Hi folks. I'll start, as I've seen others do, by saying that I've been an observer on this web site for years and only recently joined. I think this is a great community where ideas can be shared as well as advice, and even comfort, can be found for families and players who are seeking it. It's really cool.
I'll try to be as short-winded as possible here. I have a 2019 catcher who we believe has the ability to play at the next level, and that is his desire, so that's what we've been working towards. My intent is to support him however I can as long as he has this goal and is putting in the work to achieve it. Where exactly on the "next level" has yet to be determined but by all accounts that I've been given (coaches and others in the business) he could potentially make teams at all levels of college baseball. Whether he would start/play, at D1 for example, is in question but I firmly believe that I cannot be really objective at this point so I actively seek input from sources who can.
We've done, and continue to do, camps and showcases and have dropped money into recruiting services - with limited benefit - all to support his goal of signing with the right school for him. As many of you know, the slope is slippery and crowded but I'd be curious to know if there are others out there with athletes in, what I would call, the "middle range" of recruiting attractiveness that are dealing with the same unknowns, and what insight or opinions you might be willing to share. I've read a lot of posts that talk about young kids with an exit velo of 95, position velo of 91, pop time 1.8, and run a mid-six 60 but I haven't noticed a whole lot of talk from folks with kids who don't fall in those ranges but may desire, and be perfectly capable of, playing in college. As of this post, we have not received any individual contact from coaches other than camp invites and the like, although there has been interest expressed at various venues as well as through his high school and travel coaches. I'm not too concerned since my understanding is that even very good players sometimes don't start really getting attention, in the form of visits and offers, until the summer between their junior and senior years. Outside of academics, camps, and showcases, he's been sending out emails, doing strength and conditioning (which is changing his body in ways that even I notice seeing him every day), working on his leadership skills, and practicing with his team every day of the school week.
I apologize for the length of this, and said I was going to try to keep it as brief as possible, so I appreciate anyone who's hung in there this long! I suppose what I'm building to is simply any insight, opinions, advice, or guidance that experts or others more experienced in this process might have for a parent of a good player but not on any top prospect lists (that I'm aware of), whether that's either due to lack of exposure, ability, or some other intangible. Any feedback is much appreciated and I'm happy to be a part of this community!
FWIW, my son's info is as follows:
2019 Catcher
5'10" 165lbs
GPA - 3.60 / 4.0
ACT 28
Exit Velo - 84
60 - 7.02
Position Velo - 77
Consistent Pop Time - 1.9-2.1
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