Building Princeton Baseball — New Head Coach Ryan Forrest on Recruiting, Pitching & Analytics | Ep. 182

Before Ryan Forrest was named the 17th head coach in Princeton Baseball's 127 year history, he was building Boston College into an NCAA Tournament program and coaching Paul Skenes — the number one overall pick and 2025 Cy Young Award winner — at Air Force. Now he is bringing that experience, that pitching knowledge, and that recruiting philosophy to one of the most prestigious academic institutions in the world. In this episode of Dugout Dish, Andy and Keith sit down with Coach Forrest to talk about his coaching journey, how Princeton finds and recruits the right players, and how he thinks about pitching development in the modern game.

What we cover:

Coach Forrest's coaching journey — from Maine and Millersville to Air Force, Boston College, and now Princeton — and what each stop taught him about building winning programs

How coaching Paul Skenes at Air Force and building Boston College into a 37 win NCAA Tournament program shaped his philosophy as a head coach

What it means to take over one of college baseball's most storied programs as only the 17th head coach in Princeton's 127 year history

How Princeton identifies and finds the players that fit their program — what the recruiting process looks like for a program that demands excellence in the classroom and on the field

The specific type of player Coach Forrest is looking for when he recruits — athletically, academically, and from a character standpoint

What he is most excited about as he enters his first season as a D1 head coach with his own program and his own staff

How he uses data and analytics to evaluate, recruit, and develop pitchers at the college level and what the numbers actually tell him about a pitcher's potential

How he marries the analytical side of pitching with the compete factor he demands from every pitcher in his program — and why both matter equally

What he expects from Princeton baseball heading into the spring season and the vision he has for the program going forward

His direct and honest advice for the families going through the college baseball recruiting process right now