Accepting an offer

This is just my opinion.  Call the ones that he has spoken to and were still actively recruiting him.  You especially want to leave a positive impression on any coaches that you might need a relationship in the future.  My son's school has several kids on it that started at one school, left and went to a juco for a year, and are now at his school.   Lots of kids transfer for lots of different reasons.  You just never know.

I would say if you visited and still are in contact (or have a standing offer), I would say that you should call them. I had to make five calls to coaches letting them know...as a player, don't burn bridges. Kids transfer all the time. You never know, so showing respect to a coach that has welcomed and gave their time to you is something that you should do in return. The coaches were happy that I called and thought it was a very "stand up" thing to do. 

I'm in full agreement with the two comments above.  Don't burn bridges, and remain on good terms with the other coaches recruiting your son in case a transfer is necessary in the future.  

One of the comments that I've heard from athletes (or their parents) who committed to a school very early, when consulting with them about a transfer, is that "I committed so early to this college and shut down contact with other coaches, that I don't know who else to contact right now."  One reason that I'm not a big fan of the early recruiting and early commits, which are even more common in women's sports.

More and more, in baseball, you're seeing something you didn't see as much of just three or four years ago - kids decommiting. This tells me that it's possible, with the proliferation of earlier offerings, that schools don't necessarily respect those commitments as much as they used to and may be continuing recruiting efforts on already-committed players. I certainly see a day in the near future where baseball recruiting starts to more closely resemble football and basketball where a verbal commitment means very little; where you see committed players sitting at a table with three hats on signing day with no idea who they will sign a LOI with even though they've been verbally committed for three years. Just last week I saw TWO 2019's pull their commitments. 2019's!

Never understood why a 2019 would commit in their fresh or soph year!  A lot of variables such as physical development (non-development), mental development (non-development) of a player or school's recruiting need and/or philosophy can change.  2019 may not be a fit for the school anymore.

I would advise my son, if I did it over, to keep the options open until Junior year. IMO

roothog66 posted:

More and more, in baseball, you're seeing something you didn't see as much of just three or four years ago - kids decommiting. This tells me that it's possible, with the proliferation of earlier offerings, that schools don't necessarily respect those commitments as much as they used to and may be continuing recruiting efforts on already-committed players. I certainly see a day in the near future where baseball recruiting starts to more closely resemble football and basketball where a verbal commitment means very little; where you see committed players sitting at a table with three hats on signing day with no idea who they will sign a LOI with even though they've been verbally committed for three years. Just last week I saw TWO 2019's pull their commitments. 2019's!

From what I hear often those decommits result from signals given by the schools. I recently heard about a 2017 who went to an event  at the school with all the other 2017 recruits, and the coaches barely acknowledged him.  Now the kid is worried and asking around.

JABMK posted:

Never understood why a 2019 would commit in their fresh or soph year!  A lot of variables such as physical development (non-development), mental development (non-development) of a player or school's recruiting need and/or philosophy can change.  2019 may not be a fit for the school anymore.

I would advise my son, if I did it over, to keep the options open until Junior year. IMO

That's easy to say, but reality can make it harder. I'll use the example of a particular school my son is the most interested in. As a RHP, this school was almost done recruiting 2018's at this position before the summer was over. Other schools actually were completely through with the 2018 class before he started his junior year. So, if this is the school you think you want to go to, the opportunity is now or never. Two of his teammates committed to this school as 2019's early in the summer. For one of them, they are apparently done recruiting at his position. Now, for the vast majority of schools, this isn't true, but for some...

JCG posted:

roothog66 posted:

More and more, in baseball, you're seeing something you didn't see as much of just three or four years ago - kids decommiting. This tells me that it's possible, with the proliferation of earlier offerings, that schools don't necessarily respect those commitments as much as they used to and may be continuing recruiting efforts on already-committed players. I certainly see a day in the near future where baseball recruiting starts to more closely resemble football and basketball where a verbal commitment means very little; where you see committed players sitting at a table with three hats on signing day with no idea who they will sign a LOI with even though they've been verbally committed for three years. Just last week I saw TWO 2019's pull their commitments. 2019's!

From what I hear often those decommits result from signals given by the schools. I recently heard about a 2017 who went to an event  at the school with all the other 2017 recruits, and the coaches barely acknowledged him.  Now the kid is worried and asking around.

I would say not. For most of the decommits I've seen, they are highly valued. No way those schools would have lost interest. In about half, however, there seems to have been associated pitching coach changes.

My son has had similar problems. he has offers from some very good programs. However, they aren't the highest on his list for one reason or another (geography, academics, etc.). From the schools higher on his list, he's recruited, but they don't seem ready to offer just yet. He sometimes feels panicked and feels a little pressured to accept one of the offers just to get it over with. I have to peel him off the wall and convince him - and his mother - he'll end up just fine. It's a lot of pressure - not from the schools, but just from the atmosphere the current climate creates. What should be a very fun time of courtships with schools has become something less than enjoyable.

There is little fun about the recruitment process in my experience, I won't say it is terrible either but fun is just not the proper term IMO

roothog66 posted:

JABMK posted:

Never understood why a 2019 would commit in their fresh or soph year!  A lot of variables such as physical development (non-development), mental development (non-development) of a player or school's recruiting need and/or philosophy can change.  2019 may not be a fit for the school anymore.

I would advise my son, if I did it over, to keep the options open until Junior year. IMO

That's easy to say, but reality can make it harder. I'll use the example of a particular school my son is the most interested in. As a RHP, this school was almost done recruiting 2018's at this position before the summer was over. Other schools actually were completely through with the 2018 class before he started his junior year. So, if this is the school you think you want to go to, the opportunity is now or never. Two of his teammates committed to this school as 2019's early in the summer. For one of them, they are apparently done recruiting at his position. Now, for the vast majority of schools, this isn't true, but for some...

Root, just by way of example, there is one school that currently has 21 commits in the 2018 class, per the PG database.

Vandy is the perfect example. If you're a 2019 sophomore and Vandy offers, you have to know you can't wait. They'll simply move on to the next guy who will accept. So, if you want to go to Vandy, you can't have the idea that they will still be there for you in a year.

Baseball recruiting has gotten more and more bizarre in the last few years. Social media and self promotions have really pushed recruiting into unchartered territory. I've heard tales of commits getting to campus and the HC didn't even know who they were!

Are you really a good HC or RC if you need to collect an excessive amount of commitments/recruits, that a large percentage will likely be cut from the cattle call at semester? I have heard HC's place the blame on overzealous parents marketing their players, many of which are willing to pay all tuition fees just to say their player committed to said University. This is a win for the HC as there is ZERO risk on his part.

I'm still of the opinion, have a sense of urgency but don't panic. There is going to be a good fit for your player. Top programs will absolutely pluck a "dude" late in the recruiting game, even if they have 21 previous commits or more, as some don't report. It's important to know where you are in the depth of a position. 

 We all hear or see where most players commit but we don't see the results of the players that stick or don't stick. There is constant movement at all levels of college baseball. Go where you are wanted and go where you can play..........not sit

Never burn your nridges even if a school talks to you that you have no interest attending . Be curteous and nice and respectful. Life is funny. You never know when the coaching staff will change or where your travels may lead you. I have many examples of this in various sports but the lesson is the same. Coaching college sports is a small community. Coaches see each other at seminars and in various other travels and word gets around. Coaches also have assistants who get other jobs and move around some before getting a head coaching job. Keep this in mind when speaking to a school that is not on your sons list.......