College Transfers

My son was there for four years. Of the 55ish recruits representing 7 recruiting years, one transferred. D1, HA. (All the remaining graduated at the end of the fourth year, except for junior draftees. Those guys graduated in what would have been their fifth year- except one who is still playing proball.)

I think the objective of most is to find the right fit and stay at one school.  I certainly wouldn't say it is rare to do so.  I don't know for sure but I would guess that the majority do but as you have read here, there are plenty of exceptions.  It would be interesting to see any breakdown.

That should be the goal in my opinion..I fully expect that my 2019 will...sadly it's not the case for many we know who are bouncing around trying to land somewhere after getting cut from D1 programs they had no business being at in the first place..it seems like an epidemic..if you don't choose wisely in the first place then you will not have a good experience.

50% of D1 players transfer to play some place else (saw it in BA a few years ago). I’m guessing D3 players who don’t pan out quit playing and focus on academics or partying. 

At a D1 there are five to seven top players who are a lock to play. At the other end are eight non scholarship who typically need a break just to get a shot. In the middle are a lot of players of reasonably equal ability. The mentally tough players who stay mentally prepared for when they get their shot succeed. 

In any given season only 18-20 players on a D1 roster receive adequate playing time. The rest are on the bench thinking about transferring if their shot doesn’t come soon. The most likely to stay another year are freshmen who see their opportunity coming next year. 

My son is a senior at a D3. The school is pretty average on the academic side, consistently top 20 on the baseball side. There were 11 freshmen on the roster his first year. 8 are still playing, 1 transferred and still plays, 1 cut, 1 quit playing.

I don't see much transferring between D3s for baseball, but I know it does happen (usually for more playing time). I'm guessing baseball related transfers are much more common involving the top 100-150 D1 colleges as compared to all the other programs.

I don't know if it's "rare" for a kid to go four years, but there are certainly plenty of transfers going on.  My guess is the transfer rate may be higher as the competitive level of the team/conference gets progressively better.  I have no proof of that, just a sense I get as an interested observer.  At the top tier of D1, you get guys who may or may not be good enough to play there, but they are getting locked out of opportunity by older, established players.  Some of those either transfer down to D2, go Juco, or in some cases, transfer to another high level D1 and sit out a year for the transfer penalty.  You have guys who sit a lot as freshmen, thinking the junior or senior that's ahead of them will soon be gone, then a stud freshman comes in behind them - they transfer.  Coaching changes create transfers, either because the kid loves his coach, or more likely, the new coach wants to bring in his own guys.  Pitching coach changes create movement too.  Guys get homesick and transfer closer to home, miss their girlfriends, all that stuff.  A lot of moving parts and reasons that players make changes eventually total up to a fairly  high level of transfer activity.

Aren't there limits on what players can do with regard to transferring? 

Rules vary a little... so it would be best to check each.

For NCAA Schools: http://www.ncaa.org/student-at...urrent/want-transfer

NAIA: https://www.ncsasports.org/nai...enter/transfer-rules

NJCAA: http://njcaa.org/eligibility/eligibility_rules

RE: "rare" to attend sme school for 4 yrs...NO!

That's why it's so very important to do your homework...Fit, academics, social, financial...ie: Would i attend this college, if baseball were not part of the equation? 

Francis7 posted:

Aren't there limits on what players can do with regard to transferring? 

D1 players have to sit out a year if transferring directly to another D1. Some players will go to a JuCo for a year in between to avoid sitting out. It’s referred to as 4-2-4. 

Would I attend this school if baseball was taken from the equation probably doesn’t apply to most D1 players. They would transfer to play. An exception might be a high academic like an Ivy or someone with a very challenging major like engineering or pre med. 

Goosegg posted:

My son was there for four years. Of the 55ish recruits representing 7 recruiting years, one transferred. D1, HA. (All the remaining graduated at the end of the fourth year, except for junior draftees. Those guys graduated in what would have been their fifth year- except one who is still playing proball.)

Wow that is astounding.  That fact sells this HA program itself!  Good to hear this can still be the case.

CATCHERDADNY was right when he said, "if you don't choose wisely in the first place you wont have a good experience." What I'm about to relate has crossover to the thread about JUCO Route - but it goes to show there are lots of reasons for transferring.  A 2018 that played summer ball w/ my son (and is a good player) had options and chose the JUCO route. He went to a JUCO that is regarded as  one of the top programs in the country.  Performed well with limited opportunity this fall - but not unusual for a freshman position player as this program is stacked and sophomores dominate the lineup.  Last week he was called into the HC's office for his end of semester meeting - and was summarily cut.  Two days later I heard that a freshman from an SEC school that plays the same position was transferring to this JUCO at semester.  The JUCO HC needed to find a scholarship for a D1 bounce down so he cut a kid that he recruited but felt like he didn't need this year. Furthermore I don't think (but I'm not sure) that the kid was given an unconditional release - which restricts him from going to any other school in the same conference. Pretty shitty deal in my IMO, but this is the 3rd kid that I know personally to have a bad experience at this particular JUCO and that's enough of a sample size for word to get around. Point being, this kid didn't choose wisely in the first place and now is forced to transfer due to what happened to him as a result.  Also this goes to show that there is nothing easy about the JUCO route and no guarantee that it will work out how you want. You really have to do your homework to make a wise choice.  Its always a good idea to talk to current and/or former players about their experience with a particular coach/school.  Players will tell you the truth.

It is nearly impossible to anticipate all the twists and turns 4 years may bring. Sometimes you can’t have a clue what is coming so what looks like a wise choice may not be 24 hours later.  

Son is about to start junior year.  The PC that recruited him left 11 days prior to signing.  Now 4 years later the new PC for the Twins.  Son’s PC his first two years snagged a HC job at the end of last year.   So here he is on year 3 with another PC. 

Being coachable, adaptable, and flexible as a player, just as in life is always going to be key, but truthfully the best option even for a really good player may be to transfer.  No shame in it. It is what it is. 

Son’s teammate last year was a Golden Spikes finalist   Hit .440 and in the Arkansas regional against some of the best pitching college baseball can offer he hit well over .500 in 4 games   His first D1 program told him he wasn’t good enough.

Friend told me about a kid today. 4 schools in 4 years. D1 to Juco to D1 to D2.

@Francis7 posted:

Friend told me about a kid today. 4 schools in 4 years. D1 to Juco to D1 to D2.

I know a kid who did five colleges in five years after doing three high schools in four years (three in three years of varsity). The kid was 5’8” with an 85-87 mph fastball. His father kept telling him he was a pro prospect. He was batting practice. He threw strikes … Down Main Street, batting practice strikes.

https://youtu.be/hV6PwJ4ZhZg

@Francis7 posted:

Friend told me about a kid today. 4 schools in 4 years. D1 to Juco to D1 to D2.

Not unusual at all