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Question to the knowledgeable and the experienced about the PG Fall Academic showcase in October. My 2020 SS/MIF is targeting high academic D1s. Has generated some interest from Ivy/Patriot schools via Headfirst and Showball. Most of these schools do not offer camps in October-January - except a few. He wants to get some meaningful exposure this Fall. he will be at the PG Underclass WWBA in Fort Myers, but the chances of a MIF getting noticed there is uneven. My other 2017 was a pitcher and I feel that pitchers usually get the more closer looks at such major tourney type events. For 2017 we did not do the PG Fall Academic showcases as they conflicted with his Fall baseball wiht travel team. We are considering is this time though for my 2020 as he is a MIF who pitches. What is the general feedback on the PG Fall Acedemic? Do the Ivy/Patriots and other similar high academics (Hopkins, Tufts, Davidson, Fordham, etc) attend? Is there an advantage to doing this - considering the cost versus exposure - as opposed to doing maybe other things - like another Showball/Headfirst in November? Thanks as always for the unvarnished feedback. The grind has begun. 

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AZ Fall Junior Classic would be ideal for your son: attend both the one day academic event and play for a team through the weekend.  Ivy's and other top D1's attend thru the wkend.  Go to their website and see the coaches who've attended in the past.

I know ONE player who attended the PG Academic event two years in a row and Coach Decker from Harvard was at both.  It worked out "WELL" for this player.  PG does not let you know which coaches will attend this event.  Hit or miss, you'd have to ask that specific school if a coach will attend.  It was mentioned by a friend who attended that he didn't see much of any HA D3's there.  The HA D3's do attend the AZ Classic though.  

With your son being a position player the coaches need to see lots of game actions and how good is the bat. That requires multiple chance to show skills, because sometimes you don't get many balls hit your way.  If the BAT is working your son will get attention.  Helpful to have a 60yd time below 7.0.

It could be worthwhile to go to either the Oct-Nov Showball or HF camps as a follow up to the AZ Classic.  Multiple chances to show his skills within a few weeks of each camp.

 

My 2018 MIF attended the June 2017 PG Spring Academic Showcase as a rising Sr after attending the Fall/Winter Headfirst Event in 2016. What I can tell you is there were only a handful of schools present at PG. In fact I was pretty bummed with the turnout after seeing so many schools at Headfirst. At PG I recall seeing Duke and Notre Dame as far as D1. There were also some D3 HA but if I had to guess I'd say there were 10 schools total. I felt like it was a total waste of money. In any case, my son ran well (he had a top 3 time in the 60 was 2nd in the 10yrd splits) and played well in the games. Crickets though after the showcase.

Fast forward 3 weeks and he was at a state showcase. After that showcase he got a text or email from one of the D3 HA coaches. Turns our their RC was at PG Academic and saw my son and the HC was paying close attention to him at the state showcase. They liked what they saw and wanted him to visit.

At the visit they made him an offer and that's where he is today as a freshman. Might they still liked him if he never went to PG? Maybe, but the fact that they had primary evidence and he was on their list heading into the State showcase was probably what got him the offer. Anyway, the bottom line advice I give everyone. The more you are out there showing the better your chances of getting noticed. You never know who's watching and what they will think (and need).

There are cheaper and easier ways to get seen by schools from Mass, PA, and NY than flying down to Georgia or all the way out to Arizona. The schools you mentioned are small programs with small budgets and most don't offer scholarships. If 95% of the players at Lafayette or Bucknell come from NY, NJ, PA, they don't need to fly out to Georgia to find players, even more so for Arizona. 

Better off looking into showcases in MA, CT, NJ, NY.  I can't speak for the Ivys as they recruit nationally and have more brand recognition, but don't expect to head down to Arizona and see Fordham there.

I have to respectfully disagree w PABASEBALL. That may have been true in the past but not anymore.You can look at the rosters and see what's happening. Texas, Florida and CA kids are filling these roster spots at D1 & D3 HA. Look at the Bucknell roster from last season. https://bucknellbison.com/rost...18&path=baseball  Or go and look how many kids NYU has from CA, FL and TX. 1/3 of their roster from those 3 states. Their incoming class is not unlike my sons school. His class has 3 kids from the NE region (school is located in the Northeast) and 5 kids from outside. Kids are from CA, TX, Georgia, Ohio. They recruit nationally as do all the HA D3 schools. This is a growing trend and makes it extra tough from NE kids to make these rosters.

Agree with PABaseball with respect to regional events might be better. However, to second what Gov said, last year Fordham, Columbia, Dartmouth, Yale, Harvard, Holy Cross, and Bucknell were all at the Arizona Junior Fall Classic, so if you could swing it that might be a good option. Obviously the Ivies only do financial aid, but the Patriots have some level of funding for baseball (though not fully funded) -- though I'm not sure about Holy Cross.

Edited to add last year's schools for the Junior and Senior Classics:

https://azfallclassic.com/wp-c...7-Senior-Schools.pdf

https://azfallclassic.com/wp-c...sic-schools-2017.pdf

Last edited by 2019Dad

So, I'm going to look at this through a slightly different lens.   First, the OP mentioned D1 & D3 HA schools.  So, these schools and others like them with extremely difficult admissions (<15% acceptance ) are going to recruit nationally...they have to.  Second, do you know if it is worthwhile to attend these showcases because your 2020 son has the necessary academic metrics or are you guessing he will have the necessary academic metrics in the future?  It seems to me that going to this PG Academic showcase is a leap of faith (based on previous feedback & turnout) that enough RCs will be in attendance to make this worth while.  Your son will need to go to national level showcases (in the future) to get the attention of these HA schools but I'd signup & travel ($$$) only after scoring acceptable (or in the neighborhood) metrics for SATs/ACTs that are going to make it worthwhile for your son and the coaches.  

As always, JMO.   

Phanatic2008WS posted:

Question to the knowledgeable and the experienced about the PG Fall Academic showcase in October. My 2020 SS/MIF is targeting high academic D1s. Has generated some interest from Ivy/Patriot schools via Headfirst and Showball. Most of these schools do not offer camps in October-January - except a few. He wants to get some meaningful exposure this Fall. he will be at the PG Underclass WWBA in Fort Myers, but the chances of a MIF getting noticed there is uneven. My other 2017 was a pitcher and I feel that pitchers usually get the more closer looks at such major tourney type events. For 2017 we did not do the PG Fall Academic showcases as they conflicted with his Fall baseball wiht travel team. We are considering is this time though for my 2020 as he is a MIF who pitches. What is the general feedback on the PG Fall Acedemic? Do the Ivy/Patriots and other similar high academics (Hopkins, Tufts, Davidson, Fordham, etc) attend? Is there an advantage to doing this - considering the cost versus exposure - as opposed to doing maybe other things - like another Showball/Headfirst in November? Thanks as always for the unvarnished feedback. The grind has begun. 

Phanatic: My son is a MIF as well and is currently at a HA school. During his sophomore (And junior year), he attended a Showball showcase Mega Camp in Florida in December. It sounds like there showcases are in November now. It really helped him cast a wide net based on the #s of schools attending (that you know from their website). If he has the tools to show (including Academic Track record for HA) I would attend .."bang for buck." My son had his best 60 time which changed his recruiting status (camper to prospect) with a number of schools he was targeting. Good luck.

2018SSDad posted:

My 2018 MIF attended the June 2017 PG Spring Academic Showcase as a rising Sr after attending the Fall/Winter Headfirst Event in 2016. What I can tell you is there were only a handful of schools present at PG. In fact I was pretty bummed with the turnout after seeing so many schools at Headfirst. At PG I recall seeing Duke and Notre Dame as far as D1. There were also some D3 HA but if I had to guess I'd say there were 10 schools total. I felt like it was a total waste of money. In any case, my son ran well (he had a top 3 time in the 60 was 2nd in the 10yrd splits) and played well in the games. Crickets though after the showcase.

Fast forward 3 weeks and he was at a state showcase. After that showcase he got a text or email from one of the D3 HA coaches. Turns our their RC was at PG Academic and saw my son and the HC was paying close attention to him at the state showcase. They liked what they saw and wanted him to visit.

At the visit they made him an offer and that's where he is today as a freshman. Might they still liked him if he never went to PG? Maybe, but the fact that they had primary evidence and he was on their list heading into the State showcase was probably what got him the offer. Anyway, the bottom line advice I give everyone. The more you are out there showing the better your chances of getting noticed. You never know who's watching and what they will think (and need).

That’s awesome for your son, but the lack of communication that they were even interested prior to that State Showcase is part of the problem people face. You had no idea they were looking or interested. Had you not gone to the State Showcase, it may have well turned out differently. The moral I take from this is cast a wide net and get to events where decision makers are.

I was more so trying to get the point across that there are easier ways to get seen by the schools you are targeting than trekking out cross country. Of course you can go to Arizona or Lake Point and try your luck, but I'm not sure I can be convinced you need to hop on a plane to do so when most schools are within a few hours drive and typically recruit from the same pool.

Arizona could be beneficial as the schools you are targeting will be there, but if you are on the east coast and want a school in the northeast - flying out to AZ or GA and taking a shot in the dark hoping to get seen isn't necessarily the best game plan. Personally I think the best route is to research some camps/showcases in the northeast, see which schools have been there in the past and make a gameplan. All the high academic D1/D3s are at the same camps/showcases in the northeast so you'd be casting a wider net and even if it doesn't work out with an Ivy, there will be plenty of NESCACs and other HA schools there as well. I think this is what would be more beneficial for the OP compared to AZ where there are only going to be 10-12 east coast schools total. 

Schools typically recruit locally. Most kids at UT are from Texas, most kids from UC/CSU schools are the West Coast, most kids from Holy Cross come from the northeast. Not saying it can't be done, but it might be more beneficial to stay local when it comes to getting noticed. Oddly enough the school 2019 is committed to is 20 minutes from our house, they saw him in FL then GA. 

Agree with PABASEBALL.  My son never went to PG, or hopped on a plane, and received offers from Patriot, NESCAC and others (and he's not a superstar student).  We went the camp route along with a couple PBR events, during his rising junior summer, just to get measurables.

My thoughts were, unless you're a complete stud, PG would do you more harm than good.  If you're a late bloomer sitting 86, how does it help you being at a tournament where a handful of kids are 90+.  All eyes will be on them and you'll be left in the dust.  That was our approach anyhow...

I agree with CTBBALLDAD, going to a PG event with an arm that sits 77 - 86 is not going to turn any heads (unless you are a lefty, of course). The reality of it is, unless you are on an elite national team that is stacked with hard throwers, most team are filled with guys who are just as I described. So why do so many show up at PG tournaments then? Because the PG marketing machine is effective. Wanna play college or pro ball, you gotta get to our tournaments and showcases to be seen!

When my son went to the 2017 PG WWBA 17U, the average fastball there was something like 81-82. The event drew a lot of big-time players/travel clubs and major schools came to see those guys, but don't think for a minute they were there looking at anyone else unless it was pre-arranged. It just isn't likely. But I have to think that as more "marginal" players stay in the game of baseball longer due to the increase in number of travel teams available to play for, that the coaches see the events becoming watered down. There may soon come a time when you see coaches typically only at the main wood bat tournaments in the summer, and very few attending Fall tournaments...just the guys who really have holes to fill or who are D2/3 NAIA etc. Some will argue that it's better for the game that kids stay around longer as some develop later, etc. But I tend to think that most of the guys who are identified earlier on tend to get those college spots, not the late bloomers per se.

My son had a few friends he has played with over the years have recruiting success at both Headfirst events and AZ Sr. Fall Classic events. His own recruiting was jump started at an AZ Jr Fall Classic in 2017. He also has had friends who have done all of those things and not had any recruiting success.

If you are a position player, you are going to have to show college coaches that you can hit legitimate pitching, similar to what is in their school conference. Often times the best way to showcase hitting ability is by playing against top pitchers at PG or similar events.  Coaches like to see hitters many times and often follow a recruit for more than a year. 

Thanks to all responders. As usual greatly appreciate it. Below are the take homes for me and 2020.

1. (GOV) Oct-Nov Showball or HF camps as a follow up to the AZ Classic.  Multiple chances to show his skills within a few weeks of each camp.

2. (2018SSDAD) The more you are out there showing the better your chances of getting noticed. You never know who's watching and what they will think (and need).

3. (PABASEBALL) looking into showcases in MA, CT, NJ, NY - for more local East Coast/Smaller budget schools.

4. (CTBBALLDAD) already plan to use one of the dates you mentioned that we had missed. Thanks.

5. (2019DAD) Arizona Junior Fall Classic, so if you could swing it that might be a good option. 

6. (FENWAYSOUTH) Your son will need to go to national level showcases (in the future) to get the attention of these HA schools but I'd signup & travel ($$$) only after scoring acceptable (or in the neighborhood) metrics for SATs/ACTs that are going to make it worthwhile for your son and the coaches.  -  AGREE, HE DOES HAVE THE ACADEMICS TO GET TOP SCHOOLS. BUT BEING A MIDDLE INFIELDER WILL NEED TO KEEP GETTING OUT THERE AS OPPOSED TO PITCHERS THROWING 88-90 WHO GET EASILY NOTICED>

7. (RIPKEN FAN) If he has the tools to show (including Academic Track record for HA) I would attend .."bang for buck." type events 

8. (GARYME) The moral I take from this is cast a wide net and get to events where decision makers are.

9. (ROADRUNNER) If you are a position player, you are going to have to show college coaches that you can hit legitimate pitching, similar to what is in their school conference. Often times the best way to showcase hitting ability is by playing against top pitchers at PG or similar events.  Coaches like to see hitters many times and often follow a recruit for more than a year. 

So we have taken allof these to heart. 2020 will continue to play in tourneys versus as good competition as his team will enlist in PG Underclass at Fort Myers etc. Will do specific school camps based off of Summer HF and Showball events to get more interaction and feedback by entire coaching team and not just the HC or the RC that saw him, do AZ Junior Academic Tryout, perhaps do a Winter HF or Showball, and in winter just hit the books, the weight room, the track, the cages and the bullpen to continue to develop. The hope is all of this with Spring baseball will get him in as good a baseball package by Summer 2019 or earlier! Thanks again all.

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