College Baseball Height

Bsball37,

Yes, is the answer.  Coaches look and assess tools (speed, hitting power, hitting for avg, defense, throwing arm, leadership, awareness, etc)   .  Sure, a taller player may get some additional looks but I've seen shorter players have a major impact on a team.  My son played with two guys (starters) that weren't tall but they certainly had skills.  One guy (approx 5'6") was the starting 2nd baseman and had power and a small strike zone.  He hit more than his share of dingers.  My son hated pitching to him in practice.  He rarely struck out, and had some speed on the bases.  Another guy (approx 5'5") was our starting CF.  He was an incredible defender and an absolute terror on the bases.  Height is not an impediment if your son has skills.   

Additionally, if your son has a strong GPA and strong SAT/ACT he needs to find programs that are looking for those academic metrics.   They're out there, and he needs to familiarize himself with those programs.

As always, JMO.

Thank you! This is so incredibly helpful!

Bsball37;

Study the history of a catcher named YOGI. Teach your son to hit left.

Which is his dominate eye?

Bob

It’s good that you recognize now that lack of size is an issue. I agree with all that @fenwaysouth said, as I usually do. I would add a couple of things. As an undersized player, being able to play multiple positions really helps. There is a place on every roster for the Swiss Army Knife guy that is versatile. Another factor is that nobody wants an undersized player at the C position. My advice would be to work towards 2B or LF being the primary position and make C the third option. On the offensive side of the game, become a really good hitter. But also be a great bunter and baserunner. Be the high energy guy that creates chaos on the basepaths. Every coach wants a guy like that. One silver lining to your dark cloud is that focusing on D3 now can be an advantage. There are a number of people on this board that have a lot of knowledge about the D3 experience and are in a position to offer good advice.

Thank you! I really appreciate this information.

If you know of any advisors, etc. that could help navigate this process I also welcome this.  I am a single mom and quite frankly very overwhelmed by this process with camps, showcases, etc. He is doing a lot of research on his own but hard for me to guide him from a practical perspective (e.g. is it really worth traveling around the US for showcases? ) Right now we are identifying schools/ teams which he might be interested in and then narrowing the list for him to reach out to those coaches to introduce himself while continue to focus on his development.

@Bsball37 posted:

Thank you! I really appreciate this information.

If you know of any advisors, etc. that could help navigate this process I also welcome this.  I am a single mom and quite frankly very overwhelmed by this process with camps, showcases, etc. He is doing a lot of research on his own but hard for me to guide him from a practical perspective (e.g. is it really worth traveling around the US for showcases? ) Right now we are identifying schools/ teams which he might be interested in and then narrowing the list for him to reach out to those coaches to introduce himself while continue to focus on his development.

You really don’t need an advisor. Do research on this site before you do anything else. A lot of members have kids playing D3 baseball and they will help if you ask them. There are a lot of regional differences in D3 so I would recommend finding members that live in your general area.

@Bsball37 posted:

Doctors confirmed today that my 16-year-old son has fused growth plates - he is 5’5. Doctors for 2 years predicted a growth spurt that never came.

He aspires to play baseball at the college level as a catcher and can play outfield and second and third too. He works diligently on his skills all year, weight trains, sacrifices many social activities most 16 year olds wouldn’t, and maintains a strong leadership presence on and off the field. He also has good grades (3.8 taking honors).  He is good (not the best yet) and what he lacks in  raw talent he makes up for with dedication and commitment to get there. He is even more determined now in not letting his height hold him back. As his mother, I will support him 110%! But I’m also trying to strike a balance between supporting his athletic dreams and ensuring he has a plan B in place. Does he even have a shot at D3 baseball? Any thoughts welcome.

Which growth plates?

They typically don't all fuse at the same time.

How tall are you?

Good question.. they said hand but did not take scan of other bones. They said that was good indicator plus fact that he did not grow at all from April to yesterday.

He is 5'5 and maybe but unlikely will get to 5'6

What grade is he?  If you are looking at D3s, recruiting will happen the summer after junior year of high school.  So, no need to do anything right now, except play at school and in the summer, preferably at a level that will help him improve.

What team did he play on at school (jv, varsity)?   What position does he play there?

Depending on the high school and his role there, one of the coaches might be someone you could ask about recruiting, maybe around the start of junior year.  Or his summer coach.

And we are here for you!

Sent you a PM if you are interested.  I'm in your area and went through this 2 years ago and about to again.

I have a pulse on many schools in the area and have observed many of their programs.  I know a lot of the kids that go to many of the colleges who played in your HS division if not personally, then by my son's playing  with or against them so I have an idea of the type of talent they have.

Has he taken the PSAT yet? If not, I'd focus on getting the SAT/ACT out of the way to get an idea what he should target academically. Is he going to be a 1500+ kid, or more like a 1200 kid?

@TerribleBPthrower posted:

Has he taken the PSAT yet? If not, I'd focus on getting the SAT/ACT out of the way to get an idea what he should target academically. Is he going to be a 1500+ kid, or more like a 1200 kid?

These are huge questions as NH and MA if he's planning on staying local, which is probably best as the NE has the most number of D3 programs anywhere, but the schools run the gammit of Top tier best schools in the country to I wouldn't send my kid there if they paid me to.  But any school he can perform in, enjoys and gets to also play baseball is a winner no matter what anyone else thinks of it.

Also, most D3 schools are private colleges.  Thus, the better the grades and test scores, the more possibility for academic merit scholarships.  Encourage your son to keep his academics up!  Never rule anything out, most schools cost less than their official sticker price.

In D3 ball there are a wide range of teams. I have seen some who could not beat a good HS team and others who could go toe-to-toe with top 25 college teams. If the desire is there, then IMO he can find a place to play. Full stop no question.

Now for a reality check, since he has good academics the question is does he want to give up the opportunity to go to a better academic school and maybe play on a Varsity team at a lessor known school, or play on a club team at a "better" school.

Another thing to consider is that some D3 programs have JV teams and they practice and are part of the "baseball program" and while they may not travel are part of home games but are part of the "team" and involved in all practices and workouts.

My son played on a national championship D3 team that had a "shorter player" who was beloved by the team and coaches and got AB's at blow out games, was part of the team, and helped "manage" the team. He was actually was invited to the CWS with the team, which required an official position.

Also, all teams need additional catchers for bullpens and frankly for a smaller stature player I would recommend to take ground balls at second as an additional position.

Finally this must be his dream not yours as college baseball is a grind, and most parents and HS kids have no idea of the demands it places on student-athletes. 

Not sure if it answers all of your questions but should give you and your son a perspective.

Best of luck!

Bsball … Youndont need to hire an advisor. You have a board full of them here with varied experiences and willingness to help. An advisor will have a narrower window of perspective from his experiences.

In regards to pick another position and be a backup catcher it enhances his market value. What it does to putting together a roster the coach can view your son as an emergency catcher and not have to roster a third catcher.

As far as D3s being mostly privates this in incorrect. There are many state school D3s. The question is how much less expensive are they if you can’t get an in state rate. From living in New England I know Southern Maine, UMass Boston and Eastern Connecticut State are almost always in the post season. Salisbury State in Maryland is also a top program.

If his grades and SATs are good enough use baseball to enhance acceptance to an HA. Look into the NESCAC, NEWMAC and Centennial conferences. The first two are Northeast. Centennial is Mid Atlantic.

@RJM posted:

As far as D3s being mostly privates this in incorrect. There are many state school D3s. The question is how much less expensive are they if you can’t get an in state rate. From living in New England I know Southern Maine, UMass Boston and Eastern Connecticut State are almost always in the post season. Salisbury State in Maryland is also a top program.

Of the NCSA's list of 443 D3 schools (not all of which have baseball), 80 are public.  So the vast majority are private.  The SUNY (19) schools are one large group of publics, and the U Wisconsin (9) schools are another, also some Penn State (6) schools, plus clusters in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Virginia, Maine, and New Jersey.

@anotherparent posted:

Of the NCSA's list of 443 D3 schools (not all of which have baseball), 80 are public.  So the vast majority are private.  The SUNY (19) schools are one large group of publics, and the U Wisconsin (9) schools are another, also some Penn State (6) schools, plus clusters in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Virginia, Maine, and New Jersey.

When people ask about recruiting the first thing I do is check their profile for location. They’re located in New England where there are many.

@adbono posted:

Another factor is that nobody wants an undersized player at the C position. My advice would be to work towards 2B or LF being the primary position and make C the third option.

Why is this the case? I don't understand why height is a factor for a catcher. Please explain. At one of our local D3s the starting catchers are both 5'8"/5'9".

@BB328 posted:

Why is this the case? I don't understand why height is a factor for a catcher. Please explain. At one of our local D3s the starting catchers are both 5'8"/5'9".

Almost every HC wants a big, physical player at C, 1B, & 3B. They don’t always get a player that fits that description, but that’s what they want. It’s about optics as much as anything else - but it’s a very real thing.

The more competitive the level of play, the more this is true

@BB328 posted:

Why is this the case? I don't understand why height is a factor for a catcher. Please explain. At one of our local D3s the starting catchers are both 5'8"/5'9".

I don't know why it's the case, but its true.  The ABSOLUTE best hitter on my son's summer team was their catcher.  Amazing defensively, handled all the P4 arms, etc.  The only issue, is he's listed at 5'8" but is probably shorter.  It's to bad because they kid is a pure stud.

The running joke was that if he was 6' tall he'd be an SEC catcher.  The only D1 sniff he had was from an Ivy.  He ended up at a top 5 Juco.

As the father of an undersized catcher who has had some success, I will emphasize that size is a real issue at catcher. Coaches want big, physical guys at catcher because they equate size with durability. Like others have expressed, I agree that a 5'6" player is likely to get more opportunities at 2B or LF with the added benefit of being a team's emergency backup catcher than he will get at catcher. The size bias is real, and there's nothing you or he can do about it. The sooner he accepts that fact and just battles through it, the better off he will be.

In my opinion, the best way to combat size bias is to have a 'wicked' bat. He needs a standout tool, and coaches cannot ignore the hit tool. I would focus most effort there, and the rest getting stronger.

Here is a thread I saw today on twitter that I think your son might find inspiring: https://x.com/GessnerJosh/status/1816118586592620840

I believe if colleges coaches had their way and had to pick one size every position player would be 6’2” 195 with sub 7 speed and every pitcher 6’4” 210 with 93+ velocity.

They would probably prefer every pitcher would be 6’8” touching 100. But I’m trying to stay within realistic boundaries.,

Bsball;

During our 1st journey to Japan with our American HS National Team, I noticed the Japan umpires were "missing" the low strikes, because of our 6'2 catcher. We switched catchers to a 5'8" catcher and the strike zoned changed.

"Baseball is a game of adjustments" and the best Coaches know how to adjust. "Keep the faith"!!!!

Bob

This thread caught my eye because my son is undersized too--he is just a touch taller than your son. There is no doubt that there are a lot of college coaches who pass over him simply because he does not pass the "eye ball test" (teammates that he performs as well as--or even outperforms are getting looks that he does not), but he is having conversations with a number of college coaches, a couple that seem to be getting more serious. I do believe there are coaches out there who will give your son a chance if his skill level is high and the passion for the sport is there. The passion is key because he is going to have to outwork his competition. BTW, though he cannot control his height, he can control his strength and weight / overall build.

I cannot add to the advice you are getting about his position as a catcher. Others can chime in on whether he should try and change positions. My son is a second baseman and fits that stereotype of the smallest infielder with good hands holding down that position. Surprisingly to me, given his size, the  coaches who have shown interest in him seem to like him more as a pitcher than as a position player.

Your son is also going to get a ton of "nos." That's just a reality. He's also going to find it unlikely to get a ton of attention from the schools in the power conferences. I've noticed a number of rosters at the schools we are tracking have gotten much taller during these past few years. I do believe your son can find the right school for him if he loves the game enough to prove his doubters wrong. Don't forget that Jose Altuve was sent home after the first day of his tryouts, and he went back the second day anyway. Can you imagine if he had listened? We would have missed out in his great talent. 

Is it any worse at pitcher? I'm the exact same height as the poster and completely done growing.

@2026 posted:

Is it any worse at pitcher? I'm the exact same height as the poster and completely done growing.

In general, yes. What can make a difference is your stuff. If the spin numbers suggest that you can pitch up in the zone with your FB, and it’s coming at the hitter from a low release height, you have something to sell. That’s assuming a decent velo on the FB. You will also need a breaking ball and a change up that you can land for a strike. If you have all of those things there will be a place for you. I suggest you get Trackman numbers, and get someone to tell you what they mean, and see what you have to work with

@adbono posted:

In general, yes. What can make a difference is your stuff. If the spin numbers suggest that you can pitch up in the zone with your FB, and it’s coming at the hitter from a low release height, you have something to sell. That’s assuming a decent velo on the FB. You will also need a breaking ball and a change up that you can land for a strike. If you have all of those things there will be a place for you. I suggest you get Trackman numbers, and get someone to tell you what they mean, and see what you have to work with

Your 100% right about the velo part. I need to throw harder if I want to play at the next level.

2026;

Do you have the 6th Tool?

During our Area Code games in Long Beach I selected a young Rhp pitcher 5'11" from Florida who told me on the phone interview that he had the best "curve ball" in America.

When he pitched his 1st game at the AC games, the 300 pro scouts all said the same Bert Blyleven. Next Summer, the young man was drafted 1st round by the Pirates.

"Attitude" vs "Altitude"!!!!

Bob

@Texas

There was no audio so I searched.

That is some story.

Your son is an awesome catcher! He has a great story also!

Thanks for posting.

@Texas posted:

As the father of an undersized catcher who has had some success, I will emphasize that size is a real issue at catcher. Coaches want big, physical guys at catcher because they equate size with durability. Like others have expressed, I agree that a 5'6" player is likely to get more opportunities at 2B or LF with the added benefit of being a team's emergency backup catcher than he will get at catcher. The size bias is real, and there's nothing you or he can do about it. The sooner he accepts that fact and just battles through it, the better off he will be.

In my opinion, the best way to combat size bias is to have a 'wicked' bat. He needs a standout tool, and coaches cannot ignore the hit tool. I would focus most effort there, and the rest getting stronger.

Here is a thread I saw today on twitter that I think your son might find inspiring: https://x.com/GessnerJosh/status/1816118586592620840

Really enjoyed watching your son play this past season. He is a tremendous competitor.