I think if you are wanting to go to a top D1 or P5 school then you better know the competition is tough. There is very little room for failure. I disagree that he only got 8 at bats to prove himself. That sounds like the parent I talked to last week who said her son has never gotten a chance to fully prove himself. He is a junior who has been through 3 falls and 2 springs (1 cut short) to prove himself. If you can't hit in practice, you have not earned the right to hit in a weekend game. Her son got 25 at bats last year and went 2/25. Probably 15 more than I would have given him since at one point he was 0/21. Her answer was he hit a HR last year. If you are looking to go somewhere to develop, then you must also be willing to sit for a year or two while you develop. Coaches only have so much time and they are trying to use it as wisely as possible. I also know the ones who complain they never got a full shot are the same ones who are not there putting in 2-4 hours extra work each day. When son was a freshman, he stayed until almost 11 each night getting swings in and working on mechanics of his pitching to earn a spot. I understand not every coach is a good guy but most are with what they have to do, which is win. If you want to go to an elite program, you better go in with full eyes open and know what is expected right away. Every year son's team has had a freshman or two that refused to enroll early for summer semester to learn what is expected. Then they and their parents get mad when they get chewed out or sent out of the workout for not knowing how to do the lifts or workouts that everyone does. If you want to play with the big boys, you better be ready to compete from day one. Not much room for figuring it out.