TheDHRK1 posted:That's good information that will help us try to guide you better. So, what are you hoping to accomplish by attending a showcase in the near future?
At this point I want to be able to gauge my ability in comparison to other players in my class and be able to know what would be realistic schools to target.
OK, great. Some things to consider...
Your self-description has your arm velo. exit velo, catching technique and hitting all at sub-par levels as it relates to college baseball standards (in general) and your speed is not above average. I'm not at all suggesting that you can't get there but you just aren't there yet. Going to a decent caliber showcase at this point won't really tell you anything except what I just told you and you will be about $500 poorer. At present, it's hard to say what your ceiling might be - we just know that it is too early to tell with you.
It may be a worthwhile exercise to pull up some college rosters ( any level) of schools with decent baseball programs. Read through the bio's. Even at D3's and NAIA's they generally have players who were above average all-league type players in HS. Work hard on getting there first.
My suggestion would be to, instead of attending a showcase this fall, get some good instruction and specific direction on what you need to work on and how to go about reaching your goal of playing ball in college (and, first, becoming a good HS varsity player). Then, get after it really hard for the next year. Commit. Work your butt off. If you can, include playing on a decent travel team next summer. Oh, and make sure you do your best with school and grades... that makes a big difference for most when it comes to being an attractive recruit for colleges and most scholarship money baseball players get is usually from academics, not athletics. After you have worked hard with a solid plan and good direction and you have developed physically over the course of that year, I think you will know a lot more about what position to focus on, what showcases to attend, what level of schools to target, etc.
For the stud players who develop early and are already dominant HS players as sophomores, it is important to be on an early recruiting schedule. But for most, such as yourself, you still have plenty of time before you need to figure that all out... time to work on being a player that schools will want.
Now, if you want to go to a smaller, affordable showcase just to get comfortable with the format and continue to get measurable(s) from a neutral source, that's fine. And, it would be a great idea to attend the better showcases that are in your area - just as a spectator. This will allow you to see what players you are up against and it won't cost you anything. Also, go to some local college games. Keep in mind that most schools who recruit you will want you to be pretty much ready to contribute when you hit the campus as a freshman. So, this will tell you more about where you need to be. No reason to contact coaches until you are closer to showing that you have a skill set that can help their program win games.
When you have developed the tools a bit more and become physically stronger, members here can offer great help with next steps, including how to target schools, make a good video, contact schools, prepare for showcases, find the right travel teams, be a good teammate and so much more.