2021 Recruitment after very Positive Camp

Julio,

Welcome and congrats on  the camp experience.  It sounds like your son nailed it.   If I was going to give you one piece of advice (based on my son's recruiting experience) I WOULD continue to pursue other opportunities if you have them.   Do not wait for anything or anyone.   The best thing for your son is competition for his services.  Coaches will act when they have a reason to act.  Give them a reason.

As always, JMO.   Good luck!

Congrats! Sounds like a great outing.  I completely agree with Fenway South. It is always encouraging to be noticed and it tells you he is doing things right.  That said, we had 2 experiences with top SEC schools where he was pulled in after camps to do tours and speak with the coaches.  One school actually had him come get me right after he pitched (an hour into the camp) to come back and tour and sit down with the pitching coach while the camp was still going.  They told him they could offer him that day but they wanted to see him throw a few more times.  He spoke to both schools for almost a year, and neither ended up offering, although they were still asking him to call.  My son was talking to about 15 schools when he committed.  Until you commit, DO NOT let up on the recruiting. 

This is where having a well connected travel coach helps. If he's going to Jupiter I assume he has one. Let the coach know about the camp conversations and he should be making calls to other schools on your behalf. Hey, ______ is interested in Jimmy you guys should come and take a look. Now is the time to be reaching out to other school, Jupiter is a great event for recruiting. 

I would assume that the school liked what they saw, but they just want to see him against top competition, Jupiter is the best place for that. Camps are tough because while there are good players, there aren't enough and the ages range from 14-18 with maybe 2 kids at the entire camp that are capable of playing at the host school. So they want to see him hit 90mph pitching and field hard hit balls off other top players. He's in a good position, just keep doing what he's doing. 1220 is good enough to get him into any Fl school with baseball. They just want to see him live. 

JULIO - congrats to your son on a great camp!   It sounds like he is in a very good place.  The others who have responded are correct, he should continue to pursue opportunities with other schools until he gets an offer that he accepts.

Congratulations, glad he had a great camp. Remember this is a business. So I agree with all the others, Do not let up on the recruiting.

I am sure that this coach would love to keep him off the market. IF he has no competition, how much does he have to offer? It is supply and demand. Your Son's talent is the supply, as others have said that is limited. The more Demand you have the higher that supply is worth. So if he only has demand from one school any offer does not have to be very high. However if the demand goes up so does your son's value.

Also He does not know what else is out there. He should try and experience other schools. What if there is a better fit? you will never know if you do not try. 

Thanks for the replies, his HS Coach thinks that if they were intersted enough they should have offered him already, he thinks most likely nothing will come out of it. He  thinks he should commit to a Juco if he gets offered right away. My son loved the shcool and really would love to play for them, I don't think he would be content comitting to a Juco right now after this experience with this D1, specially now in his Junior Year. If he was a uncomitted Sr., it would be a different story. I just want to make sure we are handling this the right way and not burn any bridges.

Would asking the D1 RC a couple of weeks down the line after they've talked a few times wether or not he (my son)should be open to pursuing other schools be a good idea to see if the RC has near future plans to commit him?, or not such a good idea?

I would not.  It is likely the coach is going to ask who else he is talking to and I will tell you that every time my son mentioned another school, they were just more interested.  I would keep emailing, having your coach call, etc.  These coaches EXPECT you to be not only pursuing but being pursued by other schools.  If you act like they are your only option, they have zero incentive to offer any money. 

The recruiting process can blow hot and cold. First school to contact my son his junior year invited him to a game and campus visit, then acted like they couldn't remember his name when he got there. A few weeks later, they loved him again. They finally made him an offer later in his junior year, and then hung up on him when he told them he was going to a different school.

Don't put all your eggs in one basket and don't feel like you have to commit to the first school that offers. Sure, keep talking to these guys, but definitely keep exploring other options and expanding the list of schools you talk to. Always remember the schools are in it for themselves, you (and your son) need to do what's best for you. 

Update:

HS Coach just put him in Contact with the head Coach of a D1 Juco in FL, Juco Coach just offered him tuition + books and depending on his performance in Jupiter they might include Room and Board. HS coach suggested to go and visit the JUCO after Jupiter and Commit if by then nothing else comes up with an offer. He says if a D1 offer comes up AFTER the Juco Commitment he can always consider it.

What do you guys think on this approach?

Again, much appreciate all the input.

You are getting good advice from your HS Coach. You might want to take it. You may think that he isn’t a positive thinker but my bet is he is a realistic thinker. 

HS Coach sounds like a rock star!  Great advice and actions to help your son with his recruiting experience.  Absolutely take him up on it, and go there to learn about the JUCO opportunity.  

Good luck!

PS...Don't be surprised if that Top 50 D1 coach gets wind of this, and suddenly has something to offer.

Do FL kids commit to JuCo so early? In CA there is no reason to do so before senior year once 4 year school recruitment is done. 

JCG posted:

Do FL kids commit to JuCo so early? In CA there is no reason to do so before senior year once 4 year school recruitment is done. 

The timetable for JuCo recruiting has really accelerated in past year or so. Top JuCo programs are already way down the road on class of 2020. Lesser JuCo programs not as far along but have gotten started. Always a scholly or 2 held back for hard throwing pitchers that might be late to the party. 

Not sure that I have seen better advice, collectively, then what what has been shared in response to your questions JULIO! Have a class starting now so will get back and share my son's experience regarding similar experience.

Top JUCO's in the South are done with 2020's except the guys who don't get drafted high enough and are looking for a chance to get better and be drafted again next year.  They are hard and heavy on 2021's and 2022's just like D1's.  I agree with your HS HC but I also don't like the idea of committing to a JUCO and then decommitting to go to a D1.  I think a commitment is a commitment but that is just me.  I wouldn't do anything until after Jupiter.  if they are truly a top d1 then they will be at Jupiter.  After Jupiter, they will either offer or drag him along.  But I would also only commit to JUCO if it is a top one not just a JUCO and there are a few in FL.

If his defense is the greatest thing since sliced bread and they didn’t make an offer there must be some question about his hitting. Keep moving forward. Even if they eventually offer there may be a better situation.

Keep in mind a D1 top fifty will bring in five of the best shortstop recruits in the region. The one that hits the best and fields adequately wins the position. The others get moved to 2b, 3b, cf or transfer. 

Great advise from the posters above. There is no reason to stop talking to others and waiting for them to offer. Things change rapidly in the recruiting process, especially at top DI programs. He should be looking for as many offers as possible, as these schools are looking at as many recruits as they can. 

Regarding the JC offer, if he is good enough for top DI offers, they will find a spot for him should he become available down the road. 

Actually, I'd like to ask a question for this thread. If a 2021 got such strong positive reaction from a top 50 D1 at camp, why do some of you think it's such a great idea to pivot to Juco? Honest question. As I read this it seems like the kid has time to look at other 4-year schools and the skills to get some interest. What makes it so smart to go the Juco route now?

Thanks

I don't think he should go the JUCO route right now, but I think getting other offers only makes you a hotter commodity.  I also think there are just some cautionary tales that a great camp and even one on one tours at schools many times materialize into nothing.  You run the recruiting race hard until you commit. Also, I know there are exceptions, but a lot of top D1s do have most of their 2021 recruits, you can't put your eggs in one basket at this stage.