Dominik85 posted:The early bloomers flame out is a myth anyway. Sure most of them will "flame out" (as in not playing past HS) but then again most players "flame out" after HS.
People just remember the 12u stud flaming out more because he was good back then, and they also remember the late bloomer growing 4 inches late and becoming a stud. What they don't remember is all the little guys staying little and not improving and if an early bloomer like Harper becomes great nobody is that impressed since he hit balls 450 feet since he was 15.
I don't think early bloomers flame out any more often than late bloomers, you just notice it more.
The early bloomers who flame out are memorable. The reason is a lot of people ooohing and ahhhhing over their accomplishments. Meanwhile, baseball people can see they lack baseball skills and are just outmuscling the field.
When my son was in LL in two consecutive years the all star team went the same successful distance. One year it was a roster full of future college baseball players. The next year it was only four kids who played high school and college ball along with a bunch of big, strong, fast future high school athletes in other sports. These kids outmuscled and outran the small field. Yet on the small field these two sets of small field baseball players achieved the same level of success.
Most late bloomers didn’t come out of nowhere. They were talented smaller players you noticed. Then they grew and became dominant.