Advice For The HS Freshmen Who Wants To Later Play College Baseball

The focus should be on getting bigger, stronger, faster and improving skills.  There’s no sense in going to a quality showcase unless there’s something to show. It’s not a bad idea for a freshman to go to an inexpensive, local college showcase style camp to get a feel for what’s coming. 

Typically college camps are fundraisers for the spring trip. The good college camps are the prospect camps where the coaching staff has reached out to the player through his high school or travel coach.

At the right time your son should align himself with a travel team where the coach/program has contacts and credibility at the right competitive level. Recruiting is a lot easier playing for a coach who can sell the player. 

Unless the kid turns into a potential D1 player who could be recruited out of the area think regionally in terms of showcases. If he’s a top student think Head First.

Go watch college games at various levels of ball. Ask parents how their son ended up there. Most parents enjoy talking about their kids. Sometimes you can engage a scout and ask him about the typical metrics in the conference for your son’s position 

Short answer... must do's - be good enough mentally and physically and have the grades.  But there really are no short answers.

Welcome to the site and congratulations!  You have found the place that will answer those questions in far more detail, ten times over, some more and some less related to your son's specific and unique set of circumstances.  RJM's reply was a great one.  You will get plenty more.  You can also search the site by topic and find an enormous amount of discussion and information on these topics.  

My contribution always includes the reminder to make sure he fully enjoys the HS experience along the way.  Once in a lifetime and very special.  Too many get caught up in chasing the college or pro baseball dream and forget to fully take in what is likely the most rewarding and fun baseball experience that is the present.  If he reaches his goal, it will be far more like work once he gets there than what he envisioned during the dream phase.

Francis7 posted:

Your son just started High School this semester.  He will graduate in 2022.  His goal is to play college baseball after high school.    Outside of training on his own and working hard on getting good grades, what should he be focused on in each of the next 4 baseball seasons and off-seasons?  What should he avoid and/or not be concerned about and when? 

For example:  Showcases.  When are they appropriate and when is it too soon?  Should he attend them at all?  Or, are college camps more important?  Is attending a camp without an invitation worthwhile or not?  Should he align himself with a certain kind of travel team?  What should he be looking for in a team with respect to showcases, tournaments and camps? 

Basically, for a just starting HS baseball player, who wants to play in college, what are the “must do’s” and “don’t bothers” and when and why for anything mentioned? 

There is no correct answer. Everything is fluid, changing and subject to what the player's skills are. If your kid is a 2022, focus on playing against the best competition you can find. Play on the best team you can get on (travel) in which you will get meaningful playing time. Have fun, don't burn him out.

Right now, it's important that you the parent learn the recruiting ropes, know where the kid's skills fall against their peers and maintain objectivity by getting sound feedback from quality coaches. Cannot stress enough grades. GRADES!!!! I know good baseball players who aren't getting offers because grades are keeping the coaches away, not the skills. So stay on them about being a great student first. Parents carry a lot of water during the recruiting process. Get smart, get active in developing a recruiting plan for your son. Got more $$$ than time? Pay someone to do that, but they will not have skin in the game like you.

cabbagedad posted:

...Welcome to the site and congratulations!  You have found the place that will answer those questions in far more detail, ten times over, some more and some less related to your son's specific and unique set of circumstances.  

No no noooooooooooooooo!!!!!!

October of my son’s freshman year, I took him to a UCONN camp.  I was totally ignorant that it was a recruiting tool, thought it was cool just to get him on a college field and get a feel for it.  Coach Penders went up to my son and said “welcome Jack, you’re the youngest kid here by 2 years.  Glad you’re here.”

I agree with all above.  You have time, work hard and enjoy the process.

Agree with Gary and RJM.  GRADES!   The first question the coach asked my son was "What is your GPA?"  If the grades aren't there, it's the end of discussion.  Note - NCAA minimum is a 2.0 GPA.  Some schools have higher standards.  One thing overlooked many times - there are more academic scholarships  out there than athletic scholarships.

On the athletic side what RJM posted is good advice.  Find a good quality travel team that has contacts.  Don't showcase unless the player has skills to show.  Otherwise, it'll just be a waste of $$ and time.

Don't rule out D2, D3, NAIA or even JuCo.  My son played at a D2 JuCo and a D2 University - both were competitive squads.

Go see some college games (any level).

And don't forget to enjoy his HS experience.   Those 4 years will go by quicker than you can imagine.

As mentioned - develop a plan.   It just doesn't happen unless you make it happen.

Just a comment on grades ... The NCAA requirement is 2.0. A coach may be willing to take a risk on a stud, pro prospect with borderline grades. But typically most college coaches are looking for 3.0. There’s an expectation a player’s gpa will be lower in college due to the demands of playing a sport.

Athletes often get a break on high school gpa and sat scores versus a regular applicants. But the schools do have their own minimum acceptance level even for athletes.

Best advice I can give — stay on this site. Ask questions. Smart questions, stupid questions. Don't take the answers personally. Just ask. You will learn so much and your son will benefit.

Iowamom23 posted:

Best advice I can give — stay on this site. Ask questions. Smart questions, stupid questions. Don't take the answers personally. Just ask. You will learn so much and your son will benefit.

I'm a '22 dad and, yeah, what she said.  This site is extremely valuable.

My son is a 2020 and  has ambitions to play D1 baseball in college. You could do some local showcase type events (PBR, etc.) early in high school to get initial measurables and to get him used to the format, but I would hold off on any bigger events until he truly has something to show. My son has done the Stanford camp and HeadFirst Honor Roll and both were great. HeadFirst was exceptional for allowing direct recruiting interaction with coaches and that is not really useful until September 1 of junior year. If your son has good grades - focus on grades! - and will take honors/AP classes, I recommend getting baseline SAT and/or ACT scores at the end of sophomore year or early junior year. My son has found that he has a bit of an edge in conversations with high academic coaches because he already has those scores. In the West, the Fall Classic is a "must" junior year. Get on the most competitive club team that you can find for summer/fall ball. We are only doing on-campus camps with schools where there is mutual interest or my son is highly interested in the school (with or without baseball). Best of luck!

I wanted to say THANKS(!) to everyone for their replies.  And, if anyone else has more to share, please do!

I want to re-read through all the comments and digest them.  I'm sure I will have some follow-up questions!

https://web3.ncaa.org/ecwr3/??...llege-sports_en_US??

link to NCAA site, create an account for your son. Its important to not only have a decent GPA but you have to make sure you take and pass the appropriate core classes. Don't wait until the kid is a Jr. or Sr. to find out he needed a certain math or science class. 

Many people say "don't showcase until you have something to show."  We would have saved money and time if we had known what that means.  It is not about "how well you play," it starts with measurable numbers.  For the most part, the only schools that recruit before the summer after junior year are D1s.  Their interest starts (as relevant to position) with FB, 60-yard-dash, pop time, exit velocity, throwing velocity, and player height, those are what make them pay attention, then they look to see if you can play the game.  If you don't hit those numbers, then you might as well wait until junior year and the summer after for showcases and camps.  You can measure these things on your own (or with the help of high school coaches, instructors, etc.). It would be great if some knowledgable posters could give the numbers that make D1s take notice. 

For my own 2022, he’s totally on board with bigger, faster, stronger, better.  His coaches have stressed that to him and he’s bought in, 100%, and made some nice gains there recently.  He’s also understanding the importance of grades now.  But, he will probably never be an honors program/AP, high SAT, kid.  There’s no 4.0 GPA in his future.  My guess is that he will end up in the high 2’s.  (Just being objective.)  So, that’s going to be a hurdle for him.  But, I continue to preach to him that coaches want D1 athletes who are D1 students too.  That said, his future may be D3 no matter how good he gets on the field.  And, he understands it.  He wants to be D1.  But, he also knows there are some great D3 programs out there as well.

The alignment with the right travel program is on my radar.  Currently, the program that he plays with has GREAT coaches/instructors.  These are guys who know their stuff and really care about the kids.  From that respect, it’s been AWESOME and he’s learned, and benefited, A LOT from being with these guys.  However, their teams struggle to compete because they just haven’t been able to recruit enough talent – especially pitchers! – on their rosters.  Therefore, I do have so concerns about how their credibility would be perceived at higher competition levels.  And, while they have some D1 commits in the program, I think it’s more a matter of kids coming to them to train and play, and being committed on their own, rather than the coaches helping the kids get committed. 

So, at what point is it critical that your son plays for a program where the coaches have a proven track record at helping kids get on college teams?  Is it the summer of their sophomore year?  Sooner?  Later?

I figured  that parents carry a lot of the weight in the recruiting process and it’s important to learn the recruiting ropes.  And, that’s my biggest concern now – because I probably don’t know as much as I should know, and have an understanding on the tasks, timing, etc. 

Someone once suggested the following to me – although they said it takes time and effort:  Find out what schools would align with your son’s interest and the likelihood of him attending, and look at the roster of their baseball team.  Look up the kids’ perfect game profiles and see where they played their summer ball before they were in college.  If you see a trend that most of School X’s roster, or a fair chunk of it, all played with Travel Program ABC, then you should be looking to get your kid playing with that program – as they probably have connections with that school which will help your son.

That seems to make sense.  Are there other things/tasks that one should be doing as a parent?  What are they?  And, when should you be doing them?

I've heard mentioned, and believe read it somewhere on this site (but can't find it now); What's the deal with a 3.5GPA? Is that the minimum required for a DI/DII to combine athletic and academic money?

Francis7 posted:

 

The alignment with the right travel program is on my radar.  Currently, the program that he plays with has GREAT coaches/instructors.  These are guys who know their stuff and really care about the kids.  From that respect, it’s been AWESOME and he’s learned, and benefited, A LOT from being with these guys.  However, their teams struggle to compete because they just haven’t been able to recruit enough talent – especially pitchers! – on their rosters.  Therefore, I do have so concerns about how their credibility would be perceived at higher competition levels.  And, while they have some D1 commits in the program, I think it’s more a matter of kids coming to them to train and play, and being committed on their own, rather than the coaches helping the kids get committed. 

 

Sometimes its not about winning (queue those who disagree) when it comes to a quality travel program.  I've put many posts on here about travel programs and our experiences.  We used to regularly play the travel program my kid ended up on in High School.  Used to beat them a lot.  I could not understand why there were considered such a great program.  They are known nationally, not one of the top top programs, but known enough that they regularly showed up on lists of good programs when PGStaff used to post here.  

My kid switched to their program in HS due to some recommendations by numerous folks who understood the recruiting process in our area.  Once we started playing for them I saw the light...They were more concerned about developing the player and showcasing them then they were in winning games.  Yes they wanted to win but they would sacrifice that if it meant getting a kid some reps to work on a hole in his game or getting someone into a game to be seen by a scout or recruiter.  We would primarily play like minded programs in the area with the occasional tourney thrown in.  There were times where we stopped games early because it was too hot and the catchers were becoming dehydrated, or extended games because some college guys requested to see a specific player play in a specific position.  We lent players to the other teams and vice versa to help fill in gaps at times.  The normal substitution rules were thrown out as well.  We would swap kids in and out all game long, bat continuous order, etc.  The only time we played normal baseball rules was during tourneys and then we may have one team on the field day one and a different team on day two.  Kids were not assigned to one of the three teams until the Wednesday before the weekend. This provided the program with the opportunity to adjust teams based on getting kids in front of the proper recruiters.  

When it comes to selecting the right travel team its not about winning.  They are many programs out there built around that.  You really need to be looking for a program that has deep contacts with the college recruiters, works to develop the player, understands what level the player should be playing at and works to get the players in a position to be seen by the right folks.

Francis, if it looks like your son's GPA will be around high 2s or so, you could also look into SAT/ACT tutoring.  A good test score can compensate for GPA.  We did a tutoring program for my son and it helped him a ton - roughly, increased his ACT composite score by 3 or 4 points which makes a big difference.  It was a lot of work for him, and at the time I was hesitant due to the cost, but as it turns out the return on that investment will be huge and I am so glad he did it.  It also helps with recruiting b/c the HC knows he will be admitted and receive academic aid.  As I am sure you know, there is not a lot of athletic money for baseball so coaches have to put packages together that combine athletic, academic and need based aid.

One other point to consider is patience - everyone's recruiting path is unique.  Just as an example, my son is a Senior (2019) and is still undecided - still getting looks from all Divisions and trying to make the best decision.  A common perception is that if you are not "committed" by Senior year, it is too late for DI or DII.  That is not true as many programs leave a few spots for late bloomers, rostered players transfer or quit, get hurt,  etc.  Of course we did not expect my son to be uncommitted and undecided at this relatively late point, but that is his journey.  Don't plan for that, but be open to the reality that it can be a long journey with some twists and turns!

Best of luck!!

nycdad posted:

I've heard mentioned, and believe read it somewhere on this site (but can't find it now); What's the deal with a 3.5GPA? Is that the minimum required for a DI/DII to combine athletic and academic money?

As with all things NCAA, it's more complicated than that, but this is the section of the D1 manual:

15.5.3.2.4.1 Academic Honor Awards—Based on High School Record. Academic honor
awards that are part of an institution’s normal arrangements for academic scholarships, based solely
on the recipient’s high school record and awarded independently of athletics interests and in amounts
consistent with the pattern of all such awards made by institutions, are exempt from an institution’s
equivalency computation, provided the recipient was ranked in the upper 10 percent of the high school
graduating class or achieved a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.500 (based on a maximum
of 4.000) or a minimum ACT sum score of 105 or a minimum SAT score of 1200 (critical reading and
math) for SAT tests taken before March 1, 2016; or a minimum SAT score of 1270 (critical reading
and math) for tests taken on or after March 1, 2016, based on the concordance determined by the College
Board. (Adopted: 1/12/99 effective 8/1/99, Revised: 1/14/08 effective 8/1/08, 1/16/10 effective 8/1/10,
2/2/16)

Google "NCAA Manuals" for the completed set of manuals. The pdf versions are free.

thank you for that. My 2020 is right under 3.5, basically needs maintain close to a 4.0 rest of jr year to be there, but he just took the SAT blind, with no prep to see where he was and to map out a test prep strategy, should be able to hit about 1270 second time through.

Francis7,

Make grades a bigger priority!  2.something HS GPA will have a big impact on most kids chances of getting recruited and scholarship money...  Start prepping for SAT/ACT as well.  Unless your son is a top 1% recruit, grades will impact his opporunities.  When a player gets noticed the first questions RC’s will ask is about grades and test scores.  

Any HS student without a mental disorder can get 3.0 plus with some extra effort.  

I'm going to differ with Qhead here on one of his points. I cannot think of a single school who would deliberately "leave a few spots for late bloomers." That is pretty risky recruiting strategy. They may happen upon a late bloomer, but as a strategy it seems dicey.

They are looking for the best players available, period. If they have a guy who they think is going to meet their needs, they sign him. If nobody is out there, the spot is waiting for "Mr. Right" to come into the picture, or eventually may be offered to "Mr. May-be-good-enough". Some years, they may not fill it. Also, the later into the recruiting cycle you go, the less athletic scholarship dollars that will generally be available (if any are at all). Yes, there are offers that come during the "regular signing period" and some of them are with very good programs (and offer athletic $$$), but they become less and less as the clock ticks. They become available for a variety of reasons, so you always want to be communicating with those schools who have shown interest to ensure they know you are available.

Francis7 posted:

So, at what point is it critical that your son plays for a program where the coaches have a proven track record at helping kids get on college teams?  Is it the summer of their sophomore year?  Sooner?  Later?

 

I would recommend fall season of Sophomore year. Let him get his feet wet so he's seen the better pitching and the faster game. When summer rolls around he will already be used to it and it won't come as anything new. It will also help tremendously when it comes to varsity tryouts for high school. If you can't find a top team with college connections, have him play for a more local or regional team with an age group or two older than he is.

For us we played normal travel until high school (town travel, local team). Had him play up a year for a statewide team his freshman summer/and soph year. This got him acquainted with some of the bigger tournaments. Then national team looking to win the biggest tournaments his junior year

He should be focusing on getting good grades regardless if he is wants to play in college or not. He can have the best grades in his state and if he doesn't have the ability to play in college no college coach is going to recruit him.

If he wants to play in college? He has yet to play in HS. What should the goal be? What's the goal today? What's the goal right now? What can he do about that today? He should be focused on becoming the best player he can be today before he goes to bed. Wake up tomorrow with that same plan. Establish himself in his program. Become the best HS player he can be. Be so good that playing in college is an option. If he still wants to play in college in two years - going into this summer after his Soph year then lets talk about a game plan for being seen by the decision makers.

Get bigger, faster, stronger, more athletic. Working on the actual game skills. Arm, speed, hitting, fielding etc. What I am trying to say is your focusing on college baseball but you haven't even proven you can play HS baseball. You haven't established yourself on the HS field yet. You haven't proven your good enough to get that opportunity yet. Shouldn't you and your son be focused on that goal first? There is plenty of time once that happens for you to turn that attention to the next level. 

I am not trying to be an as s. I am trying to give a different perspective. There are a ton of kids who excel prior to HS baseball that never excel at HS baseball. There are many distractions and reasons for this. There are going to be things coming into his life that will challenge him and his ability to stay focused and willingness to stay focused. One step at a time. JMHO - By the way good luck. Welcome to the site. And my opinion is just that. 

⇑   boom...mike drop

GaryMe posted:

I'm going to differ with Qhead here on one of his points. I cannot think of a single school who would deliberately "leave a few spots for late bloomers." That is pretty risky recruiting strategy. They may happen upon a late bloomer, but as a strategy it seems dicey.

They are looking for the best players available, period. If they have a guy who they think is going to meet their needs, they sign him. If nobody is out there, the spot is waiting for "Mr. Right" to come into the picture, or eventually may be offered to "Mr. May-be-good-enough". Some years, they may not fill it. Also, the later into the recruiting cycle you go, the less athletic scholarship dollars that will generally be available (if any are at all). Yes, there are offers that come during the "regular signing period" and some of them are with very good programs (and offer athletic $$$), but they become less and less as the clock ticks. They become available for a variety of reasons, so you always want to be communicating with those schools who have shown interest to ensure they know you are available.

I can only speak from my admittedly limited experience.  We were just at a Big East school camp last month and the Head Coach specifically told the assembled parents and players aloud that he leaves an opening or two for Seniors that may develop later in the process.

That is anecdotal and only 1 HC.  And he may have been lying or stretching the truth, I suppose.  But my overall point is that -- as surprising as it has been to me -- it is not too late, even for Seniors.  Just this week my son visited a very established and successful perennial DII playoff program and the HC specifically told him that they have a grand total of ONE 2019 commit to date.  And believe me, they do not lack for want of interested players.  The travel organization that my son plays for gets Seniors committed to DI programs this time of year and later, with some regularity.  A couple players committed to lower level DIs just a few weeks ago.  There was just an article on PBR titled "November is Coming - Uncomitted Can Be Good".  I do not advocate or recommend waiting until the Fall of Senior year.  Believe me, it is nerve wracking and unsettling and difficult on the player and parents.  And yes, the longer it takes the less athletic money there is.

I just thought that it would be helpful to let parents of younger players know that each PSA's recruiting journey may be different, and even into the Fall there are opportunities at the DI and DII levels at least in our experience.  When I first came to this Board, I would not have thought that, but experience has taught me otherwise.

From my experience with a committed 2019 catcher...schools will vary in terms of what they value depending on the coach...in our case he valued speed, high obp, arm strength, base running ability, line drive contact, framing, blocking and managing pitchers over raw power and the overrated, in my opinion, exit velocity metric..all strengths in our case..other coaches feel differently...they are still recruiting slow, thick and heavy legged catchers with big bats and are fine with sacrificing athleticism at the position...find the programs that value your son's strengths and don't waste time with the ones who feel differently.. go to their camps and email the coach to get their list of what showcases they will be attending... every program values good grades..and finally, pray that your son doesn't get D1 itis...if he can't compete on that level then he will be cut in October and humiliated back at home ducking and dodging his high school classmates and wishing he could have listened to that inner voice of reason that was telling him it was a mistake to go D1.....play to your ability wherever that is...

Frances7, reading your last post it seems you are getting a good grasp as to what is needed and a plan of action.  Keep in mind that you are in for many sleepless nights trying to take the correct path for your son.  Do your research, homework, and ask many questions as you are doing.  If it is overwhelming to you imagine how your son may feel.  My son (13/14 at the time) & I looked into this top notch travel team program in our area.  He played in a few tournaments, practices, etc. and was one of their top players.  However, I sensed something was amiss. Turns out even though it was in his best interest to stay with this program, he didn't enjoy it, he missed his old travel team where they had less pressure, played for fun, and it wasn't all business.  We stuck with his old travel team in the end.  Did it hurt his chances of getting recruited to a P5?  Maybe....  At that stage college baseball scholarship was on a back burner, he would go to college for an education.  Point is, no matter what path you take it is because at that moment in time you and son decided that was for the best, even in hindsight it may not have been.  Your son may be the best high school player in the country but in 3-4 years things might change, with baseball not even being an option.  Enjoy these times, things will work out if meant to be.

Lots of good avice here.  My 2020 just committed and I learned a number of things just by reading this board, so you're on the right track.  The only thing I might add is that while there are certain truisms that apply to most any kid trying to make this move, beware of the parent who thinks they have all of the answers.  They don't.  Nobody does.  Each situation is completely different, from talent level, to grades, to ability to gain exposure, to maturity of the kid, to the energy the kid wants to put in to finding a home, to family resources, to coaches, to travel team, and on and on and on.

The best thing you can do is read all the various forms of feedback you can and take what's relevant for your son and apply it the best way you can.  And even with all of that you'll probably muck something up.  But probably not too badly.  My son committed earlier than many would have recommended given it was a mid-level D1 school and everyone around him was telling him to wait until next summer to get a "bigger" offer.  But in part because of this board, we had a good lay of the land and a strong grasp on what was important to my son, and he found what he was looking for, so he made the move and we supported him.  Who knows if it will be the right call, but I feel good about it and my son is walking around like a thousand pound bag has been lifted from his shoulders.

Best of luck on the journey.  Unless you're really lucky, expect good days and bad.  We all share that common bond.

Qhead posted:

I can only speak from my admittedly limited experience.  We were just at a Big East school camp last month and the Head Coach specifically told the assembled parents and players aloud that he leaves an opening or two for Seniors that may develop later in the process.

My son ran into similar cases with Big East, Patriot, and A10 schools. One interpretation is that these guys are holding a slot or two because they are waiting to hear from the kids who are holding out hope for "better" offers right up until NLI day. They'll ask the 2nd tier guys to wait until the last minute. These are schools who are not in the habit of over-recruiting.

And those 2nd tier recruits will most likely be the first to be cut..be careful.

CatcherDadNY posted:

And those 2nd tier recruits will most likely be the first to be cut..be careful.

Many of those schools don't typically cut freshmen, but it certainly doesn't make a guy feel loved, which is part of the reason my son ended up at a very competitive D3 baseball program.

real green posted:

Francis7,

Any HS student without a mental disorder can get 3.0 plus with some extra effort.  

Depends on the coursework.  The kid who gets 4.0 in remedial type studies could be the same kid who gets a 3.0 in a mix of average and hard courses, and is the same kid who gets a 2.7 in mostly challenging courses.  I guess it depends on your goal?  Get great grades or get a good education and push yourself?

Francis7 posted:

For my own 2022, he’s totally on board with bigger, faster, stronger, better.  His coaches have stressed that to him and he’s bought in, 100%, and made some nice gains there recently.  He’s also understanding the importance of grades now.  But, he will probably never be an honors program/AP, high SAT, kid.  There’s no 4.0 GPA in his future.  My guess is that he will end up in the high 2’s.  (Just being objective.)  So, that’s going to be a hurdle for him.  But, I continue to preach to him that coaches want D1 athletes who are D1 students too.  That said, his future may be D3 no matter how good he gets on the field.  And, he understands it.  He wants to be D1.  But, he also knows there are some great D3 programs out there as well.

The alignment with the right travel program is on my radar.  Currently, the program that he plays with has GREAT coaches/instructors.  These are guys who know their stuff and really care about the kids.  From that respect, it’s been AWESOME and he’s learned, and benefited, A LOT from being with these guys.  However, their teams struggle to compete because they just haven’t been able to recruit enough talent – especially pitchers! – on their rosters.  Therefore, I do have so concerns about how their credibility would be perceived at higher competition levels.  And, while they have some D1 commits in the program, I think it’s more a matter of kids coming to them to train and play, and being committed on their own, rather than the coaches helping the kids get committed. 

So, at what point is it critical that your son plays for a program where the coaches have a proven track record at helping kids get on college teams?  Is it the summer of their sophomore year?  Sooner?  Later?

I figured  that parents carry a lot of the weight in the recruiting process and it’s important to learn the recruiting ropes.  And, that’s my biggest concern now – because I probably don’t know as much as I should know, and have an understanding on the tasks, timing, etc. 

Someone once suggested the following to me – although they said it takes time and effort:  Find out what schools would align with your son’s interest and the likelihood of him attending, and look at the roster of their baseball team.  Look up the kids’ perfect game profiles and see where they played their summer ball before they were in college.  If you see a trend that most of School X’s roster, or a fair chunk of it, all played with Travel Program ABC, then you should be looking to get your kid playing with that program – as they probably have connections with that school which will help your son.

That seems to make sense.  Are there other things/tasks that one should be doing as a parent?  What are they?  And, when should you be doing them?

Being aware he may not be D1 material shows some objectivity. But don’t lock in before he grows and develops. UltimTely, what you’re looking for is a quality collegiate baseball and academic experience regardless of the level. A friend’s son was on a D3 national champion. The dogpile looked just as fun as the one at the CWS.

Unless your son is a P5, similar (Coastal, Fullerton) or top mid major chances are it’s going to be all about post junior year summer. But post soph summer can be used to get on college programs radar screen and maybe get an offer.

If your son is talented and has been playing in the right travel tournaments in your area chances are the right level travel program will approach him. But don’t wait for it to happen.

Keep in mind being on the 15u and/or 16u team does not mean you will be on the 17u prospect team. In my son’s age group of the players on the 13u Arsenal A team only four were on the 17u A team.

I guess that I should add, in case it helps anyone form advice, that I zero expectations with regard to an athletic scholarship.  (Financial aid?  Maybe!  And, please and thank you!!)  I know the deal with 11.7 (D1) and 9.0 (D2).  And, I sort of chuckle at many of the dads who I have met over the last 9 years who think their kid is getting a baseball scholarship.  Unless your kid is Top 1%, it's not a realistic expectation.   So, more so, in terms of helping my son with guidance, my focus is more on aligning him with a chance to go to a school that's going to be a good experience and is something where he will enjoy his time there.

Qhead posted:

GaryMe posted:

I'm going to differ with Qhead here on one of his points. I cannot think of a single school who would deliberately "leave a few spots for late bloomers." That is pretty risky recruiting strategy. They may happen upon a late bloomer, but as a strategy it seems dicey.

They are looking for the best players available, period. If they have a guy who they think is going to meet their needs, they sign him. If nobody is out there, the spot is waiting for "Mr. Right" to come into the picture, or eventually may be offered to "Mr. May-be-good-enough". Some years, they may not fill it. Also, the later into the recruiting cycle you go, the less athletic scholarship dollars that will generally be available (if any are at all). Yes, there are offers that come during the "regular signing period" and some of them are with very good programs (and offer athletic $$$), but they become less and less as the clock ticks. They become available for a variety of reasons, so you always want to be communicating with those schools who have shown interest to ensure they know you are available.

I can only speak from my admittedly limited experience.  We were just at a Big East school camp last month and the Head Coach specifically told the assembled parents and players aloud that he leaves an opening or two for Seniors that may develop later in the process.

That is anecdotal and only 1 HC.  And he may have been lying or stretching the truth, I suppose.  But my overall point is that -- as surprising as it has been to me -- it is not too late, even for Seniors.  Just this week my son visited a very established and successful perennial DII playoff program and the HC specifically told him that they have a grand total of ONE 2019 commit to date.  And believe me, they do not lack for want of interested players.  The travel organization that my son plays for gets Seniors committed to DI programs this time of year and later, with some regularity.  A couple players committed to lower level DIs just a few weeks ago.  There was just an article on PBR titled "November is Coming - Uncomitted Can Be Good".  I do not advocate or recommend waiting until the Fall of Senior year.  Believe me, it is nerve wracking and unsettling and difficult on the player and parents.  And yes, the longer it takes the less athletic money there is.

I just thought that it would be helpful to let parents of younger players know that each PSA's recruiting journey may be different, and even into the Fall there are opportunities at the DI and DII levels at least in our experience.  When I first came to this Board, I would not have thought that, but experience has taught me otherwise.

Cold weather D1’s sometimes make a late offers to kids who come to the late realization the ACC and the SEC aren’t interested. But the money is typically gone. And it may take the roster over 35 meaning someone isn’t going to make the team in the fall. 

A player doesn’t want to be on the tail end of the roster. They may not get a legit opportunity to prove themselves. Then they’re competing with an entirely new set of recruits next year in a fight to remain on the team. 

A lot of players just ask for a chance. All chances are not created equal. 

Francis7 posted:

I guess that I should add, in case it helps anyone form advice, that I zero expectations with regard to an athletic scholarship.  (Financial aid?  Maybe!  And, please and thank you!!)  I know the deal with 11.7 (D1) and 9.0 (D2).  And, I sort of chuckle at many of the dads who I have met over the last 9 years who think their kid is getting a baseball scholarship.  Unless your kid is Top 1%, it's not a realistic expectation.   So, more so, in terms of helping my son with guidance, my focus is more on aligning him with a chance to go to a school that's going to be a good experience and is something where he will enjoy his time there.

Correct and, to take it a step further if you don't already know, that 11.7 and 9.0 are rarely 11.7 and 9.0.  Most schools are under-funded and/or under-supported and don't have the full number of scholy's to offer.

You do seem to have a great grasp compared to most at this stage as well as some other good resources you have managed to make good use of.  Still, this place will be helpful to you.  I read your profile and wonder if you are facing any additional hurdles based on geographical location.

It’s difficult to do but enjoy where you are now and try not to get caught up in the future.  I’ve been there as most on here offering insight. As he continues to work as his craft you’ll see where the road takes him. TBH, I was totally focused on son making varsity in HS and while college was a goal, I felt his smaller size would limit him and he may not get the chance. 

HS flew by, especially when things started falling into place and schools showed interest. Clemson was the 3 fastest years of my life. 

I’ll often wax poetic about the past with my wife or my baseball friends....I’m a sucker for looking back at gold and bad times.

Enjoy every moment, the Ups and the Downs....record it and make moments, it’ll be gone before you know it.

best of luck to your son.

Francis7 posted:

real green posted:

Francis7,

Any HS student without a mental disorder can get 3.0 plus with some extra effort.  

Depends on the coursework.  The kid who gets 4.0 in remedial type studies could be the same kid who gets a 3.0 in a mix of average and hard courses, and is the same kid who gets a 2.7 in mostly challenging courses.  I guess it depends on your goal?  Get great grades or get a good education and push yourself?

You have already stated he is not an honors/ap type of student.  I assume he will be taking the standard course track to meet college standard acceptance.  Don't accept a sub 3.0 gpa from your son.  It will GREATLY limit his options post HS.  Grades should be as big if not a bigger priority than improving his game.  

Think of it this way. 

The last time he struggled with baseball how much effort did YOU put in helping him get better?  Did you get him private lessons, breakdown video, and throw him extra bp?

What about school?  The last time he struggled (getting a C or less)  in a class, did you get him a tutor, breakdown his homework or test, have him spend extra time studying at home?  

There are a handful of C students that could play mid level D1 ball in our circle that are losing interest due to grades.  They are JC bound.  From what I have seen in older classes, a high percentage of those players that go JC with D1 talent but poor grades don't all of sudden turn into good students in Junior College.  They end up bagging groceries at the local market after dropping out of school.  

Trust me.  I'm there to support his baseball goals.  But, he has both me and my wife to support his academic efforts.  He gets double attention there.  And, maybe he will end up with a GPA of 3 or better?  But, being objective, I know it will not come easy or natural to him.  That said, I would understand if it ended up like a 2.8 instead.

And, in addition to THANKS to ALL for this great information.  Also, THANKS to all for the best wishes for him.  It's very kind and appreciated.  (Also, geography is not an issue.  That's a joke in my profile. )

So...if I am reading all this correctly, the recommendations for a kid entering HS who wants to play in college are:

Get bigger, stronger, faster and better!
Be very mindful of school grades and test scores!

Align yourself with a travel team where the coach/program has contacts and credibility at the right competitive level.  But, don't worry about winning games.  When it comes to selecting the right travel team its not about winning.  You really need to be looking for a program that has deep contacts with the college recruiters, works to develop the player, understands what level the player should be playing at and works to get the players in a position to be seen by the proper people. You want to be with the right program by the fall season of Sophomore year.

College camps are a money maker and it only matters if the coaches invited you as a prospect through your HS or travel team.

Don't showcase unless the player has skills to show.  Otherwise, it'll just be a waste of $$ and time.

For the most part, the only schools that recruit before the summer after junior year are D1s.  Their interest starts (as relevant to position) with FB, 60-yard-dash, pop time, exit velocity, throwing velocity, and player height, those are what make them pay attention, then they look to see if you can play the game.  If you don't hit those numbers, then you might as well wait until junior year and the summer after for showcases and camps.

As a parent, it's important that you learn the recruiting ropes, know where the kid's skills fall against their peers and maintain objectivity by getting sound feedback from quality coaches.   Parents carry a lot of water during the recruiting process. Get smart, get active in developing a recruiting plan for your son.

High School ball goes fast.  It's once in a lifetime.  Make sure to enjoy the experience.

For the most part, the only schools that recruit before the summer after junior year are D1s. Their interest starts (as relevant to position) with FB, 60-yard-dash, pop time, exit velocity, throwing velocity, and player height, those are what make them pay attention, then they look to see if you can play the game. If you don't hit those numbers, then you might as well wait until junior year and the summer after for showcases and camps.

———————————————

I agree with all but this part. From what i have seen the top tier guys are identified from coaches seeing them in person at high profile  events. Team USA and the pipeline into it can bring a lot of exposure. (Tho the pipeline is also a money-maker)

Francis7 posted:

Align yourself with a travel team where the coach/program has contacts and credibility at the right competitive level.  But, don't worry about winning games.  When it comes to selecting the right travel team its not about winning.  You really need to be looking for a program that has deep contacts with the college recruiters, works to develop the player, understands what level the player should be playing at and works to get the players in a position to be seen by the proper people. 

It's not all about winning, but if your team isn't winning it might be time to reevaluate whether it is the right situation.  If your team finds itself in tournaments going 0-4/1-3 it probably isn't a strong team and won't be of any benefit to your son. It's not all about winning, but they do have to win to have some of that credibility. 

As for the development side. Most of the development is done on the players own time. One you get to a certain level, the coaches aren't there to teach your son proper mechanics or footwork. They're there to get your son in front of college coaches and they need your son to already be developed as a player. Your son will get better by seeing better pitching/hitting and playing on the same team as guys that have similar interests (college) pushing him. If your son needs development, he needs to be working in the offseason. 

Agree with PA here, you don't want to be on a dog of a team at tournaments, because that says something about the program as well...but most quality coaches won't have teams that go 0-4 in a tournament.

Regarding development, again he is correct in that it's the time outside of the team practices that pay the most dividends for players. Lots of organizations will claim they developed the players if they commit to college or get drafted, but in reality those players were sometimes "guest" players or did 1-2 tournaments with them. That happens a lot.

Play in the most competitive environment in which your kid will get playing time. Enjoy the game. My son's best seasons have always been when he was enjoying the team, coaches, etc. This spring (senior HS season) will be the best of all, regardless of his stats, because he loves his coaches and teammates.

Don’t get “wowed” by an academy’s alumni list. They will list everyone whoever took one lesson there and may have never played for the team. A local academy claims a kid who got t AAA. He took one lesson there when he was thirteen. 

I learned about alumni lists when I saw the names of son’s of two former college summer teammates who lived 400 miles away. I called them. The academy picked up the boys and two other future MLBers for one PG tournament and threw paying players under the bus (didn’t play them).

It’s one thing to add pitchers and catchers for a long tournament. It’s another thing to pick up a catcher, two middle infielders and a center fielder and not play you’r own players who are paying for exposure.

Regarding grades ...

80% of kids are graduating with a B (3.0) average. Public schools give out A’s and B’’s like candy at Halloween. If your son doesn’t have a 3.0 and doesn’t have a learning disability he’s not putting forth his best effort. If he wants to open up as many doors as possible for college baseball he has to be just as serious about his grades as his swing. 

We played for an average team because my son wanted to stay with his friends.  We didn't win a ton of games but I do think he will remember these summers forever.  Knowing that the team itself wouldn't pull a lot of coaches, we did quite a few camps, showcases and invitational events to beef up his recruiting opportunities. We made this decision for Sophomore summer only after knowing that he was able to put up good numbers and performances at several previous showcases/camps.  I think as long as you have a plan, lots of plans CAN work.  I think it is a good idea to get measurables by the summer after Freshman year so that you know what you are working with.

This is sort of where we are with my son's team.  GREAT facility.  AWESOME coaches and instructors.  I've scouted around and checked out many such programs.  And, while some are good, I sincerely love the fact that my son gets to work with these guys.

However, the team, at least at my son's age, is not very competitive.

The do play all the "name" tournaments.  But, they rarely compete.  In the two years that he's been there, it's always three games and out at the weekend tournaments.  And, it's usually 0-3 or 1-2 with a game or two where they got slaughtered.  Once we had a game that was over in 57 minutes because of the run rule.  And, the games where they've won, it's usually because the other team was REALLY bad.

The last tournament that they played this summer was at a major site and it was one of those Monday to Thursday things.  And, there were A LOT of teams there for this one. 

They lost the 1st game, 15-4.  Had zero pitching in that one.  They won the 2nd game 14-1.  But, the team they played looked like they just pulled kids off the street and several of them were way under age.  They won the 3rd game, 7-2.  But, they had their best pitcher going.  And, he's an older kid playing down.  And, he was really on that night.   The 4th and last game, they lost 10-0, game called after 4 innings.

And, by far, that was the best tournament performance that they had all year.

There have been plenty of times where they were crushed.  They once played a very famous team at 13U which had monsters on it - including two kids who were already committed to major D1 schools.  They lost that one in 3 innings.  I think the score was 26-1, or very close to that mark.

Yes, for sure, it does get taxing after a while.  And, it's not ideal - going into a tournament and knowing that you're going to lose more than you win, and, get pounded at times too.

On the bright side, my son has faced some really good pitchers and not been over-whelmed by them.  And, he's had a chance to see just how good some kids are at his age.

Try not to be too emotionally attached to a team or coach.  I’m not sure why you’d stick it out with a performance like those you’ve described.  If you do, others may not be so willing, and it can get worse.  

Francis7 posted:

This is sort of where we are with my son's team.  GREAT facility.  AWESOME coaches and instructors.  I've scouted around and checked out many such programs.  And, while some are good, I sincerely love the fact that my son gets to work with these guys.

However, the team, at least at my son's age, is not very competitive.

 

Great coaches develop players but they also understand that exposure comes from putting a good product on the field.  This means winning games and going deep in tournaments.  It sounds like something is missing from this program that you'll need as your son goes deeper into HS.  

Also, "wants to play with his friends" is a red flag that baseball is second priority, not the top priority.

Smitty28 posted:

Francis7 posted:

This is sort of where we are with my son's team.  GREAT facility.  AWESOME coaches and instructors.  I've scouted around and checked out many such programs.  And, while some are good, I sincerely love the fact that my son gets to work with these guys.

However, the team, at least at my son's age, is not very competitive.

 

Great coaches develop players but they also understand that exposure comes from putting a good product on the field.  This means winning games and going deep in tournaments.  It sounds like something is missing from this program that you'll need as your son goes deeper into HS.  

Also, "wants to play with his friends" is a red flag that baseball is second priority, not the top priority.

Ok, I’ll beg to differ on the friends meaning baseball is second. My son just put in more work to play with his friends and still do all the extra showcases, camps and events. We were only home 8 days all summer. Baseball was definitely not back burner and my son committed Before junior year which was the goal. As long as you know the trade off and you are willing to put in the extra time, it can be just as effective as playing with a power team. Knowing the plan is what matters. 

On the bright side, my son has faced some really good pitchers and not been overwhelmed by them.

Your son may have faced some pitchers better than others he’s faced. But when a kid is on a weak team he almost never sees the best pitching. Good teams don’t burn their better pitchers on a weak team. When my 13u to 16u teams faced a weak team I went from the back of the staff. I figured the worse case scenario was we would need a few more runs to ten run them. 

Being on a weak team is ultimately a detriment to developing against the best pitchers and being seen by high level coaches looking for talent. It’s hard to leave an impression in three innings and one at bat when the team is getting mercied.

The better 17u teams coaches recruit from the better 15u and 16u teams. The coaches of the 15u and 16u teams pass the word up to the 17u coaching staff. 

Also, once in high school it’s time to stop playing age appropriate and play up as far as possible and still succeed. 

Thanks guys!  I hear you and, believe me, I am concerned about it.  I'm giving it one more season.  He's a freshmen.  In terms of age, next summer, it's 15U.  If it turns out that the team is the same, with respect to being able to compete, I believe it's not a huge setback because he's young (summer of freshmen year, 15U).  But, I do feel it's important to be aligned with a competitive group during your 2nd, 3rd and 4th year of school.   And, we're already looking at possibilities. 

We still don't know where he's going to fall this school season.  For sure, he will be on the Freshmen team.  If that doesn't happen, something really went wrong somewhere.   There was some talk about him having a shot at varsity.  But, some recent transfers in this season pretty much put an end to that possibility.  (Maybe it could still happen if he does a position switch?  But, that all remains to be seen.)  Personally, I think it would be great to make JV as a freshmen, knowing the situation.  However, it all remains to be seen!

Anyway, the point is this:  He's yet to play an inning of High School ball.  He's not on Varsity.  He's not starting on Varsity. 

He's very aware of all the "stuff" out there - showcases, etc.  And, he always asks if and when...

And, my answer is always the same:  Make Varsity.  Start on Varsity.  Play well as a starter on Varsity.  And, THEN, you can start showcasing, etc.  Because, until then, unless you're one of those freaks who can hit the ball 500 feet as an 8th grader or throw 92+ as 14-year old, no one is going to take notice of a kid who is not on his HS Varsity baseball team.

I am of the opinion that you work to get bigger- stronger-faster, develop your skills offensively and defensively and concentrate on grades.  A Player does not need to be on a great team so long as they are playing regularly and against good competition.  My 2015 played on a travel team with 12 players only (of which many pitched and hit) against good competition where they didn't win tournaments.   These kids were all friends, great coach and more importantly good students.   Eventually, 10 of the 12 went on to play college baseball at different levels.  (5-D1, 2-D2, 2-D3 and 1-Juco)

The reason this team had success with players moving on to the next level was simple!  Each player created opportunities, maybe with some sacrifice, for exposure in front of many HC/RC.  The team didn't have to win or claim ranking of any sort while being exposed to the HC/RC at the same game to watch their ranked opponent.  Each player may not have had the edge of being on the roster of a ranked or championed team, but rather each player was in the lineup every game competing and getting exposure.  Some players also created opportunity with their "classroom" stats via grades and test scores and got into great academic schools they never would of got into based on just their academic merit.

From my experience with my 2015 he concentrated on the things he could control like grades and skill development and putting himself in the right situations to create opportunity.  Yes he would of enjoyed the excitement of playing deep into tournaments but he wouldn't have been able to play everyday due to the large rosters needed to do so.  IMO-Create opportunity that gives a player a chance to achieve their goal of playing at the collegiate level by working of what you can control.

I agree. Until your son is starting on varsity, recruiting is irrelevant. Unless he is at a powerhouse school which routinely produces D1 talent, none of it matters. Let him work this offseason and see where he is this spring during the HS season. 

But just be wary. Good pitching at 14 is nothing. It doesn't matter where they're committed or how tall they are. Your son is in high school, age doesn't matter any more. If he wants to play varsity as a soph he needs to be either playing with the best 15 year olds or playing up getting used to 18 year olds with beards. Playing with and against other JV/freshman level players is not going to help. 

If the coaches are good and the facilities are great, take lessons there and find a new team. Better yet, if the facilities and coaches are great - why aren't they competing? 

PABaseball...what are you talking about? In my area it is common for kids to commit to P5 D1 programs before they ever play an inning of varsity baseball!

Play with the best travel organization you can and the #1 thing perform when it matters!! If you can't perform under pressure then they won't offer!

You don't need to be on varsity to showcase or get interest. My 2020 is a PO in a strong high school. He'll play varsity starting next spring. He's had colleges come down to see him over the summer and fall. Half his summer team was in the same situation with several now committed to D1 schools.

PABaseball posted:

Better yet, if the facilities and coaches are great - why aren't they competing? 

I would say it's 80% pitching, or lack there of...more so, there's little depth and consistency.  Last year, there was one SP who you knew would be very good, just about every time.  Then, there were a handful of pitchers who could be OK, or, would be a disaster because they couldn't throw strikes.  And, then, there were one or two who really had no business pitching against higher level talent. It was just BP for the other team.

The other 20% was probably half fielding and half hitting.  We had a few kids who would always turn fielding playes into adventures.  And, the bottom of the order didn't have much thump to it.  But, on the whole, it was pitching.  They just need more pitchers and better stuff and consistency from some that they had on the team last year.

There are circumstances where a kid may be recruited before making varsity. But in most cases it’s a reasonable suggestion for a typical high school baseball player.

I played on a Legion team with guys from a powerhouse high school. Their three primary pitchers were drafted out of high school and went D1. Sitting behind them were two juniors and a soph who never saw a varsity mound until those three left. 

The three following pitchers got D1 offers before seeing the varsity mound. They were seen pitching in Legion non conference games and MLB tryout camps (no travel ball then).

nycdad posted:

You don't need to be on varsity to showcase or get interest. My 2020 is a PO in a strong high school. He'll play varsity starting next spring. He's had colleges come down to see him over the summer and fall.

People have told me that "they" will come look at pitchers.  But, position players have to work to be seen.  I can't say that I know this as fact.  But, it seems to make sense.  Someone else once told me "Get your kid on a team with good pitchers - because then maybe he will be seen because people will come out to see the pitchers.  But, if your team has no pitching, nobody is coming to your field to check out your game."

You don't have to be a starting varsity player to be recruited...there's politics at the high school level and college coaches get that...it's more important how you perform at the showcases and tournaments than what goes on with the HS team.

nycdad posted:

You don't need to be on varsity to showcase or get interest. My 2020 is a PO in a strong high school. He'll play varsity starting next spring. He's had colleges come down to see him over the summer and fall. Half his summer team was in the same situation with several now committed to D1 schools.

I agree. I said strong programs excluded. There are some underclassmen at schools with good baseball who are showcase ready. I'm just talking about run of the mill public high schools. Central High in Centralville. 

However, freshmen and sophomores committing to UCLA and TCU can most likely make a varsity roster. More than likely would be the best player. If seniors are worried about playing time in high school, what is college going to be like? So yes, I would say until you're starting varsity don't worry about college (with the exceptions mentioned).

PABaseball posted:

nycdad posted:

You don't need to be on varsity to showcase or get interest. My 2020 is a PO in a strong high school. He'll play varsity starting next spring. He's had colleges come down to see him over the summer and fall. Half his summer team was in the same situation with several now committed to D1 schools.

I agree. I said strong programs excluded. There are some underclassmen at schools with good baseball who are showcase ready. I'm just talking about run of the mill public high schools. Central High in Centralville. 

However, freshmen and sophomores committing to UCLA and TCU can most likely make a varsity roster. More than likely would be the best player. If seniors are worried about playing time in high school, what is college going to be like? So yes, I would say until you're starting varsity don't worry about college (with the exceptions mentioned).

My son is committed to TCU and though he was on varsity last year, he rode the bench...

CatcherDadNY posted:

You don't have to be a starting varsity player to be recruited...there's politics at the high school level and college coaches get that...it's more important how you perform at the showcases and tournaments than what goes on with the HS team.

I would totally agree with what you are saying here.  That said, though, once someone is seen at a showcase or tournament, would "one who saw him" not then look into where the player was in HS and PERHAPS have some questions over their initial impression if the kid was at an average HS and not playing on the varsity team?  (I'm not suggesting this is the case.  I am asking if it's possible because I don't know.)

@baseballhs

I'm assuming you guys have pretty strong baseball? Or at the very least there is a very strong player(s) at his position 

Yeah we were the number one 6a school in the nation most of the year.  We had a P5 senior and 2 P5 juniors pitching in front of him. Both of the juniors (now seniors) have 2-3 scouts at their house every week now.

Francis 7....In our case, the HS coach had a strong loyalty to the seniors, so our 2019 rode the bench in favor of the 2018 catcher..the college coach where our son committed called the HS coach who admitted that our guy beat out the 2018 in the pre season games/tryout period...also said he had a hard time making the lineup every game because he realized that he wasn't putting the best player on the field...it happens at the high school level in strong programs like ours and I'm sure at others a well...the college coach told us that he sees it all the time and that's why he calls every recruit's HS coach.      

Francis7 posted:

CatcherDadNY posted:

You don't have to be a starting varsity player to be recruited...there's politics at the high school level and college coaches get that...it's more important how you perform at the showcases and tournaments than what goes on with the HS team.

I would totally agree with what you are saying here.  That said, though, once someone is seen at a showcase or tournament, would "one who saw him" not then look into where the player was in HS and PERHAPS have some questions over their initial impression if the kid was at an average HS and not playing on the varsity team?  (I'm not suggesting this is the case.  I am asking if it's possible because I don't know.)

Once the typical player is seen at a showcase or tournament where he plays high school isn’t really relevant. Unless your high school is known for pro prospects/major D1 top prospects and/or has a current prospect chances are no one will be showing up at the high school’s games.

Francis7 posted:

nycdad posted:

You don't need to be on varsity to showcase or get interest. My 2020 is a PO in a strong high school. He'll play varsity starting next spring. He's had colleges come down to see him over the summer and fall.

People have told me that "they" will come look at pitchers.  But, position players have to work to be seen.  I can't say that I know this as fact.  But, it seems to make sense.  Someone else once told me "Get your kid on a team with good pitchers - because then maybe he will be seen because people will come out to see the pitchers.  But, if your team has no pitching, nobody is coming to your field to check out your game."

From a travel ball standpoint, that is generally correct.  After good pitchers, a phenom SS who can also hit will draw as will anyone who can mash with power consistently.  Next tier is a C who can hit and a CF who flies and can hit.  For most everyone else, the whole recruiting process is considerably more challenging.

Francis7 posted:

CatcherDadNY posted:

You don't have to be a starting varsity player to be recruited...there's politics at the high school level and college coaches get that...it's more important how you perform at the showcases and tournaments than what goes on with the HS team.

I would totally agree with what you are saying here.  That said, though, once someone is seen at a showcase or tournament, would "one who saw him" not then look into where the player was in HS and PERHAPS have some questions over their initial impression if the kid was at an average HS and not playing on the varsity team?  (I'm not suggesting this is the case.  I am asking if it's possible because I don't know.)

Yes, with consideration to the quality of the level of the HS/league.  Francis, the "politics" thing comes up often.  Of course politics is everywhere but as a baseball player looking to get recruited, generally, you darn well better be good enough in HS to separate yourself despite that variable (again, with consideration to the level).  If you can't get past this hurdle, this may very well be a sign of what your ability will be to get over the MANY hurdles that follow through HS, recruiting, college ball and beyond.  Don't allow your son/player to fall back on excuses, real or otherwise.

My son's HS carries 3 teams (frosh, JV and V). They are very strict in their ways, for example BB is only a spring sport (no fall ball).  Regardless of talent level they prefer to keep the boys in their respective age groups to ensure they continue to bond with their classmates. I was informed there was only one kid who skipped soph JV ball and jumped to V as he was very physically mature and played at a much higher level than his peers, he ended up playing D1 in the south.  The school applies this to all their sports, I was told they have nationally ranked lacrosse program and get D1 committed freshman and those kids play on the freshman team. 

Summer Ball team is the answer

Figure out what your son wants. 

I've got a 2019 and 2022.  2019 is on a lousy HS team, but started Varsity freshman year.  He's on even lousier travel team.  None of that mattered.  What mattered was that my son knew what he wanted to study in college and where.  He focused on his grades and test scores and did very well.  He also trained.  He then targeted those HC at schools he was interested in and went to their camps.  The were all  HA and asked for academic pre-reads.  What my 2019 son wanted was not the baseball scholarship (ha!) but the "tip" for admissions.  He got it as committed to play at his dream school.  

My 2022 is a very different athlete and student.  The path for him is going to be completely different.  His HS is a state champion and he plays on a well recognized travel team.  He works unbelievably hard at the game, and we keep stressing that he needs to work equally hard at this academics in order to have more options.  But the grades are a struggle for him.  So what worked for 2019 kid isn't going to work for my 2022 kid.

Figure out what your son wants.

Don't write off your high school team too quickly. My 2018 played varsity on a not-very-good HS team his freshman year, a better team his sophomore year, and  conference winning, very good teams his junior and senior years. Coaches knew he made a difference. During several of the games he pitched, it was like watching old home week for the six to 10 college coaches hanging out behind home plate with their radars, catching up with each other.

The P5, D1 he is now attending sent their recruiting coach to a couple of games, their pitching coach to a couple more and the head coach to at least one before he committed. They did come to travel games held on their own campus and to one held at the Perfect Game headquarters in Cedar Rapids, but that was about it.

Our HS coach did his best for my son, but he knew his limitations. He collaborated with other coaches in town who had more to offer as far as pitching instruction to help my son be the best he could be. It takes a team to build a college-level pitcher. Get the best team together you can, and include great people at the HS, travel and instructional levels.

I have to ask - what's a P5?

Francis7 posted:

I have to ask - what's a P5?

Power 5 conference (Pac 12, Big 12, SEC, ACC, Big Ten).  It was originally meant to distinguish between football conferences.  Not as meaningful in baseball, imo.

I love this site... Thread is very informative and was a needed read.  My son went to a camp that was an hour or so away.  Used it to  visit his grandad afterward.

It is a small D1 school.  It fits him but he is only a 2022 so things will change I am sure.  Coach spoke to him on the side and told him he needed to focus on getting bigger, faster and stronger.  He also asked about grades.  Son told him he has As and Bs.  Coach said to work harder on them also.  

He also wants him to email him his summer team info.  We have no idea about this one.  What type team should we be looking for?

Thanks for the great thread and advice.

Alan

Cast a wide net with schools that he would want to attend even if he didn’t play ball.

You can’t really look for a team.

The hope is they’ll look for players and come across your son.

Finally, an independent analysis of his current develoPment and projection is critical. No one who knows him should do the projection

Everyone's situation is different.  My son did travel ball from 11U-13U.  Once he hit high school, we actually played legion his 14 and 15 seasons.  Our thinking was, he was a slow grower and based on his measurables, we was not going to wow any college coaches.  Even though he won the "Golden Arm" award on his 13U travel team and lettered as a Sophomore.  Plus, I was going to save money.

We went back to travel ball the summer after his junior year to showcase.  He received multiple D1 offers.

Now, a college coach asking for a 2022 summer schedule seems like a great first step.  Maybe your son is already a bigger kid and has promising measurable and has the potential to be offered early?  I think it's important to understand realistically where your son is and where he will project to be, to help you decide which team to join.  I'm not familiar with teams in GA, but others might.

Francis... sent you a PM.

Yes the top guys will have college scouts and perhaps MLB scouts at some of the HS games...saw that last season..particularly in playoff time.

CTbballDad posted:

Everyone's situation is different.  My son did travel ball from 11U-13U.  Once he hit high school, we actually played legion his 14 and 15 seasons.  Our thinking was, he was a slow grower and based on his measurables, we was not going to wow any college coaches.  Even though he won the "Golden Arm" award on his 13U travel team and lettered as a Sophomore.  Plus, I was going to save money.

We went back to travel ball the summer after his junior year to showcase.  He received multiple D1 offers.

Now, a college coach asking for a 2022 summer schedule seems like a great first step.  Maybe your son is already a bigger kid and has promising measurable and has the potential to be offered early?  I think it's important to understand realistically where your son is and where he will project to be, to help you decide which team to join.  I'm not familiar with teams in GA, but others might.

Thanks for the reply.   Believe me he is not huge.  He is 5'7" 125 pound skeleton with clothes on.  It really was a shocker when he told us what the coach said.  He has quick hands and is smooth when he moves.  Where he stands was really the only thing we were after.  I really thought he was holding his own.  The coach must of seen more than what I saw.  I am very proud of him.

IMHO HS baseball doesn't really matter. The thing I learned.... get on the best travel organization you can and make their top team, don't worry you will know which one is the best. I've seen these guys make a phone call and see 3 P5 coaches show up at a game....it's ALL about connections. 

When you hit numbers...85 for a RHP or 83 for a LHP and sub 7 60s and EV over 90 mph for hitters start going to camps and showcases. And hope the right coach sees you.

Spot on.

Alanj posted:

CTbballDad posted:

Everyone's situation is different.  My son did travel ball from 11U-13U.  Once he hit high school, we actually played legion his 14 and 15 seasons.  Our thinking was, he was a slow grower and based on his measurables, we was not going to wow any college coaches.  Even though he won the "Golden Arm" award on his 13U travel team and lettered as a Sophomore.  Plus, I was going to save money.

We went back to travel ball the summer after his junior year to showcase.  He received multiple D1 offers.

Now, a college coach asking for a 2022 summer schedule seems like a great first step.  Maybe your son is already a bigger kid and has promising measurable and has the potential to be offered early?  I think it's important to understand realistically where your son is and where he will project to be, to help you decide which team to join.  I'm not familiar with teams in GA, but others might.

Thanks for the reply.   Believe me he is not huge.  He is 5'7" 125 pound skeleton with clothes on.  It really was a shocker when he told us what the coach said.  He has quick hands and is smooth when he moves.  Where he stands was really the only thing we were after.  I really thought he was holding his own.  The coach must of seen more than what I saw.  I am very proud of him.

The coach sees some potential talent. But more than anything he sees you spending more money on his camps.

Nonamedad posted:

When you hit numbers...85 for a RHP or 83 for a LHP and sub 7 60s and EV over 90 mph for hitters start going to camps and showcases. And hope the right coach sees you.

I disagree. Not that it can't work, but spending $300 for a camp is expensive. Multiple camps + travel/lodging/food is a lot of money. We have been to 4 or 5 camps. At each camp the head coach gave his morning welcome speech, half heartedly watched for a little, then left for meetings/facilties tour with the actual recruits. The only real purpose of camps is to make money and gets the actual recruits on campus so they can offer them (as per NCAA rules) 

 I once sat in the stands of a program’s “camp” and watched the players hit. When the hitting session was over I walked over to an existing player I knew helping the coaching staff. I commented there were only four legit D1 hitting prospects. The player laughed. He told me the four players I pointed out were discovered at a PG East Cobb. Everyone else was a local, paying, delusion wannabe. 

Everyone’s experience is different.  We Went to two (SEC) camps, uninvited, without prior contact and they were beneficial. At one, they sent him to get me right after he pitched his inning and we toured the facilities and sat down to hear about the program with the PC. They started weekly calls.  The other ask us to stay after and tour facilities and they started weekly calls. That can’t happen now with new rules but I don’t think camps are a waste. I think you can definitely be seen. Some camps are better than others for sure.

As I’m reading through the replies to this post, one thing strikes me.  It’s a theme that I’m seeing, and maybe mis-interpreting, that college guys are just going to show up to a tourney, HS game, or camp and look for players. With a few exceptions, PG/Jupiter, college coaches do not just show up to tourneys and look for players.  They are there to see specific players.  Most of these players have already had contact with that school and are on their recruiting radar. They will show up, watch that player play and then leave.  When that player is not playing they will be barely paying attention to the game.  Unless a kid really stands out they will not be paying attention to anyone other then the kid they are there to see. 

Here is a real-world scenario.  In Chicago the HS coaches hold a showcase for the better players at the end of the year. There are a lot of college coaches there.  Say 30 to 40 schools represented.  The same weekend the showcase is held there is a tourney being run that promotes the fact that these college coaches will be there watching that tourney.  They are partially right.  Some of the guys will show up to watch a few players they have already had contact with.  Most of the college guys over at the HS showcase will not attend the tourney.  Instead they are over watching a couple of teams play each other.  4 to 5 of the best travel teams in the area hold a separate set of games against each other.  These are the best travel teams in the area.  They are playing showcase games against each other.  If one of the college guys are not out watching players they have on their radar they are here, not at the tourney.  The games are not played like normal tourney games.  Pitchers are rotated in and out each inning.  Batters will be skipped in the batting order if they are scheduled to pitch the next inning.  Players are substituted in and out all game without becoming ineligible once they are removed from the game.  Players will play on more then one team, ie pitch for their programs A team and they play a position for the programs B team.  As I said in an earlier post these teams are less worried about winning the games (yes they want to win but that is secondary) then they are about showcasing their kids. 

Please do not think players are just discovered by college coaches just walking around a tourney. You need to have a marketing plan in place for your player.  There are many posts on here on how to do that.  In addition please do not think anyone is going to do that for you.  You need to take charge of that plan.  Yes many travel and HS programs can help, but they are not going to go at this with the same intensity you and your son will. Finally, as I demonstrated above playing in the right travel program is a major plus.  These programs have deep ties with many schools and will exploit them to get their players into the right colleges.

PABaseball posted:

Nonamedad posted:

When you hit numbers...85 for a RHP or 83 for a LHP and sub 7 60s and EV over 90 mph for hitters start going to camps and showcases. And hope the right coach sees you.

I disagree. Not that it can't work, but spending $300 for a camp is expensive. Multiple camps + travel/lodging/food is a lot of money. We have been to 4 or 5 camps. At each camp the head coach gave his morning welcome speech, half heartedly watched for a little, then left for meetings/facilties tour with the actual recruits. The only real purpose of camps is to make money and gets the actual recruits on campus so they can offer them (as per NCAA rules) 

Don't go before you hit those numbers, my son went to 5 camps of schools he was interested in and 4 asked for transcripts and remained in contact for a while, they never offered. Also there are usually smaller D1s/D2s and Jucos that attend and those schools also started recruiting him. 

And yes these are money makers for the assistants and one camp was a joke. But you have to get in front of coaches. If you can combine the camp with a vacation or visit a family member all the better. Don't go without something to show.

Joes87 post is right for how a kid should plan. Build interest -- video, metrics, etc -- and then have them come and see you play at XYZ tournament. That said, it definitely happens that coaches will see a kid do something and get in contact, even if they had no idea who the kid was before. It happens, but you shouldn't plan on it working out for two reasons: (1) it probably doesn't happen all that often; and (2) the school may hold no interest for the kid for a variety of reasons (location, academics, level of baseball, etc.), so the inbound interest ends up being meaningless -- for example, as a result of the AZ Junior Classic last year, my son got phone calls from RCs at  a couple schools (a mid-major D1 and one of the top D2 programs in the country) he had never contacted, but he wasn't interested in the schools so he politely declined the invitations for visits. Put another way, the chances that a kid will get random inbound interest from one of his target schools are not high. Much better to reach out to the target schools in advance.

I found that taking video was invaluable...I was at nearly every one of my 2019's travel games, HS games, showcases, tournaments over the last 4 years and had my tripod and video camera set up and recording as much as I could get..yes, most of the other parents made some snarky comments and didn't bother putting the work in that I did..I edited it all down to a 5 to 6 minute youtube video that my son attached with every email to a potential college match...it paid lots of dividends in receiving offers, the coaches told him so...they had his 60 yard dash, POP throws, in game hitting, base stealing, runner throwouts, everything you can imagine at their fingertips..and by the way, some of those parents who laughed at me and thought the HS and travel team coaches were going to do the legwork and get their sons recruited, well they found out that was a pipe dream and are scrambling right now trying to find a school that will take their 2019 and having no luck...smarten up and get those videos going.

Not going to embed the quote out of respect, catcherdad!

I agree 1000%. You don't see nearly enough parent rolling the cameras when Johnny is up to bat, on the mound, or in the field. You HAVE TO HAVE video because the number of opportunities to get in front of the schools on your target list are finite. You will play countless more games that they will not be at than they will be at, so video those and edit it down to highlights only. At bat video I edited down to just the swing where he made great contact. Fielding, every ball my son has fielded in the past 2 years is on video. Every at bat recorded. These are things that the parents have to carry the water on. Don't think for a second that hiring a recruiter to do it will have the same impact. They are getting paid whether your kid gets an offer or not. You are the best proponent for your kid, start shooting and editing.

Agree 100% with GaryMe and Catcherdadny! Take video in case something good happens!! If it doesn't, just delete the clip.

I haven't always done it, and often regretted not pulling my phone out. Funny story on that. First travel game after sophomore year my kid homered, it was a really good shot with a wood bat. After the game we had this exchange:

Son: That's going to make a great clip for a highlight video.

Me: Uhh . . . um, actually, I don't  think it will.

Son: What do you mean? I got all of that ball.

Me: Yup, but I forgot to video it.

Mistakes like that made me take the position that, if you don't get it on video, it didn't happen.

My 2020 committed early this Fall.  We lucked into a great situation. With the benefit of hindsight, my advice for 16U and 17U is to realize that the coach is going to be the salesperson for your son.  He will represent him to potential schools.  Does he have connections?  Are his connections at schools you care about?  Is he enthusiastic about the process?   How many other kids does he have to worry about? Where is your son in the pecking order?...These are all the questions I would consider if I had to go through this again.

Be careful about putting your son's future into the hands of a coach...that may be true in some cases but realize that coaches have lives beyond baseball and most don't have the time to be promoting your kid...and college coaches know that travel team and HS coaches oversell their kids and are hardly objective...they view a lot of what they say with a fine filter...you have to be your kid's primary promoter and teach him how to be the same...learning how to speak to coaches, showing lots of hustle and proper body language on the field, demonstrating maturity and coachability etc. 

You need to find the right team. If you're playing for a travel team where the coach isn't promoting your kid, contacting schools on your behalf, and having realistic conversations with him about his future you are in the wrong travel program. Get out immediately, there is no point of being there. College coaches put a lot of stock in what a reputable travel coach says - because if the player they're hyping up turns out to be a bust, its their reputation on the line. And travel programs can't survive if their players aren't playing college ball. 

Never completely trust anybody with your sons future, but finding the right travel coach can go a long way and save you a lot of money/time editing videos and driving to $500 showcases where nobody knows your name. If you find the right coach/program, you may never have to send an email, make a video, or attend a showcase. He can bring them right to you

GaryMe posted:

Not going to embed the quote out of respect, catcherdad!

I agree 1000%. You don't see nearly enough parent rolling the cameras when Johnny is up to bat, on the mound, or in the field. You HAVE TO HAVE video because the number of opportunities to get in front of the schools on your target list are finite. You will play countless more games that they will not be at than they will be at, so video those and edit it down to highlights only. At bat video I edited down to just the swing where he made great contact. Fielding, every ball my son has fielded in the past 2 years is on video. Every at bat recorded. These are things that the parents have to carry the water on. Don't think for a second that hiring a recruiter to do it will have the same impact. They are getting paid whether your kid gets an offer or not. You are the best proponent for your kid, start shooting and editing.

What type of camera or device do you guys use to record the videos?

Alanj posted:

GaryMe posted:

Not going to embed the quote out of respect, catcherdad!

I agree 1000%. You don't see nearly enough parent rolling the cameras when Johnny is up to bat, on the mound, or in the field. You HAVE TO HAVE video because the number of opportunities to get in front of the schools on your target list are finite. You will play countless more games that they will not be at than they will be at, so video those and edit it down to highlights only. At bat video I edited down to just the swing where he made great contact. Fielding, every ball my son has fielded in the past 2 years is on video. Every at bat recorded. These are things that the parents have to carry the water on. Don't think for a second that hiring a recruiter to do it will have the same impact. They are getting paid whether your kid gets an offer or not. You are the best proponent for your kid, start shooting and editing.

What type of camera or device do you guys use to record the videos?

Phone. Hold it sideways. When your kid is batting, follow the path of the ball (slowly pan the camera), and then pan to what base he ends up on. Don't talk.  Pitching is pretty easy to video, but you need to be able to get the batter and the mound in the same shot. Fielding is hard, because a lot of time goes by with no action -- just video each inning and if he gets no action, delete the video after the inning. OF might be impossible to video well, I'm not sure. IF isn't too hard.

I use a mix of video camera and/or phone camera...in either case it's good to use a tripod mount for steady quality...practice is important to obtain consistent results..I upload into my laptop and use Windows Movie Maker to edit and assemble video..it's important to structure the video properly..the opening should include name, DOB, year of graduation, positions, height, weight, school, GPA, travel team, coach's contact info, players contact info and hometown...include highlights thereafter, don't exceed 7 minutes if possible..avoid adding music..coaches despise that. 

We use a sony handycam, right up against the fence so you don't see fencing in the shots. I edit it on mac using IMovie. Certainly a longer process than using a phone, but we are happy with results. Handycams are dirt cheap now and if you throw a 64Gb card in it you can record an entire weekend tournament on one card. We try to keep our videos to 2 min and under

I hung a Flip HD camera on the backstop fence at his games and recorded his starts. Uploaded them to you tube and an inexpensive recruiting site that allowed you to track email views via ip address so you’d know who was watching and how many times they viewed it.

i believe it helped as the one coach who consistently viewed and responded to his emails was LeCroy at Clemson.

The most value in my sons recruiting was having a "trusted source" that supported him.  The "trusted source" is an affiliate scout.  The scout picked up the phone and RC's were at the next game to watch him throw.  

The reality is my son was/is a late bloomer.  He didn't receive the trusted sources "support" as a RHP until he was 85+ off the mound (mid summer before senior year).  That was the magic number to bring out lot's of interest.  No it wasn't lots of D1 interest, but that wasn't a priority for my son.  We knew what pond to fish in to catch what he was looking for!  

You will hear that the difficulty for position players to get D1 attention compared to pitchers is more difficult.  From my observations, that's not true if you are top D1 material.  I think the problem for most parents is recognizing what a D1 position player looks like.  Make sure you find someone you trust and get a good evaluation of his skill set.  Than fish in that pond and things will work out fine.  We have watched many players who aspired to play D1 spend a lot of money fishing in that pond.  Solid players but not D1 prospects.  

D1 position players separate themselves from the pack of GOOD HS varsity players the second they walk on the field.  They look different in size, the way they move, confidence in the box, and speed.  They look like they are men playing with boys even if everyone on the field is a good HS varsity player.  

My points:

1.  Get bigger, faster, stronger.

2.  Find a trusted source.

3.  Fish in the right pond.

4.  (Repeat)  Good grades will keep doors open

Also, I used a free video-editing software called Shotcut. Cut out the deadtime, keep the videos short. Put the best stuff first. No music. Start with relevant info -- name, school, position, GPA. Also, if you have a link to a site with other highlight videos (in addition to the one you're sending), that can't hurt.

I had thoughts of creating a pitching highlight video showing success against specific kids by name - like, Top 100 PG players, draft picks, etc. I never did that, but I think it could be valuable. If I were a coach it would be more meaningful to me. Even for a hitter, if a kid's highlight clip has him driving the ball against high draft picks -- e.g., a highlight of batting against first round pick so-and-so, followed by a highlight of batting against second round pick so-and-so -- I would think that would be really valuable. 

Consider how many videos the coaching staff at a quality program receives. These programs can pick their players. They’re not looking at every video if they look at any.

If a coach is going to look at a video he’s not looking for highlights. He’s not looking to see if the ball went over the fence. He’s looking at the swing to see if it has college (at his team’s level) potential.

In terms of camps it’s much easier for pitchers to draw attention. 90+ is 90+ no matter where you throw it. Position players  are harder to judge. There are so many more variables. Camps are typically a waste of time for position players. 

You need to find the right team. If you're playing for a travel team where the coach isn't promoting your kid, contacting schools on your behalf, and having realistic conversations with him about his future you are in the wrong travel program.

 Bingo! Credibility and contacts are more important than teaching skills in 17u.

I know schools look at videos, you can track it. That said, for pitchers, put your velo in the subject and put all measurables in the body.  I kept videos to under 2 -3 minutes.

RJM posted:

Consider how many videos the coaching staff at a quality program receives. These programs can pick their players. They’re not looking at every video if they look at any.

If a coach is going to look at a video he’s not looking for highlights. He’s not looking to see if the ball went over the fence. He’s looking at the swing to see if it has college (at his team’s level) potential.

In terms of camps it’s much easier for pitchers to draw attention. 90+ is 90+ no matter where you throw it. Position players  are harder to judge. There are so many more variables. Camps are typically a waste of time for position players. 

RJM,

I agree with you as a general rule college camps are money makers much more than recruiting tools for the school.  

BUT 

If you are fishing in the right pond, make contact prior to showing up.  Find a third party "trusted source" to vouch for you.  Your odds will go up 10 fold!  

Whew, glad I'm done , it's a jungle out there. 

real green posted:

RJM posted:

Consider how many videos the coaching staff at a quality program receives. These programs can pick their players. They’re not looking at every video if they look at any.

If a coach is going to look at a video he’s not looking for highlights. He’s not looking to see if the ball went over the fence. He’s looking at the swing to see if it has college (at his team’s level) potential.

In terms of camps it’s much easier for pitchers to draw attention. 90+ is 90+ no matter where you throw it. Position players  are harder to judge. There are so many more variables. Camps are typically a waste of time for position players. 

RJM,

I agree with you as a general rule college camps are money makers much more than recruiting tools for the school.  

BUT 

If you are fishing in the right pond, make contact prior to showing up.  Find a third party "trusted source" to vouch for you.  Your odds will go up 10 fold!  

Both kids played for coaches who presold them on the phone and mailed videos for them. This is what I felt I was paying for more than coaching even though they knew the game. One of the coaches on my son’s team was a former D1 coach and current scout.

When it comes to video most college guys are not looking for game highlight films.  They are looking for film of pitchers throwing a bullpen or batters taking BP.  They want to see the player from multiple angles. Im traveling right now for work and my internet is not the greatest.  If I remember I will post some example videos when I get back to my hotel.

baseballhs posted:

I know schools look at videos, you can track it. That said, for pitchers, put your velo in the subject and put all measurables in the body.  I kept videos to under 2 -3 minutes.

We inadvertently conducted a little experiment this year with the email subjects. 

The first batch of emails we sent out had a very bland subject: "John Doe, 2020 OF".  Using the video log on Vimeo we saw basically a 0% viewing rate. 

Later we changed it to: "John Doe, 2020 OF, 6.6 60, 91 EV" and got about 33% viewing. 

Lastly, at the urging of son's coach we used: "Referral from Coach X, 2020 OF, 6.6 60 91 EV" and got about 75% viewing rate.

I dunno guys. My kid sent out video with game action only and (1) on his UVs almost without exception the coaches said they appreciated getting them and that they were valuable; and (2) some other schools (where he didn't UV) called/texted (went through a travel coach when he was a sophomore) based on video. Not every school. He emailed video to maybe about 40 schools and got phone/text interest from over half. Maybe some coaches don't watch them, but many do.

Agree with BaseballHS  and K9 that the subject line is VERY important -- it needs to have something in it that will pique a coach's interest. 

There's more than one way to attack the recruiting puzzle, but video can be useful to spark interest. JMO 

I'll throw in some balance to the video discussion as it relates to the OP...  love the new technology tools and think video taken of your own kid has it's place as some have pointed out.  

On the other side of the coin, however, I have seen too many parents get wrapped up in trying to get every possible video shot of their kid at most or every game, with the idea of compiling the ultimate recruiting video.  Neither they nor their kid are really enjoying the moment, the game, the competition for what it is supposed to be.     

As Joe and RJM said, college guys aren't looking for game highlights.  They are looking for mechanics and physical makeup that will translate.  The other "intangibles" will come via references who are not parents.  

Since this thread is a request for advice for the freshman who wants to later play college ball, my advice to the parents in regards to video would be as follows...  Yes, maintain some current video clips, once they have skills worth showing.  It can be done by you, a travel or training organization or other.  Follow the general guidelines provided here and elsewhere on how to assemble and what is important.  But, don't let this consume you.  A handful of game rep clips and a couple of training/pen/cage sessions is plenty.  Most often, try to put the darn cameras away and enjoy the game!  

K9 posted:

baseballhs posted:

I know schools look at videos, you can track it. That said, for pitchers, put your velo in the subject and put all measurables in the body.  I kept videos to under 2 -3 minutes.

We inadvertently conducted a little experiment this year with the email subjects. 

The first batch of emails we sent out had a very bland subject: "John Doe, 2020 OF".  Using the video log on Vimeo we saw basically a 0% viewing rate. 

Later we changed it to: "John Doe, 2020 OF, 6.6 60, 91 EV" and got about 33% viewing. 

Lastly, at the urging of son's coach we used: "Referral from Coach X, 2020 OF, 6.6 60 91 EV" and got about 75% viewing rate.

K9, What you say is absolutely true.  But there is a bit of irony here...  If you are a good player who 1.) has a reputable connected coach who will be a reference and strong advocate, 2.) has top 1% foot speed and 3.) has top 1% EV, you probably don't have a whole lot of need for a video 

(Don't know exactly about the 1% accuracy, just making a point )

A coach needs to see more on a video than swing mechanics, physical makeup etc..those are eye candy things as there is more than one way to hit a baseball or else we would all be doing it the same way..just as valuable is to see how an outfielder sees the ball off the bat and closes on a deep hit, whether he takes a proper angle to the ball, how a first baseman scoops a low throw, how quickly a third baseman fields and throws to the bag and if footwork, mechanics and accuracy are there, how well a catcher blocks and frames and how quickly he throws to the bag on a steal in a game... I fail to find the relevancy of exit velos off a tee or BP hits over the wall off 50 mph pitches in a showcase...it needs to be live game footage.  

There's a lot of great advice here with regards to video, and I think CatchdadNY, RJM and Cabbage's comments were particularly good.  Waiting for a player to get to the maturity, physicality and skill level is probably most important IMO, followed closely by getting the correct viewing angles to show off mechanics (look at PG videos of hitters and catchers and it's clear what the pros want to see).  We used a mix of cage BP for mechanics and game ABs to highlight his ability to hit quality live pitching at JO's, WWBA, Jupiter, etc.

A second point I'd emphasize is to know your target audience.  Video is highly valuable to some programs (mid-lower tier or HA D1, D3) that don't have huge travel budgets, and perhaps less valuable to P5 schools who can see most recruits live.

In my son's case, he targeted HA schools.  In a conversation I had with an Ivy coach (who offered my son) I asked him how he found kids.  He said that's the hardest part of his job, like finding a needle in a hay stack. He said if my son hadn't sent him a video there is no way he would have ever found him (we're in California).  Of course he subsequently went to several tournaments to see son play but the video is what got the ball rolling.

What's HA?

Regarding emailing coaches, someone somewhere else once recommended setting up an account with a specific naming convention that would get attention and tell the story. Something including grad year. Any recommendations on that?

HA is High Academic.

Are the players or parents doing all of this email marketing?  I wonder. 

BaseballBUDDY posted:

Are the players or parents doing all of this email marketing?  I wonder. 

I will provide guidance on presentation, syntax, grammar etc. Its up to the kid to self promote 

I did most of it. No apologies. He trained and performed, did all the calls, I took video and sent emails to schools on his list.

Same here...I'm retired and have the time to do it..I trained him to do it as well and we enjoyed the process along the way spending time together sometimes for hours..his job is to perform in the classroom and on the field, mine is to do the administrative..he spoke with the coaches on the phone and learned how to communicate effectively once over the initial shyness and anxiety and became quite adept..those are skills that will carry over in life...All of the work I did with him paid off...other player's parents have told me they wish they had gotten more involved...they are desperate to get their 2019's placed somewhere...not a good place to be..it may wind up with bad choices made and withdrawal from schools after a year I fear.   

The"new" way to communicate is "twitter-esque"! And seems untranslatable at times!

Mini glossary...Feel free to add, as this is bound to be icompete!  

HA = High Academic

Thanks for the HA explanation.  I also had wondered if it was the kids doing the emails or the parents sending them as if they were the kid.  

I did the emails as well and coordinated the stats/video updates from tourneys. He responded to any coaches who responded to the emails as well as phone calls (obviously). I've had several parents and friends ask about the recruiting process and as much as i would like to take credit for any of it with the efforts above, it came down to his growth and performance on the field. The unsolicited phone calls and texts directly to him from coaches largely outweighed any prompted by my email campaigns.

High Academic - most often associated with Ivy and Patriot in D1, NESCAC, Centennial and the like in D3.  I'm being a little broad as there are certainly many schools in D1 and D3 that are not in those conferences that are certainly high academic, but you get the idea.

Our journey was a combination of several.  We had him on good teams that wanted him.  Played in 16U,17U, 14U  and 15U WWBA as a 14 year old guest player.  He was fortunate to pitch against some great teams.  In 17U as 14 year old he had the team that won it shutout for 6 innings and the coach pulled him for his stud and they lost 1-8.  Got on some radars.  Played in every WWBA he could from 14-17.  Only went to 2 college camps through entire journey and 1 PBR showcase.  Played in 2 PBR Futures games.

We set up a website under his name with all the information on webs.com.  It had all his info, school info, grades, video, stats, and schedules along with what he did in each HS game and tournaments.  Along with awards and accomplishments.  One stop place for college guys.  Many college guys told me that it was one of the few they visited because it had everything in one spot that was easy to see. 

We (I) sent emails each week during HS season and summer season about what he did the week before and what was coming up.  During summer we sent his pitching schedule and updates if something changed.  I know it worked because we got lots of feedback from college coaches when we made updates on his pitching schedule. 

Not a perfect journey for every player/family.  You have to figure out what works for your player according to money and level of play.  It helped us to have a LHP that teams wanted and then when they met him they found out he could hit so that was a bonus.  During 14 year, he was fortunate to pitch at LP every game and also batted and played the field for every team except the 17U because we were only there one day.  Figure out your child's level and goals.  My son's goal was to play in the SEC and he will get that chance next year. 

not trying to hijack...will any name brand "handycam" work as long as it is HD and have the 32 or 64 GB card? Looks like on Amazon they are basically $250-$900...

Yes, the one we used was at the $250 end of the spectrum

Francis7 posted:

Thanks for the HA explanation.  I also had wondered if it was the kids doing the emails or the parents sending them as if they were the kid.  

All texts and phone calls were 100% son (of course). I did the highlight videos and edited and reviewed emails. He set up a gmail account with firstnamelastnameclassyear@gmail.com for all baseball correspondence. That email address now gets a never-ending stream of camp invites.

Funny recent secondhand story from a 2020 teammate of my son who is going on a couple OVs in the next week or two. RC texts him about setting it up, kid texts back and asks something like "do you want to arrange it with my dad?" and the RC responded with "lol, no, of course not. I'm recruiting you, not your dad"

Francis7 posted:

Thanks for the HA explanation.  I also had wondered if it was the kids doing the emails or the parents sending them as if they were the kid.  

I worked with my son to develop a standard email he would send out for initial introduction.  As well as a tracking spreadsheet to keep track of who and where he had contact with folks.  After that it was up to him.  He used his own email address and was responsible for replying to any emails, texts or phone calls.  He would pass most things through me to be reviewed for grammar and content but it was all up to him.  I did shoot and produce and upload his videos but I work in a technical profession and that stuff is second nature to me so it takes me about a tenth of the time it would take him.

I advised my son what should be said in emails. I wanted them to sound like an intelligent kid, not an adult. Even an intelligent kid speaks/writes differently than an adult. The coaches can tell. 

I set up an email address just for recruiting. It was firstname.lastname.highschoolclassyear@gmail.com. It made it recognizable as coming from him for the more interested coaches.

Francis7 posted:

Regarding emailing coaches, someone somewhere else once recommended setting up an account with a specific naming convention that would get attention and tell the story. Something including grad year. Any recommendations on that?

My son set up an email account specifically for recruiting - firstname.lastname2019@....com.  Every intro email he sent had some form of "NAME 2019 CATCHER - 6' 2" 190, POP = xx, EXIT VELO = xx.  Subsequent email subject lines kept "2019 CATCHER NAME" and mentioned upcoming tourneys (but dropped any specs).   Usually an updated video was included.  I find that all-caps in the subject line catches the eye in a sea of emails.

My son and I both had access to the email account.  He did the emails, I tracked them to make sure nothing fell through the cracks.  I also kept a tracking spreadsheet so we had a running log of all contacts and follow-up action items.  This way he always knew who to drop off the list and who was heating up and needed to be invited to the next event.

I did something similar to Smitty, sons set up new email addresses that we both had access to.  My access wasn't so I could write emails, it was to make sure they stayed on top of their jobs managing the process.  The first few emails sons sent I reviewed and offered a few suggestions.  After that, they got much better at writing to their audience - adult coaches.  It turned out to be a terrific learning experience for them and was an unintended benefit of the recruiting process.

I took the path much more similar to recent posters than earlier ones... I advised as needed but made sure that son had plenty of skin in the recruiting efforts side of the game.  In my view, this was going to be a decision that would likely significantly impact the rest of his life, so I felt he both needed proper adult guidance and needed to have a lot of input and awareness during the process.  It provided very good learning lessons for him, made him take more ownership and the coaches definitely expect to communicate with the player and not the parent.  The few years of involvement with the recruiting process for him was probably better than any other single school-related project during those years in regards to learning how to become an adult.  I say this, even though injury largely derailed and re-routed his particular path.  The journey as much as the destination..

To RJM's point, I think the coaches usually have a pretty good idea of whether they were receiving communication that was mostly from the player or mostly from the parent.

I did set up the spreadsheet for him and managed reorganization from time to time.  And, as it relates to another of Francis' threads, I did spend a fair amount of time helping research schools, including roster/coach surfing   There is a ton that you can extrapolate but I think most of it became as much entertainment as anything.  

Son set up his own separate email for recruiting purposes only like most people have already mentioned. I did alot of the "research" so we knew what to say, expect, etc... Son did all emails and communication himself. Sometimes he would forward email to me to read that he had received to keep us in the loop. Other times, he just verbally told us what they had discussed. I will say this - we were on an OV with another potential recruit and their parents, and the coaches sat us all down and asked our sons questions regarding test scores, GPA, opinions on summer league after committing, applying to school, etc.. Our son answered the questions. The other recruit looked at his parents after every question and parents spoke for him. Finally, the HC spoke up and said "These aren't hard questions. YOU should know the answers. Mom and Dad aren't coming to school with you". I chuckled a little at that but it made me wonder: how many other parents aren't involving their kids in this process and doing it for them? It made me wonder if this kid really wanted it or not? 

1.  Stay focused on school/act/sat/etc - maintaining good grades and performing well on the field can get you admission to schools you may not have thought attainable.

2.  Stay focused on getting better at baseball and being a better athlete-  bigger, stronger, faster,  - if you're a pitcher work on velo gains - velo gains will open doors.  Ideally find a trainer/program that works for you - my son found a pitching instructor (referred from travel coaches) who made a significant impact.

3.  Figure out where you want to go to school - academically, geographically, socially, etc.  Also, figure out what is realistically affordable. From that list figure out if you think you are a baseball match.  Look at the roster and see how you compare by checking PG and PBR profiles - Target Schools you are interested in that are both realistic baseball and academic options - BE SELF AWARE, but keep working - you never know what can happen.

4.  Attend a PBR Showcase Summer after Freshman year and ideally each summer thereafter - good way to get tape/stats.  Also, in my experience PBR has a good network to all levels of college coaches - they were very helpful thoughout my 2018's process.

5.  Try to get on a travel team that plays at top tournaments "wwba championsips/midwest prospect league/etc" where coaches congregate and you can easily be seen.  Ideally this team has connections to colleges and can help make introductions. 

6.  Repeat 1, 2, 3 - its an iterative process....Where you are at academically, mentally and on the field when you are 14 will be very different  than where you are at when you are 17......and be patient and keep working - everyone's recruiting process is different - At many points it will likely feel like its not going to happen for you  - for my son it all happened summer after his junior year - entered the summer with no offers and by the end of the summer season had many good offers from P5 to High Academics.

Thanks Letsgo!!

We have a 2022 as well.  For us, we had decided that he would not do any travel ball until he was around 15.  He has done a lot of practicing & has picked up in a few local rec tournaments here & there, but nothing consistent.  We decided that this year we would do a few things to see how he stacks up & to start getting his name out there with the plan to start travel ball next year at the 15U level.  He will also start on our high school varsity team.  Here is what we have done & how it's worked for us, just to share experiences.  We also set him up an email to correspond if needed & started him a Twitter account that he only shares PG articles/videos about him etc.

-Entered him in the 14U PG regional showcase to qualify him for the National showcase. 

-Played in the 14U PG National.  He met the head coach of one of his dream schools on the plane & he came & watched him play (he's interested in this school because of the pitching coach)

-Tried out for our regions USA NTIS/ Selected for our regional team & competed in Cary, NC

-Selected for the 2019 Team USA NTDP

-Played in his first travel ball tournament the WWBA Freshman World

After the two showcases & Team USA he had lots of coaches following his twitter & lots of emails to attend camps, but no real contact.  After playing in the Freshman World, before we had even made it to the airport, our travel coach had sent us four coaches to call that were all P5 schools.  Three were on his radar (including dream school listed above)  & the fourth was an SEC school that he'd never considered, but is now interested in.  Out of the 4 schools two have asked him about his grades & it didn't come up yet with the other two.  Two of them asked what his parents did for a living (I'm sure to give an idea of financial aid).  They have all requested that he come to their camps in January.  One of the schools asked if he would be willing to be a 2-way player for them as that is what they would be wanting from him. (He's a pitcher & OF)  This kind of surprised me as I figured they'd convert him to pitcher only.  Three asked him to call them monthly & the other weekly. He was horrible on the first few calls, but has gotten much better at it.

So for us, playing travel ball was the factor that was most beneficial.  It could be that the coaches did not have a way to contact us previously, but we're grateful for the connections that the travel ball coach has.  I'm sure everyone has different experiences, but this is what we've experienced so far.  I'm just glad that we've found this site to help us navigate through the process.

hopefulmom posted:

Son set up his own separate email for recruiting purposes only like most people have already mentioned. I did alot of the "research" so we knew what to say, expect, etc... Son did all emails and communication himself. Sometimes he would forward email to me to read that he had received to keep us in the loop. Other times, he just verbally told us what they had discussed. I will say this - we were on an OV with another potential recruit and their parents, and the coaches sat us all down and asked our sons questions regarding test scores, GPA, opinions on summer league after committing, applying to school, etc.. Our son answered the questions. The other recruit looked at his parents after every question and parents spoke for him. Finally, the HC spoke up and said "These aren't hard questions. YOU should know the answers. Mom and Dad aren't coming to school with you". I chuckled a little at that but it made me wonder: how many other parents aren't involving their kids in this process and doing it for them? It made me wonder if this kid really wanted it or not? 

Very good real world example of just one of may reasons why the player should have at least a substantial stake in ownership beyond just playing and taking care of grades, chores and training!!

KLL posted:

We have a 2022 as well. 

... After playing in the Freshman World, before we had even made it to the airport, our travel coach had sent us four coaches to call that were all P5 schools.  Three were on his radar (including dream school listed above)  & the fourth was an SEC school that he'd never considered, but is now interested in.  Out of the 4 schools two have asked him about his grades & it didn't come up yet with the other two.  Two of them asked what his parents did for a living (I'm sure to give an idea of financial aid).  They have all requested that he come to their camps in January.  One of the schools asked if he would be willing to be a 2-way player for them as that is what they would be wanting from him. (He's a pitcher & OF)  This kind of surprised me as I figured they'd convert him to pitcher only.  ... 

KLL, that's awesome for your son and welcome to the site!

I would caution about the one school... for a P5 to suggest to a 2022 that they specifically want him to be a 2-way at this point in time ... consider that there is a distinct possibility this is largely to create excitement and a sense of connection with your son.  That's not all bad - there is likely real interest but no way of knowing at this point if they will actually want him as a 2-way, which is very rare among P5's.

Sorry, sort of veered from the OP.

Thanks Cabbagedad. We’ve definitely taken everything all of them have said    with a grain of salt. He’s really fine with being a PO. I worry that a dual role will be too much along with his studies, but we’ll see.