My son is a 2015 that is in the process of choosing a summer/fall ball team for the upcoming seasons and isn't quite sure which direction to go in. He has it narrowed down to two programs - both of whom have offered him. Both programs have been around for a decent amount of time and both get kids signed. Here's a description of what they offer.
Team 1 - 13-14 position players plus POs. Play college showcases in the summer and fall. Practice twice per week during summer, once per week during fall, and one individual lesson weekly during the off-season (November thru February). Coached by ex-D1 player who was a D-1 assistant for a number of years who has a reputation as a good coach. Their 18 u teams are very competitive, with a mix of JUCO, D2 and a few D1 players sprinkled in. All practices are approximately 1 hour and ten minutes from our house on the other side of the city. Son will play primary position at least one game per week and will be utility after that.
Team 2: 11 position players (one per position with a utility outfielder/infielder/extra catcher) plus 3-5 POs.Play college showcases in the summer and then play multiple scrimmage games on campus at NAIA/JUCO/small D2 colleges throughout the fall. Coached by an ex D2 player who is a high school head coach and who also has a reputation as a good coach. Their 18 u teams are usually fairly competitive, with a mix of JUCO, NAIA and a few D2 players sprinkled in. Their practices are approximately 30 minutes from our house and our son can easily drive to them. Son will play primary position almost exclusively.
A couple of other things to factor in the decision:
- The cost for summer ball is essentially the same whereas team 2 fall ball is a good bit more expensive (but they also play significantly more games/innings).
- My son will get more playing time and more innings at his primary position with team 2.
- My son is not a D1 player at this time, primarily due to size. He has good speed, a decent arm, and can play multiple positions. He is primarily a singles hitter - good average not a ton of power yet (line drives to the grass, just not through the gaps yet) - and is a very good base runner. Coaches love his drive and his knowledge of the game.
So, which team is best? To a degree, it's the classic better team versus playing time, though there are some other things to factor in. Let me know if you need more information and thanks in advance for your input.