D1 coach contacting someone with an NLI... Until you have a release that's a recruiting violation. I'd keep this story to yourself until its all said and done.
I disagree with "2) He could inquire about attending the school as a walk on, " unless the coach made that suggestion to you already. If they really wanted your son, that would have been already discussed with the lure of a scholarship as a soph.
One question: did he get drafted by MLB?
If Baseball is the goal... start looking at other schools. Do you have any other contacts from recruiting previously. Check on the NCAA rules to know what is allowed (I'm too far removed to have 100% certainty dealing with NLI releases) http://www.ncaa.org/wps/wcm/co...d+appeals/index.html
JC may be the best route. See RED below.
From NCAA website:
The NLI is a binding agreement between a prospective student-athlete and an NLI member institution
- A prospective student-athlete agrees to attend the institution full-time for one academic year (two semesters or three quarters).
- The institution agrees to provide athletics financial aid for one academic year (two semesters or three quarters).
Basic penalty for not fulfilling the NLI agreement: A student-athlete has to serve one year in residence (full-time, two semesters or three quarters) at the next NLI member institution and lose one season of competition in all sports.
Where is the penalty for the school not fulfilling the agreement?
By signing a National Letter of Intent, a prospective student-athlete agrees to attend the designated college or university for one academic year. Pursuant to the terms of the National Letter of Intent program, participating institutions agree to provide athletics financial aid to the student-athlete, provided he/she is admitted to the institution and is eligible for financial aid under NCAA rules. An important provision of the National Letter of Intent program is a recruiting prohibition applied after a prospective student-athlete signs a Letter of Intent. This prohibition requires participating institutions to cease recruitment of a prospective student-athlete once a National Letter of Intent is signed with another institution.
The National Letter of Intent has many advantages to both prospective student-athletes and participating educational institutions:
Once a National Letter of Intent is signed, prospective student-athletes are no longer subject to further recruiting contacts and calls.
Student-athletes are assured of an athletics scholarship for a minimum of one full academic year.