remuneration to the player."  With the prevalent use of social media, the NCAA's move to pay players and NIL usage, the industry will continue to pressure parents and players to do anything possible to secure their players' opportunities to play at the next level. The best players rarely have to pay to participate, with their expenses often compensated for playing in large-scale or marquee tournaments. They frequently move from team to team and showcase to showcase, seldom competing within their local communities. The focus has shifted from team success to building their brand. Injuries will continue to rise, and Major League Baseball (MLB) will continue to inherit a generation of players who have spent most of their time focusing on what they need to do to boost themselves and less on the teams that can help them succeed. I really hope and would love to see MLB Playball, USA Baseball, and MLB Pipeline's platforms efficiently marketed and integrated inside more communities to help offset what is currently happening to amateur players on their journey. After all, many of these players who are paying for these tournaments, are all dreaming of playing MLB. Starting off playing in your community league with a pathway of opportunity for more players to play at higher levels shouldn't come with such a high price tag.

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Youth Sports Changes ...Forever Starting Today! At Sports Solutions LLC, we're on a mission to Re-Think youth sports. Specifically, we want to leverage the youth sports journey to lead remarkable lives. Please continue to support rec leagues, travel/club programs, and high school sports. But let's go a step above and beyond the ordinary journey. Let's identify opportunities to give our kids experiences and advantages they can build on when their playing days are over. We don't have all the answers, but we're charting our path to change youth sports forever. Let me know what you think. Below is a code that will give you no-cost access to our AthleticSOS.com software solution for any high school athletes you may know who are seeking athletic scholarship opportunities. I've also added a link to a video that gives a brief overview of the software. Go to: AthleticSOS.com Select: "Need to Enter A Code?" Enter Code: 24ASOS Complete Registration. Enjoy! AthleticSOS Overview for Individual Families https://lnkd.in/gp4FWhsM #parents #youthsports #sports #highschoolfootball #highschoolbasketball #nba #nfl #mlb #nhl #sportstech #sportsindustry #sportsexec

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Attention Athletic Directors, Coaches, Club Leaders, and Parents, In the competitive realm of sports, one crucial element often overlooked is the mindset of our athletes and our coaching approach. With my background as a former professional athlete and a strong advocate for unlocking untapped potential, I've witnessed firsthand how a champion's mindset can revolutionize not just individual careers but entire sports programs. Consider this reality: - Budgets are stretched thin, and travel demands have risen. - Abundant resources are available, but the challenge lies in making the right choices. - The intense pressure to perform exists, with the risk of losing young athletes at any moment. However, the key to surmounting these obstacles rests in empowering your athletes to master their mental game. Envision: ✅ Athletes radiating unwavering confidence and enduring resilience. ✅ Teams that attract sponsors, alumni backing, and community involvement due to their winning mentality both on and off the field. ✅ Programs that prosper financially by nurturing leaders who leave a lasting impact. Our all-encompassing athletic mindset program provides athletes, coaches, and parents with the essential mental tools for success, not only in sports but in life. It is scalable, proven, and adaptable, tailored to enhance programs of all scales. Let's connect. Reach out to me directly to arrange a discussion on how we can align with your vision for success.

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