Callix Crabbe is an assistant hitting coach for the Texas Rangers and owner of Crabbe-ology, a player development organization aimed at helping athletes maximize their potential on and off the field.
Whether discussing his personal journey from the Virgin Islands to the United States, or being one of the early trainers to leverage ball flight technology, there seems to be one constant throughout his journey – Callix is always looking for ways to get better.
In the latest episode of the Rapsodo Baseball Podcast, Callix takes a break from his newfound role in “Daddy Daycare” to chat with Seth and BP from his home in Florida.
The guys talk about Callix leaving his home in St. Thomas at 15 years old and moving in with his sister in Georgia to pursue his dream of playing professional baseball.
“I begged my mom to let me go to the United States and pursue my dream of playing baseball,” Callix said. “I was 13 the first time I asked, but she didn’t think I was mature enough. I asked again when I was 14, and by the time I was 15, I was going to find a way to go, no matter what.”
After getting to the United States, Callix began a journey that took him from travel ball, to junior college, and eventually all the way to his dream of playing professional baseball with the San Diego Padres.
After a playing career that included two months of Major League service time and two hits off Randy Johnson (a story he happily shared on the podcast), Callix transitioned into a career training young players, starting at IMG Academy.
It was at IMG where Callix developed and tested his philosophies on hitting and coaching. It was also where he was first introduced to various technological training tools.
“At IMG I started to see the benefits of technology, but also where we could do even more,” Callix said. “The biggest problem with technology in baseball, as we all know, is that everyone can get it, but not everyone knows how to implement it.”
To hear more about how Callix utilizes technology in training his hitters – from youth players all the way to up to the Texas Rangers, check out Episode 7 of the Rapsodo Baseball Podcast.
