Hokie, that is probably one of the worst case scenarios I think I've ever heard of with that happening. How horrible that is for that young man and his family. One would think that a Head Coach that most likely had previous experience with being able to detect talent would have been able to do something differently at the least.
My son had a good friend that he played against here locally in high school. This kid was SO talented and could catch as well as he could pitch or play any other position. He got a scholly out of HS to play at Georgia. The summer before he was to attend UGA his mother had been suffering from cancer and succumbed to it weeks before he was to leave. She was so excited for him that he had worked so hard to get a scholly to attend and play at UGA. He did it for her because he knew it made her proud during this time of her life. One week before he was to attend school the HC called him and said that he didn't have a spot for him and to go attend a local JUCO instead. If he had a good season, he'd bring him back the following year.
He had the season of a lifetime at this JUCO and was drafted by the Braves where he is now still playing MiLB ball for them. In the end it worked out fine but when it happened to him I can tell you it devastated him very deeply.
People talk all the time about how these head coaches have hard jobs recruiting and deciding who will or won't come back, etc. But young kids lives are sometimes adversely affected by their decisions in ways that can cause tail spins for them and their families.
What became of this young man of which you speak of?
YGD