Asking Coach Questions...

What year is he and how far into communication/discussions/visits did things go before the HA gave him the "we've got offers out" message?  D1 HA?

Everyone thinks that you have to have velo of 90+ to play D1. That's not true. If you have secondary stuff to compliment your FB and get hitters out, and prove you belong on a team, you can get a chance like everyone else. 

The rest is up to the pitching coach.

Cabbagedad, he is a 2021. Nothing got too deep, a few emails back and forth and a conversation during meet the coaches at a camp, so nothing was too serious. Coaches had responded directly to his travel ball GM who had sent recommendations. They said my son was on their board but they had players in front of him they were waiting for word on. 

And TPM, if you're a LHP that is true - mid 80's gets you to DI. But you're not getting a sniff as a 3/4 arm slot RHP unless you cruise mid-80's bumping high 80s often and that's for lower end D1s, Patriot and Ivy, included.  

@BaseballDad72 posted:

Cabbagedad, he is a 2021. Nothing got too deep, a few emails back and forth and a conversation during meet the coaches at a camp, so nothing was too serious. Coaches had responded directly to his travel ball GM who had sent recommendations. They said my son was on their board but they had players in front of him they were waiting for word on. 

And TPM, if you're a LHP that is true - mid 80's gets you to DI. But you're not getting a sniff as a 3/4 arm slot RHP unless you cruise mid-80's bumping high 80s often and that's for lower end D1s, Patriot and Ivy, included.  

I respectfully do not agree with you. Many RHP guys, in many mid D1 programs, or Juco, who enter  into their freshman college year dont hit close to mid 80s- 90.  

TPM Every 2021/2022 RHP in the travel program my son plays for that’s committed d1 (and there are many) are all mid to upper 80s 88-89) and it’s a good sample size. Lefties 82-86 does the trick even if you don’t pitch well but are taller and projectable. What d1 schools are you seeing this at? Unless you are side arm RHP or have some off the chart secondary pitch D1s not interested in 82-83 unless you’re projectile and a 2023 or 2024.

@BaseballDad72 posted:

TPM Every 2021/2022 RHP in the travel program my son plays for that’s committed d1 (and there are many) are all mid to upper 80s 88-89) and it’s a good sample size. Lefties 82-86 does the trick even if you don’t pitch well but are taller and projectable. What d1 schools are you seeing this at? Unless you are side arm RHP or have some off the chart secondary pitch D1s not interested in 82-83 unless you’re projectile and a 2023 or 2024.

You did mention that your son was 83-86, not 82-83. 

Sending you a pm.

I will have to agree with TPM, as rare as that is.    I got into extreme trouble back in February and March because I brought up the subject that most of the non-starting pitchers that my son's team faced did not even touch or come near 90 mph.  Many accused me of trashing players and coaches on those teams.  I did not say it to slap them in the face but we always say here that you have to throw 90 to play D1 and I saw 20 pitchers playing D1 in the 17 games Tennessee played that did not touch 90.  There were a couple of LHP's that did not touch 85 so all of that is a myth.  They may not be Friday-Sunday guys for conference games and may not play for P5 teams but they are playing D1 baseball. 

@PitchingFan posted:

I will have to agree with TPM, as rare as that is.    I got into extreme trouble back in February and March because I brought up the subject that most of the non-starting pitchers that my son's team faced did not even touch or come near 90 mph.  Many accused me of trashing players and coaches on those teams.  I did not say it to slap them in the face but we always say here that you have to throw 90 to play D1 and I saw 20 pitchers playing D1 in the 17 games Tennessee played that did not touch 90.  There were a couple of LHP's that did not touch 85 so all of that is a myth.  They may not be Friday-Sunday guys for conference games and may not play for P5 teams but they are playing D1 baseball. 

Ah ha, correct! I remember! Thanks for bringing that up!

@BaseballDad72 posted:

Cabbagedad, he is a 2021. Nothing got too deep, a few emails back and forth and a conversation during meet the coaches at a camp, so nothing was too serious. Coaches had responded directly to his travel ball GM who had sent recommendations. They said my son was on their board but they had players in front of him they were waiting for word on. 

And TPM, if you're a LHP that is true - mid 80's gets you to DI. But you're not getting a sniff as a 3/4 arm slot RHP unless you cruise mid-80's bumping high 80s often and that's for lower end D1s, Patriot and Ivy, included.  

OK thanks.  That said, then, "where am I on your board" is not something a player would go back to a school with since they have already spelled out he is not currently at the top.  And, obviously, since he is a '21, needs to pursue other opportunities aggressively. 

Now, if he gets or has other opportunities and he is in the process of making a decision, it wouldn't hurt to circle back to a school that he had really high on his list and the school at least had him "on the board".  Then, it would be OK just to make sure nothing has changed before he pulls the trigger elsewhere.  IMO.

Okay, well, I'm not seeing DI games on a regular basis, so I can't argue with you. All I'm saying is the DI RHP commits on the 17U team my son pitched for a few times in his program all threw mid to upper 80s touching 90 and I saw that with my own eyes at PG WWBA 17U tourney.

Before the "crickets" I would have agreed with you 100%. My kid is probably the top starting pitcher on the 16U team (now 17U for the fall), and couldn't get on the 17U team staff because they were loaded with mid to upper 80s guys. Kids that are committed on 16U are younger (2023s) throw low to mid 80s or are 2022 lefties low to mid 80s. Power 5 and lower DI commits. Son is a young 2021.

Honestly, I'm at a loss not about DI, but about DIII interest or apparent lack thereof. 

@BaseballDad72 posted:

Okay, well, I'm not seeing DI games on a regular basis, so I can't argue with you. All I'm saying is the DI RHP commits on the 17U team my son pitched for a few times in his program all threw mid to upper 80s touching 90 and I saw that with my own eyes at PG WWBA 17U tourney.

Before the "crickets" I would have agreed with you 100%. My kid is probably the top starting pitcher on the 16U team (now 17U for the fall), and couldn't get on the 17U team staff because they were loaded with mid to upper 80s guys. Kids that are committed on 16U are younger (2023s) throw low to mid 80s or are 2022 lefties low to mid 80s. Power 5 and lower DI commits. Son is a young 2021.

Honestly, I'm at a loss not about DI, but about DIII interest or apparent lack thereof.   

In the "old days" (i.e. last year), the schedule was that D3 players with first-wave offers of admissions support would be visiting throughout September, and as they decided where to "commit" (i.e. apply Early Decision), the boards would shuffle.  My son was told by coaches that they wanted his decision by the end of September.  This year, I have no idea what the timing is.  Coaches may not know either, other than the ED deadlines are still in early November.  What does the travel coach say about the D3 recruiting timeline this year?  

I agree with what Cabbagedad says to do.  In a few weeks, take more video of him pitching (in a bullpen), with a radar gun, and send it with an email reiterating his interest.  Which camp did he attend?  If he's already been to Headfirst or Showball, it's hard to know if there is a point going to another one - they will have the video from the first.

Many good D3 colleges recruit all through senior year; if there are schools where he doesn't need coach support to get in, look at those.  Many will give hefty academic scholarship money, unlike the more selective ones.  Send email with fresh video.  Go to early spring camps if they have them.

Kids are trying to light up the radar gun in order to go D1 or MLB

Once they get on campus, their mph often reduces because 1) they need to consistently throw strikes more or 2) their coaches recognizes they need to develop more movement on their pitches

the typical SEC hitter will send a 4 seam 94 mph fastball 400+ feet if it doesn’t move...

A policy analysis professor I had in grad school once said, "Don't ask the question if you can't stand the answer." Son was often timid to ask this as HE didn't want to eliminate programs in his mind who were still in the mix. He got his answer from some schools when correspondences were late or not at all. If a school wants you, they will be accessible.

We knew schools have "boards"-- actual saw one in a Patriot League office during a visit (son was the year after). Actually RipkenFanSon didn't know he was "at the top of the board" of the school he would attend until about 2 days before offer when school wanted "one final look" at him play.

I have a small sample size from my kid's 16U and 17U travel org (about a half dozen teams or so). The D1 (maybe 1 D2) commits were upper 80s-90s. Low to mid-80s were D3.