In this episode, we talk to Ben Meyer about how to work your way up the professional baseball ladder. After receiving limited playing time at a D3 college, Ben didn’t have many options. He played in a men’s league in Los Angeles where he developed as a pitcher and then flew himself to the Netherlands to play for a 2nd Division Dutch team. After a few successful seasons, he worked his way onto the top team in Europe, the Amsterdam Pirates where he won a championship. He then headed to the Japan Winter League where he earned a contract with the Ishikari Red Phoenix for the 2024 season where he recently won the championship.

From Mens League Baseball in L.A. to Japan

After graduating from Holy Names University (NCAA II) with average numbers, Daniel Catalan discovered opportunities to continue playing baseball overseas. However, securing an offer proved challenging. Determined to keep his career alive, he took matters into his own hands—flying to Spain and walking on with a team. This was just one of many investments in himself that helped him climb the ranks, eventually leading to a role as a hitting coach in the Chinese Professional Baseball League. As of early 2025, Daniel is preparing for his second season with the CTBC Brothers—the reigning CPBL champions—turning his passion for baseball into a full-time career and living his dream.

How Daniel Catalan got a coaching job in the Chinese Professional Baseball League

Trent Saharek graduated from a small baseball college program out of Minnesota and desperately wanted to play baseball overseas. After registering for a membership at Baseball Jobs Overseas, he still struggled to receive an offer because he was an outfielder, which are not in much demand to import, and was from a small DIII program. Until one day, Trent made a tweak to his profile at the guidance of Jimmy, and the next day he received his first offer. He jumped on the opportunity and never looked back, playing multiple seasons overseas in Germany, Australia, and Belgium. What was the tweak to his profile that he made? What steps did he take as an outfielder to continue to receive offers? You will have to listen to find out. Also, you don't want to miss his story of making a comeback to European baseball years after hanging them up and creating his best baseball memory in the process.

How this outfielder from a small college baseball program built a career overseas

On this episode of the Baseball Jobs Overseas Podcast, we chat with Ethan Skuija, the Canadian flame-thrower who once led the BBJO Globetrotters to a Prague Baseball Week championship by shutting down the Spanish National Team. Ethan was touching 97 mph and on MLB scouts’ radar, but the call never came. Instead, his journey took him to pitching at Fenway Park and now creating a fast-growing YouTube channel. Tune in as Ethan shares the inside story of chasing the dream, finding “second best,” and why it might just be better than the original plan.
With a fastball sitting 94–96 mph and touching 97, Ethan drew plenty of attention from MLB scouts, but the call never came. While that frustration could have ended many careers, Ethan’s path instead led him to unforgettable moments—like pitching in front of a packed house at Fenway Park—and ultimately to his current role as a popular baseball content creator on YouTube. In this conversation, Ethan opens up about the highs, the setbacks, and how he turned what felt like a “second best” into a fulfilling career in the game he loves.

From Overseas to Pitching at a Packed Fenway Park to YouTube Content Creator

The Baseball Jobs Overseas Podcast features the stories of professional baseball players and coaches who have taken their careers overseas. The purpose of the podcast is to shed light on all the opportunities that exist overseas within the game and the lifestyles that come with it. Hosts David Burns (Canada) and Jimmy Jensen (USA) both live in Salzburg, Austria, and are the key people behind http://www.BaseballJobsOverseas.com, a platform where players and coaches can connect with clubs around the world.

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