I agree 100% that the best advice is to be found here at hsbbw. But, I see the point of what some people have identified as services provided by these companies. They seem to fall into two categories:
- posting video and measurables: but, you can do videos free on YouTube, and measurables are best when coming from sources such as PBR or PG anyway. Many things matter more than putting this information on a recruiting site, starting with having the skills that colleges want, and then having a reputable coach who will contact colleges for you.
- having databases where you can search colleges, get coach contact info, etc. Getting coach contact info is not hard, although it takes time. Looking for colleges based on specific criteria, especially if trying to combine academic, geographical, and baseball information, IS hard. We did it all ourselves, but I can understand people paying a company to provide all the data so they don't have to look it up themselves.
Most high-school players end up playing college baseball in their home states. Of the 30 friends of my son who are freshmen baseball players in college, from juco to P5, only 8 are playing out of state, and 7 of those are playing in the next state over. It's not hard to research colleges in your state.