Recruiting is a sales job. When you tell the coach you want to wait you’re telling him he’s not the best deal or you’re hoping he’s not going to be the best deal soon. The “wait” stance can be used for negotiating a better deal. Otherwise, you’re flat out telling him he’s not the first choice. So, don’t be surprised if the offer goes to someone else unless he wants you so badly he’s willing to wait.
Girls physically mature sooner than boys. The offers come sooner. My daughter’s first offer came the summer after freshman year. It’s not uncommon for major conference softball players to get offers the summer before high school. There are plenty of fourteen year old studettes playing 18u Gold travel ball. My daughter moved up at fifteen.
My daughter didn’t commit that summer. But she decided before travel ball started post soph year she better jump on board before the coach found another player more hungry for the offer. She verballed during her soph high school season before travel play started.
It was the right school academically. She wasn’t sure she could start there. She was right. She was the fourth outfielder for four years. But she played enough.