On this episode of Research Rundown, a series from Inside Athletic Training, Philadelphia Phillies' Paul Buchheit is joined by Nick Jensen of the Milwaukee Brewers to examine how pitch tracking data is being used to identify potential warning signs associated with acute UCL injuries in MLB pitchers.

The guys break down how changes in velocity, movement profiles, and pitch characteristics may relate to injury risk, what trends are actually meaningful, and how this information can be applied in real-world settings. Jensen also shares insight into the current limitations of this approach and how athletic trainers and medical staffs can balance data with clinical judgment.

To review the study, click here: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41588808/

For more information about PBATS and athletic training, visit pbats.com.

In this episode of Inside Athletic Training, we’re joined by Kevin Pillifant, Minor League Medical Coordinator for the Chicago White Sox. In his role, Pillifant helps oversee the coordination of medical care across the organization’s minor league system, working with athletic trainers, performance staff, and medical providers throughout player development.

We also explore Pillifant’s unique career path through sports medicine, including experiences working internationally, involvement around Olympic sport, the PGA Tour, and serving as an NFL concussion spotter. These stops along the way helped shape his perspective on emergency care, athlete safety, and the evolving role of the athletic trainer across different levels of sport.

For more information about PBATS and athletic training, visit pbats.com.

In this episode of Inside Athletic Training, we’re joined by Darryl Conway, MA, AT, ATC, FNAP, Executive Senior Associate Athletic Director and Chief Health & Welfare Officer for the University of Michigan Athletics. A member of the NATA Hall of Fame Class of 2024, Conway has spent decades advancing the athletic training profession through leadership, education, and advocacy.

In addition to his role at Michigan, Conway is the owner of Conway Ventures, LLC and Co-Owner, President and Chief Operating Officer of Sports Medicine Emergency Management, LLC.

In this conversation, we discuss emergency action planning in baseball and across sports, building off Conway’s recent presentation at the Baseball Team Medicine Conference. The discussion explores the importance of preparation, the leadership role athletic trainers play in emergency response, and how sports medicine teams can develop effective plans to protect athlete health and safety.

For more information about PBATS and athletic training, visit pbats.com.

In this episode of Research Rundown, host Paul Buchheit of the Philadelphia Phillies sits down with Joe Benge of the Tampa Bay Rays for a big-picture conversation on injury prevention and the evolving role of research in baseball.

Together, they discuss how data and experience intersect in player care, how research should inform — but not dictate — clinical decision-making, and what current trends mean for athletic trainers working at both the professional and youth levels. The conversation also touches on workload management, long-term player development, and the responsibility of medical staffs to balance performance with protection.

A thoughtful discussion on how research can better serve the health and longevity of players throughout the game.

For more information about PBATS and athletic training, visit pbats.com.

Today we’re joined by Will Carroll, nationally recognized injury expert and author of Under the Knife. Known for translating complex medical data into clear, actionable insight, Will brings a unique perspective on baseball’s evolving injury landscape and what he famously calls the game’s “billion-dollar bleed.”

We dive into the financial and competitive impact of injuries across Major League Baseball, the data trends shaping modern sports medicine, and how teams can better measure and manage injury risk. Will shares his thoughts on workload, UCL injuries, biomechanics, recovery science, and how communication between athletic trainers, physicians, front offices, and analysts has changed over time.

This episode offers a candid look at the intersection of medicine, performance, and economics, breaking down what the injury numbers really mean for clubs, players, and the future of the game.

Check out Under the Knife on Substack here.

Learn more about Will here.

For more information about PBATS and athletic training, visit pbats.com.

On this episode of the PBATS Inside Athletic Training Podcast, we’re joined by Tyler Brooks, Assistant Athletic Trainer for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Tyler’s path to the big leagues is anything but typical, from his early career beginnings through impactful international experience in the Dominican Republic, Tyler brings a unique perspective on athletic training in professional baseball.

We dive into how his time in the DR shaped his clinical approach, built cultural fluency, and prepared him to navigate challenges in high-performance environments. Tyler also shares what it felt like to earn his first MLB role, the day-to-day realities of life on a big league staff, and how collaboration with veteran leaders and fellow young clinicians has strengthened the Pirates’ sports medicine team.

For more information about PBATS and athletic training, visit pbats.com.

In this episode of the PBATS Inside Athletic Training Podcast, we’re joined by Dr. Glenn Fleisig, one of the most accomplished and influential scientists in baseball biomechanics and sports medicine. Dr. Fleisig helped develop the American Sports Medicine Institute (ASMI) alongside Dr. James Andrews and has spent nearly four decades advancing research on pitching mechanics, injury prevention, and player health.

We discuss Dr. Fleisig’s remarkable career journey, how biomechanics has transformed modern baseball, and the cutting-edge technologies shaping the future—from markerless motion capture to pitching labs and game data integration. The conversation also explores key recent studies on UCL injury risk factors, throwing programs, and training trends, as well as Dr. Fleisig’s role advising Major League Baseball, USA Baseball, and the broader baseball community.

For more on Dr. Fleisig, please visit:

Instagram: The Biomechanical Man

American Baseball Biomechanics Society: baseballbiomechanics.org

ASMI: asmi.org

For more information about PBATS and athletic training, visit pbats.com.

On this episode of the PBATS Inside Athletic Training Podcast, we’re joined by Brandon Zumbach, Minor League Medical Coordinator for the Houston Astros. Brandon shares insight into overseeing player health and rehabilitation across an entire minor league system, the challenges of delivering consistent care at multiple levels, and how innovation, communication, and collaboration shape modern baseball sports medicine.

For more information about PBATS and athletic training, visit pbats.com.