Beyond the Blueprint: The Winding Road of Sean Youngerman’s Baseball Dream

Baseball journeys are often imagined as straight lines. High school standouts commit to powerhouse Division I programs, shine on the national stage, and eventually hear their names called in the MLB Draft. 

For Sean Youngerman, though, the path was anything but predictable. 

His path proves a truth too often overlooked: Not every baseball story looks the same.

For Youngerman, the detours and setbacks became stepping stones, and they ultimately led to the moment every player dreams of: hearing his name called in the MLB draft.

His story began in a backyard, where his grandfather flipped him balls that too often landed on the neighbor’s roof.

“Honestly, the love for baseball just kind of started then. He would kind of flip me balls in the backyard, and I just hit him onto our neighbor’s roof, and obviously it upset them every day,” recalled Youngerman with a smile. ”We ended up becoming really good friends with them because we were always going over there to get balls, but that was honestly the earliest start.”

Those backyard sessions planted the seed. Baseball wasn’t just a game; it was a connection of family, fun, and the first steps toward a dream.

Like most kids, Youngerman played with any and everything. But the choice was clear. Baseball was where he felt most alive, where he built friendships, and where he believed he had the best chance to excel.

Still, natural talent can only take you so far.

Heading into high school, Youngerman was ahead of his peers, coasting on ability. Then came the pandemic. 

COVID-19 wiped out his sophomore season, leaving him with a hole in his development during one of the most important recruiting years.

By his senior year, the game he loved had become complicated. 

“I’d seen a lot of growth, but I knew there was a lot more left to do. So, when I was going through the recruiting process, I realized, ‘Hey, I’m still a little bit underdeveloped. I need somewhere where I can get opportunities and continue to grow.’”

When it came time for recruiting, Youngerman didn’t buy into the “Division I or bust” mindset that traps so many high school athletes. Instead, he looked for a place where he could develop.

That place was Westmont College, an NAIA school soon to make the jump to Division II. 

At Westmont, the growth came fast. 

As a freshman, he was thrown into every role imaginable: starter, closer, middle reliever. 

By the end of his freshman season, Westmont was celebrating a national championship.

“It was surreal,” he said. “To win a title your first year, it gave me confidence, but it also showed me how much more was out there to chase.”

That summer, playing for a competitive league team, Youngerman took another leap forward. His velocity climbed, his body transformed, and his confidence soared. By sophomore year, he was a workhorse in the rotation, and a summer in the prestigious Cape Cod League only accelerated his rise.

But then, just as he was preparing to return for his junior year, everything changed. His head coach left.

“I think things happen for a reason, and I think signs are imminent in things. So for me, that was a clear sign that it might be time to explore some other opportunities and see if I can continue to develop past where I’m already at.”

Youngerman entered the transfer portal with a clear mindset: he wasn’t chasing money or a name. He was chasing growth.

“There’s a right reason and a wrong reason for the portal,” he explained. “The wrong reason is to chase more money. The right reason is to find a place where you’ll develop into the player you’re meant to be.”

That mindset led him to Oklahoma State.

What sold him wasn’t promises of a Friday night role or guarantees of a scholarship boost — it was honesty.

“They told me, ‘We’re not guaranteeing anything. You’re going to come in, work hard, and earn your spot.’ That’s what I wanted. That’s what I respected.”

In Stillwater, Youngerman thrived. 

He started in the bullpen, seizing opportunities, and eventually earned a spot in the starting rotation. 

By the end of the season, Youngerman had put together one of the most impressive campaigns of his career. In 52.0 innings pitched, he gave up just 37 hits and 12 earned runs, holding opponents to a .208 batting average. 

His command showed through with only 15 walks compared to 59 strikeouts, and he surrendered just eight extra-base hits all year. 

That attention carried him into the next stage of his journey: the MLB draft process.

For Youngerman, that dream came true, but not without turbulence.

It all started with the 2025 MLB Draft Combine, an event Youngerman knew little about until he received the invitation. Only a select group of top draft prospects earn the chance to participate in these elite, specialized workouts.

“At first I was like, ‘What even is this?’” he laughed. “But to get that opportunity to go to the combine and then to see that I had a really good amount of meetings lined up for myself with teams, it was surreal.”