@Around_The_Horn he committed a couple weeks before officials were possible but we went on campus three times before deciding (regular student tour, camp, and a game where we just bought standing room tickets). But the difference between the two processes (basketball and baseball) highlights why people might commit early. There were definitely people who thought we were “behind” in terms of timing and that “there wouldn’t be money left.” He might have missed a few opportunities with a few teams but we were unwilling to rush. I can still see how families feel pressure to make an early decision.
The other reason I thought of is driven by college coaches. Even though they can’t call players, they can call the HS/travel coaches and ask the players to call. What is exciting at first can become overwhelming and time consuming for the player. This is where parents and coaches can step in and let coaches know that the player won’t be deciding for a certain period of time. Otherwise a kid might want to decide just to get it over with...