Any Value in College summer camps?

You won't get much out of a summer camp as a 2024 with regard to recruiting/exposure, but it's not a bad idea if it's not big $$$ and it's local.  My son went to his first at a D1 the summer after 8th grade.  He was up against kids as old as HS seniors....and held his own....even with the coach that really took a liking to him put him at SS.  I think it was that day when he decided that "hey, I can play this game at a high level".  Again, he was a young freshman to be at the time...and probably around 5', maybe 100 pounds, so as far as exposure....nada....but it gave him an awful lot of confidence heading into HS.   Oh, and the all turf D1 field that held 4000 people wasn't a bad way to spend a couple days either

I concur with Buckeye2015. If you want it for exposure, at this age I would not bother. However if the price is right and your looking for an experience, and expose him to what it might take to play in college, it is OK.

Not in the Summer, however every year Kent State used to have a camp over the Thanksgiving break. Friday and Saturday. My middle son went every year, starting his Freshman. Up until then he was a very intelligent kid with not great grades. He did not put the work in. The coach had a talk with all the kids, and explained how important he thought grades were. After that my son's grades vastly improved and he started taking all the advanced and AP coarse work he could. 

This alone was worth the cost of the camp. The pitching coach was very helpful and took an interest in my son. Although he was never a recruit of theirs. 

So there are benefits, some of them unforeseen, beyond recruiting. 

Thanks

I wouldn’t bother with it as a 2024.  There are some good camps but they won’t be looking at him for a few years. I’m from TX too. I can tell you that a few are COMPLETE wastes of time even in terms of experience. The best camp we ever attended for experience and in general was Vanderbilt but again,I’d wait until at least summer after freshman year.

Don't expect in-depth instruction/training, it is usually kept very basic.  Also, there are different types of college summer camps - you will need to research each.  Some are more true "prospect" camps where there can be a fair number of good players while others may cover a wide age range and be more general in nature (pure fundraiser for the school).  Even some of the prospect camps can attract a very thin and weak group of attendees sometimes.  Some newer versions have multiple schools in attendance and can be a little better bang for your buck but, like showcasing, only when the player has skills to show that are near college ready.

When my son was 13/14 he did a week long sleep away baseball camp at a local D2. They stayed in the dorms and ate in the dining hall. The camp was run by assistant coaches and players. Mornings they ran drills. Afternoons they scrimmaged. After dinner they had loosely organized sports in the bubble or they'd go see a movie or a collegiate league game. 

It was my son's most memorable summer.

So, I would absolutely get feedback on any instructional camp before throwing some money down.

My son attended an ACC camp that was run by the Head Coach.  Check.   Also in attendance were various pitching coaches from schools he was somewhat interested in attending (at 15 years old) and learning more about those schools and their reqirements.  Check.  He took it all in and learned a lot.  Listened very closely to everything said.   I was there for part of it, and learned some things as well.  He got some one on one time with two D1 high academic pitching coaches that would eventually recruit him a couple years later.  Bonus.  

Well worth the investment just listening to the HC talk to the "kids" about what to expect in college baseball and the maturity level needed.  Money well spent.