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Candid and objective: if he is a rising senior/2016 grad (sounds like he is), at his size, he will likely need to be upper 80s to get D1 (even lower/mid major) looks unless he shows exceptional "pitchability", command and plus offspeed (that he can throw for strikes). Mid 80s RHPs of that size are plentiful.  His mound presence will be a very big factor, too.  If his grades are exceptional, that will help, too.  He will have to be very proactive.  Don't wait for schools to come his way.  Also, you say he is "throwing mid 80s".  That can mean a lot of different things, each of which impacts the level of interest he may garner:

1. Is he sitting 81-84 and touching/topping out at 85?

2. Is he sitting mid 80s (ie, 84-86 and touching 87/88)?

 

Story:  last weekend, I was in Nashville at the Music City Classic.  Was watching an ACC assistant coach with radar gun watch one of their 2016 RHP commits throw.  He is listed at 6' 2", 190 and threw a ton of strikes but never exceeded 88 mph, was mostly 85-87.  The coach and I had a friendly chat going (he knew where my son was committed, knew the school well and was discussing the campus, program). He proactively started explaining to me why they recruited the kid on them mound:  "There are a lot of guys out there with higher velo and better stuff, but we just think he is off the charts with intangibles.  I bet there isn't a kid at this event that has bigger balls than he does on the mound.  We just love his make up."

Last edited by BucsFan

BucsFan hit this one squarely on the head.

 

2016 son is committed to a D1 mid major that in the last 5 years I believe has missed a regional one time and hosted one this past year.

 

When my 5'11 195 (not extremely projectable in my opinion) son committed he had yet to touch even 84.  Sat 79-81 at the time.

 

Because of what BucsFan described they like him.  Heavy and late sink with a wipe out slider but more than that it is his intangibles.  Pitching coach told me I really don't care what his velocity is he gets outs and his competitiveness is better than most any HS kid he has seen.

 

If we had to do it over again I think what we did was the right approach.  Get him on the best team he can play on and if he gets on the mound and gets it done at that velocity IMO that is what is going to draw attention.  My son was very proactive mainly based on what we learned here.

 

I don't feel like we got much if any mileage out of the PG showcase we attended.  That kind of velocity is not going to stand out and kids at lower velocities that get picked up by solid D1 programs are kind of an acquired taste.  Have to see them a few times.  PG tournaments where he could show he could consistently get out future SEC, ACC, Big 12 players is where my son made his mark.

Originally Posted by SWERHP:
Wow, those are some great answers, thanks a lot, one more question would it also draw more attention as he is international, Swedish nationality, living in Belgium his whole life?

I don't really know what that would have to do with anything?

 

BucsFan nailed it - absolutely nailed it including the conversation w/ the coach.

Last edited by justbaseball
Originally Posted by SWERHP:
Wow, those are some great answers, thanks a lot, one more question would it also draw more attention as he is international, Swedish nationality, living in Belgium his whole life?

I'm not sure how anyone would know your son is of Swedish nationality unless he plays in a traditional costume from that region.  

 

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