Not that big of a deal. Most players are recruited from summer and fall travel teams anyway. The colleges dont always ask for your sons high school stats. If he does well at showcases and tourneys where there are high level talent at most positions, he will fare much better than a platoon player on Varsity...have fun playing on JV. Enjoy watching him play every inning of eveery game. Hard to get better any other way...
hshuler posted:We have a senior at our high school.
9th grade - freshmen squad
10 grade - JV squad
11 grade - varsity
He picked up an offer from Power 5 last fall.
So, I say doesn't matter.
Of course it doesn't matter. Things are relative in high school. Sometimes the talent is questionable on varsity and a promising freshman or sophomore may get a chance on varsity. Sometimes, the varsity team is loaded and a player just has to bide his time on JV's.
My son's graduating class was 1100. Over 100 kids tried out for the freshmen team. It was a big deal to make and play on the freshmen team and then again to make/play on the JV team the following year. He got called up late to varsity his sophomore year and both of us felt like we had won the lottery. He was the starting shortstop on a State Championship team as a junior and went on to be All-State as a senior while leading his team back to the State Championships as the only returning player from the year before. He went on from there to be a starting D1 shortstop at a top southern baseball school (last years D1 National Champions) and now is in his 10th year of professional baseball where the only thing he has not done is play in the big leagues. I am pretty sure playing JV's as a sophomore did not harm his career.
It's not going to hurt him. My son didn't play varsity until his junior year was the best thing for him. If your son got the tools he will get recruited. Jv don't mean your child is not good by any means. I think it means more to the parents sometimes than the players. Remember it's not about us !!
I'll echo what most others have said - it won't hurt his recruiting as long as he has the tools. I'll also add one piece of advice for him that I've told numerous people before - "Grow where you're planted".
Meaning whatever role he's given, be the very best at that role instead of griping about how he should be given a different role. If he's relegated to pinch runner, and gets picked off 5 times in 5 appearances, guess who isn't going to be given a more high profile role?
On the other hand, if he steps up on JV, becomes a team leader and contributes to the team, he shows that he's ready for Varsity.
Thrive in the role/position you're given, regardless of the role/position you think you deserve, and good things will come.
In my experience, the summer team is much more important. My boys play for a very good high school team (nationally ranked) and all of the recruiting attention that our team has had seems to have come from their travel team.
No. Not at all as long as he kicks but. Agree with other's advice. Get in with a good well respected travel organization. If you're in the Carolinas, the Dirtbags and Canes organizations are two of the best.
Westcostpapa - I can attest that not playing varsity as a sophomore doesn't hurt college chances. My LHP got cut his freshman and sophomore years from JV. He tried out as a junior and made varsity. However, he got very little pitching time but when he did fared well. He doesn't have overpowering stuff (82-84) but good control with a nasty change and curve ball. During the summer between his junior and senior years, he was the primarily reliever for his travel team. He got attention from several D2, D3 and NAIA schools, and he made sure to let coaches of schools he was interested in know where he was playing. Just about every weekend there was coach at his games watching him. Several time coaches came out to watch him pitch and then leave, even though there were good players/pitchers on the field. It was obvious they were there to watch him. He ended up getting offers from several D3 and NAIA schools. He decided on a D3 close to home because of their academic program. When he told his high school coach he was participating in the school's signing day, the coach was surprised and made the comment he had talked to any college coach about my son. My son's response was priceless, told the coach he been talking to them for two years. Had my son not signed with a college, I think the coach might have cut him as a senior. He pitched very little his senior year, but was 1-0 with a save, 14 ks, 5 walks, and no lie a 0.000 ERA. Don't know how much he'll pitch as a freshman this year because of the large roster but he is using the year to get stronger and pick up his velocity.
Great story and great for your son. Obviously, he took the bull by the horns when he needed to performing well for his travel team and in front of coaches. I wish him all the best in his college career....and thx for the feedback.
I can quickly think of two D1 baseball players who did not make their varsity team (initially) as a junior in HS. Thats right, junior.
One played at Stanford, the other at USF (San Francisco). The latter was eventually a 2nd round draft pick (pitcher). He did make it up to varsity after a few weeks on JV as a junior, but was the #3 pitcher that year on his HS team.
He played in double-A this past year - good chance to be in the big leagues by the end of next year.
JBoss posted:Westcostpapa - I can attest that not playing varsity as a sophomore doesn't hurt college chances. My LHP got cut his freshman and sophomore years from JV. He tried out as a junior and made varsity. However, he got very little pitching time but when he did fared well. He doesn't have overpowering stuff (82-84) but good control with a nasty change and curve ball. During the summer between his junior and senior years, he was the primarily reliever for his travel team. He got attention from several D2, D3 and NAIA schools, and he made sure to let coaches of schools he was interested in know where he was playing. Just about every weekend there was coach at his games watching him. Several time coaches came out to watch him pitch and then leave, even though there were good players/pitchers on the field. It was obvious they were there to watch him. He ended up getting offers from several D3 and NAIA schools. He decided on a D3 close to home because of their academic program. When he told his high school coach he was participating in the school's signing day, the coach was surprised and made the comment he had talked to any college coach about my son. My son's response was priceless, told the coach he been talking to them for two years. Had my son not signed with a college, I think the coach might have cut him as a senior. He pitched very little his senior year, but was 1-0 with a save, 14 ks, 5 walks, and no lie a 0.000 ERA. Don't know how much he'll pitch as a freshman this year because of the large roster but he is using the year to get stronger and pick up his velocity.
Close to 70 names on the web site...wow, just wow. I assume they won't all be carried over to the spring.
Aren't D3 signing days just for show? They're not signing/committing to anything. They're not getting athletic money. The kid might be #50 on the roster and never dress for a game.
RJM posted:Aren't D3 signing days just for show? They're not signing/committing to anything. They're not getting athletic money. The kid might be #50 on the roster and never dress for a game.
pretty sure all signing days regardless if they are getting something or not are just for show....if not for show what else would they be for?
to take it a step more I can find 1000 or posts on this site about awesome it is for a kid to play at any level, how much commitment is required by the athlete and so forth...but now the signing days only matter if you are getting few bucks...maybe the some of the kids in D3 are getting considerably more money for the academics D3 then they would have for the athletic D2....
RJM posted:Aren't D3 signing days just for show? They're not signing/committing to anything. They're not getting athletic money. The kid might be #50 on the roster and never dress for a game.
the more I think about it the arrogance of this post annoys me. Why would a kid committing to a D3 to study and play baseball mean anything less then a kid "getting something" we all know half or more of the freshmen D1 players "getting something" get cut, over reach, never play or never even enroll at the school. We also know that quite a few of the D2 and Juco kids are there because they aren't good enough to play D1 or smart enough to get into many of the D3's...but you are going to toss a who the hell cares you aren't signing anything comment at them?
old_school posted:RJM posted:Aren't D3 signing days just for show? They're not signing/committing to anything. They're not getting athletic money. The kid might be #50 on the roster and never dress for a game.
pretty sure all signing days regardless if they are getting something or not are just for show....if not for show what else would they be for?
I agree with old_school. All signing days are for show. No need to imply the D3 signing is any less than a D1 signing. Some D3 players turn out to be better than D1 players down the road so I am not sure why we need a distinction on signing day. Committing to play for a college is a big deal imho regardless of the level. Most of us never even played high school ball let alone college baseball so imho, signing to play at the collegiate level should be celebrated.
ClevelandDad posted:old_school posted:RJM posted:Aren't D3 signing days just for show? They're not signing/committing to anything. They're not getting athletic money. The kid might be #50 on the roster and never dress for a game.
pretty sure all signing days regardless if they are getting something or not are just for show....if not for show what else would they be for?
I agree with old_school. All signing days are for show. No need to imply the D3 signing is any less than a D1 signing. Some D3 players turn out to be better than D1 players down the road so I am not sure why we need a distinction on signing day. Committing to play for a college is a big deal imho regardless of the level. Most of us never even played high school ball let alone college baseball so imho, signing to play at the collegiate level should be celebrated.
Just for clarification...is the letter the D1 commit signs on signing day a binding contract? Or is that taken care of prior to that event?
In our admittedly small neck of the woods, they invite EVERY kid to the signing days, no matter what college level. D1 draft guys sit next to D3 guys getting nothing but financial need money. It's a great party for everyone. All these guys have played together on all-star or travel teams, and against each other for many years. All the parents know each other. We're a D3 family and were grateful to be invited. Our kid wasn't sure he wanted to, at first, but after he thought about it, he decided that his college commitment was worth celebrating with his summer and all star team buddies.
So here is question, would you be happier for your child to get some money and have his signing from Ole Miss who is out recruiting 8th and 9th graders or for your son to get his financial aid package and play at Tuffs, Franklin and Marshall or Amherst?? of one of many top D3 schools...for me it is a no brainer.
old_school posted:RJM posted:Aren't D3 signing days just for show? They're not signing/committing to anything. They're not getting athletic money. The kid might be #50 on the roster and never dress for a game.
the more I think about it the arrogance of this post annoys me. Why would a kid committing to a D3 to study and play baseball mean anything less then a kid "getting something" we all know half or more of the freshmen D1 players "getting something" get cut, over reach, never play or never even enroll at the school. We also know that quite a few of the D2 and Juco kids are there because they aren't good enough to play D1 or smart enough to get into many of the D3's...but you are going to toss a who the hell cares you aren't signing anything comment at them?
The kid signing his NLI may also be #50 on the roster and never dress for a game. $ and NLI's don't get you in the lineup.
ClevelandDad posted:old_school posted:RJM posted:Aren't D3 signing days just for show? They're not signing/committing to anything. They're not getting athletic money. The kid might be #50 on the roster and never dress for a game.
pretty sure all signing days regardless if they are getting something or not are just for show....if not for show what else would they be for?
I agree with old_school. All signing days are for show. No need to imply the D3 signing is any less than a D1 signing. Some D3 players turn out to be better than D1 players down the road so I am not sure why we need a distinction on signing day. Committing to play for a college is a big deal imho regardless of the level. Most of us never even played high school ball let alone college baseball so imho, signing to play at the collegiate level should be celebrated.
I've always felt signing days were more about the high school than the player. Anyone who is really interested already knows where the kid is committed.
Its interesting after the travel team does most of the recruiting work for the player the high school gets the media exposure. Then on the college website the high school is listed. You might find the kid's travel team in the "personal" section.