#147 - Handling Failure, Pressure, and Identity in College Baseball with Tyler Rubasky

Baseball is a game of failure — and how athletes respond to that failure often determines who lasts and who fades.In this episode of The Coaching Minds Podcast, Ben Carnes sits down with Tyler Rubasky, Head Baseball Coach at Anderson University, to talk about what it really takes to build mentally tough athletes in today’s college game.Tyler shares his journey from player to assistant coach to head coach, how injuries shaped his mindset, and why he chose to fully invest in mental training — even during a major coaching transition. He explains how mental skills impact performance between pitches, after errors, and during slumps, and why mental preparation matters just as much as physical development.You’ll also hear how mental training:Shapes recruiting and cultureHelps athletes move on from failure fasterPrepares players for life after baseballChanges how coaches show up in big momentsWhether you’re a coach, athlete, or leader working under pressure, this conversation is packed with insight on identity, resilience, and long-term development.Episode Chapters / Timestamps (Highly Recommended)00:00 – Intro & Tyler’s coaching journey 02:00 – Why mental training matters in baseball 03:15 – Playing through injury & mental resilience 05:20 – Initial skepticism about mental training 06:40 – Why Anderson invested in Mental Training Plan 08:00 – Why baseball is uniquely mentally demanding 10:45 – NIL, transfers, and new mental challenges 12:40 – Building culture players want to stay in 14:15 – Mental training’s role in recruiting 17:15 – How players actually use mental skills in games 18:45 – How mental training changed Tyler’s coaching style 20:05 – Preparing athletes for life after baseball 22:10 – Advice to coaches on the fence about mental training 24:45 – Advice Tyler would give his younger self 26:20 – Advice for first-year coachesAre you an ATHLETE looking to take your training to the next level? Check out our website to learn more about 1-on-1 training opportunities:mentaltrainingplan.com/athletesAre you a COACH looking for an affordable year-round mental performance training program? Check out the MTP Academy available through our website:mentaltrainingplan.com/teams