College Signee not starting?

Not sure if this counts the same, but there is a junior on my team who has a scholarship offer from a major D1 school, but he doesn't start. And no I do not go to a very large high school either. We have 9 seniors and the coach has a history of playing his seniors unless they are not very good. Consequently, the 3 players on the team who are receiving the most college interest do not start.

In the last 2 years there have been two kids from my high school commit to a college but not start before their senior season. One of these kids did not even play the position he committed as in high school.

Tough situation all you can do is keep working hard and control what you can control. Good part is you are already committed to play at a college next season so just work hard and prepare for what is ahead.

I can only imagine the frustration you might be feeling - though honestly, I think I understand it.

BUT, why worry too much about this, if you already have an offer? Work as hard as you can this season (you may end up as a starter, even if you aren't now), get the benefit of your HC's senior favoritism next year, and spend the entire time preparing for what comes next.

Last year we had a senior kid on the HS team that did not start. In fact he did not play more than a handful of innings or AB's. Did some pinch running. This year he is a starting SS at a D3 to my knowledge.

I've been told that most college coaches look at things/players differently than many high school coaches. I've heard a DI coach comment that he doesn't put stock in what high school coaches tell him unless he has personal experience with validating the coach's opinion. They go with what they see with their own eyes.


Hang in there!

We have one boy on the team who committed to a large D1 and hadn't even made the varsity team. Granted it's a large school playing in the largest division, but geez...

As my 2104 has started this journy and I have entrenched myself in that wonderful world of learning about recruting, I find more and more of what twotex wrote to be true.

Keep plugging away and make the best of the journey.

If a college coach is talking to you then he sees something he likes. Maybe it will turn into an offer or not but he's not worried about if you started, came off the bench or whatever. While I'm a huge supporter of high school coaches but sadly we have some idiots out there. College coaches don't know who is an idiot or a reputable coach unless they have a prior connection. So it's possible to sit the bench for high school regardless of the reason and still end up in college playing.

It happens quite a bit I know a HS Senior who has never played Varsity and this year got cut and won't even be playing JV that has committed to a program to play for in the fall.

I also have a friend who was a bench player his senior year of HS who was ranked as a 9 or higher by PG who subsequently went onto play at a very large D1 school and was a starter for 4 years.

There was a post on here a while back about how HS Sports aren't what they used to be like when it comes to getting to the next level. It was a good read. There was also a post about a current poster who has committed to a DIII who isn't playing HS ball as well.

quote:

Originally posted by lebanonbb:
I was wondering if anyone has ever seen a player who has committed to a school NOT starting on his high school roster? If so from a personal experience, I'd like to hear some. I'm going through bit of a situation myself and I think some reassurance could help. Thanks!

Good luck with your situation, but I have seen this a lot -- particularly at high schools with stronger programs. In fact, I have no doubt that some of these high school teams could beat a lot of smaller college programs on a regular basis.

Last year at a local HS, 2 recruited kids now playing in college saw very limited playing time. The one was 3rd on the team in batting average and a HR hitter. The commonality in this case was that they played for the wrong select organization. We live in a wealthy area and playing for the "right" one is an expensive proposition, $10-15k/year. Welcome to the HS version of Moneyball - where a rich .200 hitter gets to start ahead of a middle class .400 hitter. It is not always fair or about being the better player.

I think it needs to be said that my son has no connection to this program other than through select teammates.

$10-15K to play travel ball and then start a 200 hitter over better players who don't commit to the high end travel program is criminal. Based on that limited information, how can the Coach even be employed by the HS? How high up do the politics go?

I know a player who has committed to a JUCO that did not make the varsity team this his senior year. Only one committed player on the team too. It's all in a coach's evaluation.

quote:

Originally posted by Proud Dad 24:
$10-15K to play travel ball and then start a 200 hitter over better players who don't commit to the high end travel program is criminal. Based on that limited information, how can the Coach even be employed by the HS? How high up do the politics go?

Not criminal, just unfair. The HS is loaded with kids who have been taking private lessons year-round since 7 years old, including those .200 hitters, and the program is still very successful. The coach gets the accolades for that success.

Around here the coach's stipend from the booster club can be many multiples of the salary from the school district. The coach does not outright charge for playing time, but the money involved can bend a decision point without actually touching it, much like the gravity of the sun bends a ray of light. It is even more pronounced in the last few picks for the team.

In a short 20 game season, baseball can never be the strict meritocracy inherent in track or wrestling. The parents (like me) who sit through years of 60 game summer ball and get a real feel for some of the local premier players are often perplexed by the, um, "unique" decisions in the short HS season.

I got cut from the HS team my sophomore and junior years (didn't try out this year) and have committed to play at a D3. Keep your head - and your grades - up and anything is possible.

Where is it written that college committed players have to be HS starters?

There could be lots of reasons. Maybe he's playing the player who will never play another day of bb come end of season, and deserves the start, maybe he is playing someone BETTER, but just not necessarily going to the next level. Maybe the coach sees you as more effective coming off the bench? Whatever the reasons, it doesn't make him a jerk.

Believe in yourself, drop any negativity and go with coaches decisions (whether you agree or not) and maybe you will find yourself starting next game. If you are not palying the way you feel you should, the better your attitude the better your performance.

Talking about what's fair and what's not, how about the guys that take on the kids that can afford to pay high travel costs but not as good as the guy he signs up for half price because he can't afford it? The better player plays everyday (at half price) while the ones who paid in full sit the bench? Is that fair, I will bet that happens frequently.

Lebanonbb,
A pitcher in my hometown was cut his senior year in HS and is playing college ball(d-3). He won a game in college his freshman year and is doing well. When he was cut it had a tremendous positive effect on him to work harder and do it on my own if I have too.
Keep your chin up and control what you can.

I know a high school player who verbally committed to a top 5 DI between his freshman and sophomore year. Never stepped foot on the field as a Varsity player. The coaches knew he had "it", but were beside themselves because they had a game plan and it didn't necessarily include him as a sophomore. He and a committed junior (to a top 40 DI) play the same position. What are the odds?. I believe he is taking the place of a senior who is pretty good, but the coaches are rotating kids in the best they can.

Also know a kid playing (not sitting) DI who was overlooked by high school coach.

Things happen. Just keep going, make the most of opportunities, stay positive, cheer on your team mates. You know what to do.

This was a long time ago. The high school coach caught kid A. Kid B rode the bench. Kid B remained calm and used high school practices to prepare for Legion ball.

The Legion coach didn't even take kid A on the team. He started kid B. Kid A's playing days ended with high school ball. The Legion team went to states and regionals all three years. Kid B got exposure and played college ball. Today's version of this story would probably occur with travel ball.