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Reply to "Recruiting Catchers"

OskiSD posted:
BackstopMom posted:

We’ve been to a number of camps with our 2020 (HeadFirst, Showball, Stanford, Princeton among others) and we’ve made a few observations about schools recruiting catchers.  For example, at Princeton and Georgetown our 2020 was told that their starting catchers were both walk ons which seems to suggest that this isn’t uncommon.  After many of the showcase events, our son would tell us that all the catchers there felt like they were just there to facilitate recruiting for pitchers.  We’re just about done with the process and feel it’s going to have a very happy ending for our son, but just want to put this out there for other parents of catchers who will go through this process in the future since it can be very expensive and time consuming. For our son, all serious interest came after contacting the coach directly with a video and stats.  Any other thoughts on the best way for a catcher to be recruited?

My '22 is a catcher with similar target schools. While I'm glad to hear that it looks like your son is heading in the right direction, the rest of your post is cautionary. I'd be eager to hear how you went about it, in terms of timing especially. This is what we struggle with - when to engage so as to maximize his opportunity while not breaking the bank. Feel free to PM me. Thanks, 

I would recommend attending HA showcases (preferably showcases that have HC's present) either after sophomore year in HS and again at the beginning to middle of summer after junior year if you can afford it.  If not then just focus on the beginning to middle of summer after junior year as that's when HA's are putting together their rosters.  If you have Ivy aspirations I would try to get seen after sophomore year because early commits (if you are a priority position) can probably get by with a slightly lower academic index (AI). Once you get into the summer the Ivy's have to recruit based on their needs and team AI so you may have to have a higher AI to get the one of the last couple of slots. So if their first priority is a LHP they probably will want to commit that player during the player's junior year before some other D1 program gets him.  He may have a lower AI which they are fine with because he's their #1 priority and commit. They also know he can improve his AI (retake SAT, improve GPA, etc.) but if he doesn't they can make it up by committing a player with a high AI to offset.

If you wait too long (like we did--as in this past August) the AI becomes that much more important. Of course the baseball talent and the desire for the coach to want you is also very important!

I think you can wait until after junior year for HA DIII's. Ivy, Patriot, and other like D1's I would recommend attending after sophomore year.

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