I've always stressed to my son that with his grades he can go to a top public school in our state for x-amount of dollars per year. So as he's considering schools he needs to think about what those other schools might cost (in addition to a variety of other factors). It would be great if he can get enough scholarship money to make it less than what it would be to go to that in-state top public school. But there's a possibility it might end up being more and to me that's how much he would be paying to play baseball for a school. Depending on how much more that amount is, I'd say at some point it might be better to just consider going to that in-state public university and join the club team.
JUCO tuition costs tend to be much more attractive, but depending on where a player transfers those credits they earn may not transfer...so it might take them longer and more money to get that undergraduate degree than if they had attend the 4-year institution to begin with.
I find it interesting how large some of the rosters are at some schools. There's schools here in my state that I believe use athletics to lure in students and their tuition money. They tend to have an abnormally large percentage of the study body also be student-athletes. Sometimes I think parents and HS students want the recognition of being a "collegiate-athlete" more than financial common sense. Many say, and I would have to agree, that if you're a HS athlete, then there's a college out there that you're good enough to play for. Considering this, I find it fascinating that so many people are willing to pay more for this "recognition" when in reality I'm not so sure it's an accomplishment to be an athlete at some of these schools.