I am a class of 2020 outfielder and pitcher. I do both frequently right now but know I need to chose pitching or hitting soon. I am a competitive pitcher and am also a good hitter and fielder. I feel that I am much more productive as a hitter but being a LHP I know there is a big advantage. I am just wondering if any of you could chime in on when I should decide and what sounds like the better option?
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Baseballcomesthird,
This topic has been discussed many times. You can do a search on the topic by hitting the magnifying glass on the top title bar. Bottom line is keep doing both as long as you possibly can. Most college bound players find they do something extraordinary well that sets them apart from others. If you can do both and impress a college coach with these tools then keep doing both. They will tell you. I hope you find some of the previous posts helpful.
Good luck!
son was 2-way his frosh yr. Because that's what the coach needed for the team... at the time. As team needs change, your coach will let you know. Stay flexible & teachable. Count your blessings!
You are about to be a Sophomore this Fall. Are you playing Travel Ball this summer? What do your coaches say? What does your high school coach say? Do both as long as you can. Wouldn't hurt to learn how to play 1B too
Thanks for the responses and tips! I am playing travel ball this summer. My club director has told me that I have the potential to play college ball at either position. I pitched a lot for my high school freshman team but mostly due to no pitching depth. I am able to play 1st base but do not play it often because I am not the biggest player and am not projected to be very tall.
For reference my son played both through college.
A couple of points.
1. Colleges recruit 1) Pitchers A) LHP, B) hard throwing RHP) 2) Middle of the diamond players 3)Masher. As a note Mashers end up in the corners usually by default unless they have speed.
If you can do two thing above at the same time - keep doing it and ignore what others tell you; however to do both at a high level requires A) Lots of talent B) Lots of hard work... (2X if playing both positions)
Knowing what I know now, if my son was a LHP I would advise him get into a program like drivelinebaseball, or Ron Wolforth's and become a hard throwing LHP. If you do this then you are golden. Other than this keep following your passion(s) until someone else takes your job. Hope this helps.
Good luck!
What are your measurables. Height, weight, throwing velocity, exit velocity, etc.
I am 5'7 and 135 LBS. Projected to be around 5'10. I throw low 70's and have an exit velocity of 80 MPH. I run a 7.3 sixty but am going to be working on my speed, gaining weight, and throwing velocity this offseason.
Baseballcomesthird posted:I am 5'7 and 135 LBS. Projected to be around 5'10. I throw low 70's and have an exit velocity of 80 MPH. I run a 7.3 sixty but am going to be working on my speed, gaining weight, and throwing velocity this offseason.
Ok. Unless and until you can throw low to mid 80s being a LHP only won't get you anywhere. I wouldn't go PO until that goal is in sight. Good luck.
My advice would be to keep doing whatever makes you happy. Playing baseball in HS is an honor limited to a few, so enjoy it while you are there, and do whatever best helps your team, gets you on the field, and gives you the most enjoyment. The rest will take care of itself.
Some great advice here. The main theme I see is to ' have fun with it' which is so true. Yes, if you're serious about college baseball there are specific measuring stats you must hit. It varies depending on what level of NCAA baseball you are shooting for but for a LHP the magic number is 85 mph at the D1 level. You can start increasing your velocity in a safe way by doing a long toss program. And a good pitching coach can do wonders. You can pick up an extra mile or two just with a proper stride and better mechanics .
As far as hitters go foot speed is HUGE in NCAA recruiting . You gotta break a 7.0 in the 60 and if you're not a big guy they'll expect something closer to a 6.7 and when you hit, you gotta mash. Hit the ball HARD. Lift the ball.
Lastly , I highly recommend you crack the books. A high GPA and SAT score goes a long way in college ball. It opens you up to the D3 super schools . Some of the most prestigious learning institutions in the country . And while they do not offer scholarship money, they are well funded and you will do extremely well w/ grant money and academic money . You might check in with BOF ( who posted above ) His son played at one of the top D3 programs in the Country .
