Ok, so I went through each of the PG Top 25 schools for the 2020 Recruiting class's rosters and counted the exisiting roster spots that are Senior or RS-Seniors.
Average across the top 25 schools is only 3.64. I would bet if I went to the top 100 it would get down closer to 3.0
- So you're screwing with programs and the next 4 years of baseball for players and recruits for 3-4 guys that could have drafted as Juniors - if they were good or healthy enough.
- They've have 3+ years to prove their worth and develop their craft.
- They could still do a showcase and/or combine or something for the MLB draft to make up for the shorten season for those Seniors (RS and regular).
- This year's Juniors can still draft (in showcase/combine or not) and/or return for their normal Senior Year. So they're not affected.
- Sophomores and Freshman are/were not affected either . Those that got to play got some reps, those that didn't, didn't - but EVERYONE across ALL 4-5 CLASSES got the benefit of education, nutrition, strength training, fall ball and prep, spring ball prep, and the 15-17 games that were played this season.
- They still got the last 8 months of instruction and work with a pitching coach, hitting coach, batting coach and head coach.
- This year was not lost or not valueable.
Most of the seniors should have been planing for a job and/or graduate school by now as their primary or back up plan knowing their time was going to be up.
Why make such a mess of all of this? Move the Draft to the end of summer (so Juniors can draft if they want, or return to school.....and give them the summer to showcase and combine. No need to mess with ALL classes and the next 4 years of baseball, programs, recruiting, etc.
Giving them another year of eligibility doesn't guarantee them a roster spot either. There are cuts every year that are made.
Not everyone is on scholarship and for some schools that barely helps, so coming up with another year's worth of tuition is an additional hardship on players/families, for guys that if they were good enough, would/could/should have drafted already and were planning on it for a better slot this year or just moving on.
For example. When we sat down with Coach O'Connor at UVA on 11/1, if my son would have gotten their last arm slot, he told us he was practically out of money. So if he got any money it would only be 25%. Even after 25% and being out of state, across 4 years of school (at UVA you have to graduate in 4) that would be over $135,000 in loans.
So now a senior at UVA has to go to graduate school for their 5th year of eligibility. Now they'll get 2 degrees on the school and their dime now given time to graduate from grad school too, if they red shirted.
I like the summer draft idea posted online and the showcase/combine to give the scouts and guys time to show their stuff, be seen and draft before the Juniors have to return to campus.
