I agree some D3 teams are not very transparent about their JV team. In my sons old team, I do not believe the coach ever recruited players based on there ability to play on the JV. The big question I would have for any school recruiting my son, if they had a JV team, Do the JV players get the same attention and the same opportunities as the varsity players. Does the varsity coaches work with them, are they lifting with varsity etc...
How many games does the JV play. As a example Linfields look like they play 14 games. I do not think OWU's JV ever played more than 6, mostly early in the season and while on spring break. Varsity was expected to be in attendance for many of those games.
I am going to use wrestling as an example. In wrestling a college program needs bodies to be successful, you need other wrestlers to push the varsity wrestlers, to be good partners. Many of these bodies will never see a varsity match. But they are in the room with varsity learning the same things, getting the same coaching. I do not know how many on here have experience with wrestling, but that is a lot of HARD work to put in, and never see the mat. This is a sport that I truly believe needs a JV team. And I would hope that most baseball teams that have JV, would treat the JV players the same way.