Does anyone know of any beginner or introduction showcases for a 2017 in the Northeast? My son will be entering high school next year and I want to get him some experience at showcases young. I do not want to spend much money, probably around $100-250.
Thanks,
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I'm not sure what they charge - but the first showcase my son attended years ago in 2006 was a Perfect Game California Underclass showcase. There is one in CT in August.
http://www.perfectgame.org/Sch....aspx?Type=Showcases
Perfect Game does a great job with their showcases and the underclass one is a great place to start. They do a good job of making sure everyone knows where to go and what to do - so great place to start.
Looking back on it now, I have a lot of fond memories of that weekend. My son got to play at a higher level than ever before - while getting his feet wet with Perfect Game. Personally, I met Rob Kramer face to face after trading messages with him here on HSBBW for quite some time. His son Jeff (who is now playing pro ball) and my son ended up becoming college summer league baseball teammates years later.
Looking at the PG site, they have added a neat feature showing the history of various events and what happened to participants. I just learned that four guys made it to the Majors from that showcase in Southern California. Very Very cool feature!!!
take your time
I'm not a fan of showcasing so young. I felt like we got my son out there too soon, and it undermined his confidence a bit. I guess if a kid is a real blue chipper it wouldn't have the same result.
The early high school years are for getting better, stronger, bigger. IMHO.
That being said, many showcases don't charge to watch, if you want to see one. The formats don't seem to vary all that much, so once you've seen one, you will have a good sense for what goes on. Lots of waiting.
If I had it to do over again, I would take my son to see college games at various levels (DI, DII, DIII) during his early high school years. This would have been helpful.
Good luck.
I don't recommend showcasing for a player who has yet to enter high school. It's not a sound expenditure in that you will get no value from it and your son is not yet ready to present himself for any kind of evaluation.
Next summer is truly soon enough.
Check this site out later this year. They run a one-day indoor showcase of mostly D2 and D3 schools and it's held in Northern CT. I believe it's held in February. If I understand you correctly, you're looking for a showcase to get him wet behind the ears. This may be up your alley. I believe it was somewhere around $200.
First showcase I brought my son to, when he was in 8th grade was the Northeastern Showcase, they do a good job running the camp and it is pretty reasonably priced (usually 2 days over a w/e). This showcase is usually pretty well attended and in my experience has a pretty broad range of talent.
