2104 is ranked in the top 250 RHP in the country, 5th in his state, and has not got an offer, threw 3 shut-outs and 2 no-hitters this season at PG and East Cobb.... 6'4 180
Scouts show more interest than college recruiters....... still hoping something happens... too bad the ones making the decisions are often college team rejects that are now road dog recruiters at 25 years old.
Colleges may be scared due to pro potential.
2104 is ranked in the top 250 RHP in the country, 5th in his state, and has not got an offer, threw 3 shut-outs and 2 no-hitters this season at PG and East Cobb.... 6'4 180
Scouts show more interest than college recruiters....... still hoping something happens... too bad the ones making the decisions are often college team rejects that are now road dog recruiters at 25 years old.
If he is Class of 2104, that might explain things!
bacdor,
2014 RC are looking for guys that size, but he needs to be in the 90+RHP (not 82-87)for early love.
Be careful about bad mouthing the recruiters, they all know each other and can easily find out who your son is, I did.
I once heard from a RC at a DI say that they look at the parents just as close as they kid. Could make or break the deal.
Tell 2014 to keep working hard! Good luck!
Please clarify -- is he an RHP who is in the top 250 players in the U.S.?
The way that's written, it says he's # 250 among RHP's. Since PG rankings don't go that deep, I have to assume that's a mistake. If they did, the 250th RHP would not necessarily be a guy everyone would want.
If pro scouts are sniffing around, he must have some good stuff. If colleges aren't in that situation, it makes me wonder if there are problems with grades, SAT's, or behavior.
bacdor,
2014 RC are looking for guys that size, but he needs to be in the 90+RHP (not 82-87)for early love.
I have been telling him that for months.
I also told him to be aware of scouts, they tend to do a number on players who do not feel that they have been shown the love, they know how to press buttons. And never never bad mouth any coach ion public, it will always comes back to haunt you.
IMO, because of the lack of redshirt opportunities, college baseball recruiting has become, "what can you do for me now".
College recruiting for 2014 is not over, in fact it isn't over until this time next year. Opportunities still exist and will continue to do so for months to come.
For those a bit nervous, have your players contact JUCO programs, there are quite a few very good ones out there. This might give your player an advantage to get stronger.
Catchers/position players need to be able to be flexible/diverified for different positions, most really good programs recruit on the players ability to hit the ball. At the college level, what gets you in the game is the bat. Pop times, arm speed, etc aren't as important, as they will always find a place in the lineup for you.
i have a a kid ranked very high on PG but i can tell you no one cares but kids and parents..rankings mean very little..i know PG will bash me for saying that but most recruiters have no idea what kids are ranked where
A lot of great feedback!
Realistically, the clock is ticking and the next 4-6 weeks can be critical for many 2014 grads searching for Division I opportunities. There will be Division I options for players throughout the fall and into next spring of course but those possibilities will narrow for sure as time unfolds, simply the faster pace of today's recruiting cycle. One Division I head coach (mid-level program, very good academics, big conference) recently told a family I know that, ideally, he wants to be finished with recruiting by November...for the 2015 class!
Again, the next month and a half can make or break the Division I prospects for many players as coaches sharpen their pencils one last time to snag key guys; and, with so many exposure events blanketing the circuit, coaches are spread thin and that can slow down some recruiting efforts as well. With a national scope to recruiting, even at some small schools, coaches have the pick of the litter and that puts pressure on most everyone. With Division I rosters now capped, players who may have earned Division I opportunities in the past are now trickling down to DII and DIII programs thus elevating the talent at those levels; in fact, I've seen a more aggressive approach by some DII and DIII coaches much earlier in the process this year than in the past (at least here in the Northeast).
Make no mistake about it, we are at the stage of the recruiting journey where many final decisions will begin to develop between now and Labor Day (yes, there will be exceptions transpiring later, always have been) and players and parents should seriously begin to tweak their thinking and refine their recruiting plans for the home stretch---no retreat, no throwing in the towel, but shaping a much different vision of the college experience (baseball is only part of that experience) and targeting time, resources, and energies to make that vision a reality.
Let's face it, many families will have to change their expectations (perhaps sooner rather than later), read the tea leafs a bit better, and embrace more firmly a mindset that focuses on a student-athlete's education first and foremost and (here's a novel idea) pursues a college baseball opportunity which actually offers a realistic chance to contribute. Nearly 93% of high school senior baseball players won't play at any level of college baseball after high school according to the NCAA so competing at any level of college baseball is a tremendous accomplishment! But we have a "baseball industry" now, something that didn't exist quite as much 10-15 years ago (the old timers can help me out on this)---nothing wrong with having an industry, my sons (and countless other players) benefited enormously because of it but, like any industry, BUYER BEWARE. The hype that the industry fuels can bring even the most successful and educated family to its knees, very easy to go down paths that should never have been explored in the first place.
It very often comes down to talent and roster needs, getting seen by the right audience, demonstrating consistent performance, reaching out to college coaches so they know you exist (this is particularly true with small schools)---many more factors to consider of course, and some families need to look themselves in the mirror and take an inventory of where they are in the process, what the student-athlete has to offer, and then revamp the plan before it is too late. My concern is that many families, due to exhaustion, inexperience, ego, or empty wallets will abandon the recruiting journey prematurely, or take this next phase of that journey for granted by thinking that the DII and DIII coaches will be knocking down their doors, big mistake for many players.
I've tutored players recruited by the baseball powerhouses to the academic elites at all levels and pretty much everything in between, and I know this---if you have talent, there is a program out there for you, probably not the ACC or SEC, maybe not even Division I. At a regional showcase camp that I attended last week, about 50 players were on hand, over a dozen college coaches, the majority Division I---talking to the showcase organizer, he said that very, very few players in attendance were Division I types, some DII players were there, much more DIII talent on hand. Here's the problem---I don't think many of the players know the truth (many likely received camp invitations in the mail a day or two later from some of the schools at the showcase), some may not want to hear the truth, and no one seems to be telling them anything particularly constructive. I believe that many of these players can find a college baseball opportunity which truly reflects their student-athlete profiles but they have zero direction, and many will likely fall through the cracks as a result.
One last thought...financial aid can be generous at many schools and there are other options, such as JUCO, to pursue if college costs are unbearable. I see too many families putting so much focus on the baseball pursuit but little thought on "how are we going to pay for college?" With schools now required to have a Net Price Calculator on their websites, families can do even more research upfront on how to afford a college education---and armed with that information alone can help many families target their recruiting efforts and college plans accordingly.
we went thru this before..rankings and ratings different and gpa..sat all show up on profiles
Great stuff, Wally. Want to be sure I understand what you mean by "baseball industry". You are referring to the camp/showcase circuit or something else
i used to use a tact that coaches hated...when players got invited to camps i asked " are you offering scholarships to that position for that grad year at your camp" very few ever said yes..money money money..but to be honest college coaches dont get paid squat for the actual job they do. I often wonder why so many change jobs so fast though..look at any bio..2 to 3 years is about all assistants stay put and lot of lateral moves
Baseball industry...camps, showcases, travel teams, academies, specialized training, video services, recruiting services, $400 baseball bats, agents, and more. Me too, I'm part of it. And again, absolutely nothing wrong with that, some great, great opportunities out there (like PG) but not all opportunities are created equal. What is your "Recruiting DNA," what makes you tick as a student-athlete? What are all the selection factors---athletically, academically, financially, culturally, logistically, geographically, etc.---that will affect the college experience (not to mention your time, budget, and stress levels leading up to that)? Understand these factors, scrutinize them thoroughly, prioritize what is important to you, educate yourself about the process---what works, what doesn't---manage expectations from start to finish, let your gut instincts be a guide and take the blinders off, and realize that you are up against an incredibly brutal process. Do all that, and you can take advantage of the opportunities that are best for you (not your teammate, not your friend, maybe not even your sibling, I know) and make the industry work for you to a much larger degree. Fail to apply the time, due diligence, and good sense, and the industry can eat you alive.
Don't let the tail wag the dog...know who are, be honest about it, and filter everything that crosses your path---there are opportunities that can be a huge launching pad for players, other opportunities that can result in very rewarding experiences and take you places that others can only dream about, but there are traps, pitfalls, and lots of roadblocks along the way. Other than this website, there is no Consumer Reports for the baseball industry---not too surprising, some of the "establishment" is not always fond of what I say because I tell folks that the emperor has no clothes; either be on guard or pay the price later on, it's your choice. Wonderful stuff out there to help you develop, get exposure, and reach your potential, but a maze of misinformation, deception, and imposters exist that can sink your efforts. Sorry for being so blunt but I've been through this process for nearly two decades, it isn't getting easier in many respects.
Well, a few weeks go by and some kids on our team are getting visits from pro agents that say they will be top round picks, some kids are starting to make decisions on where they are going to commit, and some have received no emails or calls at all to date. Not sure if people in the latter category are glad to be playing with the highly recruited or not, as it clearly is creating dual feelings of happiness for kid and family, but angst as to if it will ever happen for their son. Think about it, your kid is a LHP that is effective but only throws low to mid 80s at best, or he hits well but is under 6' and does not run less than 7 in the 60. At present all the attention goes to the 90+, 6'3"+, sub 7 guys. What should a parent do to put kid on the radar if not one of these highly touted guys? When do they start getting love?
I think the parent should kinda step back and let the kid deal with the situation on and off the field.
It makes perfect sense that the more talented kids are getting more attention or earlier attention than the less talented kids. How else would anyone want it and expect it to be? If this natural and logical state of affairs in sports and life is causing angst, I think it may be due to unrealistic expectations that need to be changed.
Back when the player was entering high school it might have been helpful for the parents to advise him that 90+ pitchers get taken before low 80s pitchers and sub-7 second middle infielders get taken before the over-7 second kids. But if a 2014 does not understand that today, July 25, 2013..............well maybe it is never too late.
How should less talented kids get on the radar? I would suggest (the player, not the parent) start working even harder and redoubling efforts to keep up communication with coaches/scouts.
Again Greenlight, I am just expressing feelings of so many of us parents in this situation. I am not saying it is unfair, nor am I saying son should not be intimately involved in process.
and realize that you are up against an incredibly brutal process.
On a spectrum with Wally's take on one end and "don't worry, everything will work out fine and dandy" on the other, I am way closer to the Wally side.
Taking advice like Wally's to heart won't change the talent level of any player.......but what's the title of this thread? It sure can regulate expectations and attendant anxiety levels, I believe.
