@Beisbol Life posted:Hungry for knowledge...looking to be a Bird Scout and own an academy for youth baseball boys. Have been an Operations Manager for travel ball organization - 3 yrs. // Cooperstown coach 2018 // Coach at the middle-school level.
Wow, discouraged by this site which I thought was to help in providing information to those that asked for it. I've stated factual information and merely asked for assistance from those more knowledgeable than I or who have gone through this process. When I realized my son has legit talent and the passion to play at the higher level, I immersed myself in baseball learning anything I could and talking to anyone that was willing to share. (I teach and have done so for over two decades so helping all kids is MY passion as is learning each and every day.) In 2016 I was asked to be the Operations Manager for our travel organization which I did in a heartbeat. I grew that organization to several teams while learning all I could about the game. The head coach asked if I would consider co-coaching and organizing a trip to Cooperstown. It was a success and my love of baseball continued to grow as my son was becoming more involved with some of the top teams in our area. I eventually went to Scout School to learn even more about the process knowing my son may be headed in that direction. (FYI - It was an introductory course in my state run by older ex-MLB scouts.) My husband owns a company and has not been involved with MLB, although he loves baseball. I was a high school athlete (track and field) so understand it up to that level. With my son being academically high as well as a top player in our state, I came here to try and learn and get advice. Sorry if you think my bio's "weird" or "clickbaitish," but I thought that's what this site was for...information. Unfortunately, it seems like I was wrong.
First, let me preference this with the fact that I am a total and complete novice to baseball recruiting. I have a 2024 RHP, and this past year is the first and only time I have been exposed to College baseball recruiting. There are plenty of people on this message board that have a lot more experience and knowledge so I believe that you have found the right place to gain information. I have been highly impressed with the information and willingness that people on this message board have shown me over the past year.
I will give you a list of things that I have discovered through this past year concerning baseball recruiting. I welcome others to critic my post if you are in disagreement.
1) Baseball recruiting is as much about timing and being in the right place in front of the right person as much as anything. I know of really talented baseball players that have been impressive at every outing that haven't gotten so much as a sniff from D1 schools. I have also seen players that I wouldn't select for a baseball team under any circumstances that have committed to SEC schools. I truly believe that the key to college baseball recruiting is being at the right event, performing at a high level, and having the right assistant coach in the audience at that time.
2) Most of the D1 schools have already finished their 2024 recruitment. There may be a few schools that are still going to look at 2024 players this summer, but I would say all of the Power 5 programs and most of the Mid Majors are already looking at 2025 and Juco players. and have closed the book on their 2024 classes.
3) I do believe that playing with a reputable travel organization and having a coaching advocate within that organization is key. You have to have a travel ball coach making phone calls on your behalf to these college programs so that you can get on their radar.
4) It does you no good to simply show up at a Showcase. If you are going to a showcase then you need to make sure that some assistant coaches know that you are there, and that they are going to look for your performance. In my opinion this is where having a good email campaign and travel ball coach reaching out to programs is key. Showing up at Atlanta to pitch 2 innings in a PG showcase is a waste of time. Showing up at Atlanta to pitch 2 innings in front of 10 college assistant coaches that are there to specifically watch you pitch is very important.
5) College prospect camps are a complete waste of time unless the coaches at that school are directly communicating with you with text messages and phone calls asking you to specifically attend their camps. Ignore all of the generic email camp invites. If the coaches aren't specifically asking you to come throw or perform in front of them, then they aren't going to notice anything you do. I am convinced that prospect camps are all about making money, and putting eyes on the 4-5 players that they specifically want to see. And they have already figured that out prior to the camp.
6) The transfer portal significantly hurts high school players and their recruitment.
7) I believe that college baseball is a cutthroat business. There are a lot of kids that are committed to D1 schools right now in the 2024 class that are going to either find out that they are no longer a take by their commitment school by the time they graduate from high school, or find out in their first year in the college program that they don't have a future with that baseball program.