Colleges, do they go see players play anymore?

I think its highly dependent on the event/tournament, the teams participating and whether or not the colleges believe there will be a number of potential prospects.

The schedules you sent out are only a point of reference. Its not often that they go to see just one player as best as I can tell.

I guess my point is that at an event with some really good teams with talented players, and the event has like 12 teams thats like 144 or more players. Surely you would see some scouting going on. But then I see alot of tournaments advertised as showcase tournaments , I have heard that there is some incentive for scouts/coaches to show at those tournaments. I really think these days its easier for colleges to hold showcases of their own and make some money and cut down on their travel time and expense. I just think times have changed and the way they go about looking at players have changed.

They don't have to. As stated on here, they go to the big ones with like 192 teams called WWBA and BCS and Jupiter and Ft. Myers. They can see thousands of kids. A tournament with 12 teams is a small tournament now days.
They still go to some but only to see the top level pitcher most of the time. Other than that, it is you come to them or go to WWBA.

Schools that rely almost exclusively on the kids who attend their camps will not do particularly well in recruiting. I don't think many follow that model...but camps are still important if its a school you are targeting. And if they like you at their camp you will hear more from them for sure.

There have been plenty of coaches around this summer at tournaments and events my son has played in. Again, I think its all about the number of perceived prospects at a given event. WWBA and BCS are certainly two of them.

As Jeff Connell says, 12 teams isn't a whole lot. And I agree, if there's a specific (pitcher in particular) that a college is already on...they might show up...but I wouldn't expect many coaches at a 12-team event.

Jeff, exactly thats what I was thinking is they go to a few really big national tournaments or look at players at their own showcase but reality is that very few go to local tournamants to see local players playing in their own state or surrounding states area. I have in the last 3 years been to many fairly large tournamnets in like a surrounding 4 state area and seen very little scouting going on. So I guess my advice to parents would be get on a national team and fly to some of the big tournaments and show cases going on.

parent2011 - I really think that depends on where you live. While our sons have been on trips to tournaments far away (flying distance)...it is not necessary if you're targeting colleges in your area.

Again, our 2011 son has played only in our area (within 100 miles) this summer so far and I have seen plenty of coaches and scouts at his games.

parent2011,
I am sure the approach varies amongst some colleges, coaching staffs and depends in part on the quality and dedication of the coaches but it also depends on their ability and/or challenges in recruiting qualified students who are also very, very good players.
I can tell you that the coaches at some schools in CA. are scouting most of their available time. On travel trips for one team this Spring to Southern CA., whenever the team played afternoon games on Friday or Saturday, at least one of the coaches was scouting high school games each night. From talking with them, they were not the only ones at the games.
If your son wants to play college baseball and he is not being seen in his HS or travel team games, then you will need to readjust, in my view.
He needs to get with a different travel program that knows how to create exposure, he needs to get to some higher profile showcase events, or he needs to select schools in which he has a strong interest and get to their camps.
College coaches want to identify the best players who are the best students.
College baseball coaches have limited budgets for recruiting.
If they are not finding your son, it is not because they are not looking, it is because they are looking other places, within the resources of their program.

We've been to 2 tournaments in our home state (VA) in June and our team has been scouted by almost every in-state program, with the exception of UVA because they were still playing in the Super Regionals.

We'll be seen by who knows how many in East Cobb next week.

I don't see college scouts going to very small events, to 15-16u events, to Legion games (not much anyway), etc. But put enough talent in one place and let them know, and you should be able to expect them.

If a particular tourney sponsor doesn't deliver scouts, then file that away in your memory so that you choose a different event next year.

It's a good idea to send your schedule to potential colleges, however I'm afraid you're on the wrong track if you think they will change their plans to watch a 12 team tournament.

PG is hosting 17U next week in East Cobb that will have over 200 of the top national teams present. Where would you go if you were looking for talent? Other places college recruiters go this time of year include Area Code tryouts and Stanford camp.

Bottom line is you need to go where they are and not expect them to go where you are.

parent:

I see college coaches out in force at many, many events here in Arizona and elsewhere. I have seen them at the Junior SunBelt in Oklahoma, at the Connie Mack National Qualifier in Tempe, at the Firecracker Classic in Irvine, at the state and regional tournaments. I also see them at individual Connie Mack games depending on the teams playing. They will come -- but only if they believe the talent on the field is at a level that can help them.

Here in the Mid Altantic area there are many scouts from most local and some southern schools at tournaments in New Jersey and Maryland my son has attended so far.

I think the coaches know which local tournaments have produced for them in the past and are familiar with the teams that are playing in these tournaments. So they attend them each year. Of course they all go to Marietta, Fort Myers and Jupiter.

I do not think it is the number of teams in a tournament but the quality of the teams---we have been at three events in the past three weeks here in the Northeast and have had 40 to 50 colleges at all three of them---if the tournament does not have strong teams with reputations then you will not have a good turn out of college scouts

parent2011,
I can now readily assure you that college coaches are going to see players.
There was a function last night for coaches attending the Stanford Camp. Not all attended. I would estimate there were 70-75 coaches there from every part of the Country. Big schools and small ones. Big time programs and lesser known NAIA and DIII's.
I was talking with one of the coaches who was there when our son attended and recruited him.
We laughed that there are nearly as many coaches now as there were players when our son did the Camp in 1999.
Every coach I talked with, as it relates to their job, knows identifying talent and recruiting talent is the life blood of their work. If they don't do it, and do it better than most, they won't have a job in coaching.
One common thread from those coaches: they are all coming because it is a great camp, there are high quality potential student athletes, and the players they attract make their programs better.

.

"Colleges, do they go see players play anymore?"

Yes. As for being seen, some nights are better than others though.






.

My son is a 2010 grad and will be playing college ball next year. Just as others have said, we found that it's not the size of the tournament, but the quality of the teams. Also, a 12 team tournament is not a large tournament. We did see the most scouts at the largest tournaments we entered (48 and 96 teams). However, this weekend there are two local tournaments, one with well over 24 teams and one with 8 teams. The scouts have been to the 8 team tournament, based on the quality of the competition.

The coaches will go where they think the talent is, regarless of the size of the tournament. Of course, big tournaments with lots of quality teams will draw many coaches, but even small tournaments will draw college interest if the teams playing have legitimate prospects. Last week, we were in a 26 team tournament here in norhern CA, and I saw quite a few college coaches at our games. This week, I'm running a 'small' 15 team tournament, and while the number of college coaches is relatively small, just yesterday I saw coaches from schools in the WCC, WAC, Big West and Pac-10 at our games. One of those coaches flew in from out of state, just for the day, to watch a couple of our players, and asked me for their contact information at the end of the day. The point is, they look for quality to follow, not necessarily quantity. You're better off playing in a quality tournmanet with only a few teams than you are playing in a larger tournament that does not have good teams entered into it.

I don't know how many teams do this, but I pass up the opportunity to enter my teams into quite a few tournaments, solely because the level of competitation we'll be playing isn't strong enough. We don't want to waste our time playing weak competition, becuase the ultimate goal is not to win tournaments, it IS to play in the right ones that'll give our players better opportunities at playing beyond high school. If the competition is strong, we'll enter if it fits our calendar and we think the boys will benefit. We're in another small 18 team tournament this coming week, and I expect we'll see another dozen or two college coaches at our games, based on the guys who've asked for our schedule.

While winning is important, playing in the right tournaments and leagues (and especially - teams!) is more important from a college opportunity standpoint. As a closing example, one of the teams in our small tournament has a losing record and will only play a single consolation game today. Yesterday, I was talking with a college coach about one of their players, and he commented how he'd recently watched that kid put together a couple very good at-bats vs. a quality picher with 90-93 type velo (the pitcher just finished playing in the TOS in Cary)and he played well yesterday in the game we watched. The coach told me that he felt this kid would be able to walk right into his program and handle college pitching from day one. His team isn't doing well, and the tournament is small, but when that kid's team is finished playing in the tournament, the young man is going to receive a scholarship offer later today from that college coach.

Big quality tournaments are best for opportunities to be noticed, but small quality tournaments are better than large mediocre ones.

Here in NC all the in state schools and many border state schools are at the tourneys every weekend. There are several baseball org's that put on tourneys each weekend and all the teams from NC play almost if not every weekend. There are teams from SC VA TN GA and the mid atlantic region that frequently play in NC tourneys. The NC boys that can play at the next level and play in local tourneys are not going to have any problem being seen. And the out of state guys that come down to play are in a great situation to be seen as well. The college coaches around here make sure to see the teams that they have not seen yet. They are excited to see the Tri State Arsenal , Mid Atlantic Mets , Rookies , Palmetto Sand Gnats , Mavericks , Richmond Braves , etc etc. And everyone down here is waiting to see Midlo dads team especially a mif I keep hearing about and being asked about.

When these teams go to East Cobb they will be seen by everyone. If a kid is looking to expand his options outside his area and he can play he will do just that. Its an opportunity to be seen by coaches that otherwise would not have seen you and an opportunity to compete against some of the best players and teams in the nation.

I think the area you are in has a lot to do with how many coaches you see out there. The level of the summer ball you are playing will as well.

Parent 2011, we live up in NW, one youth coach who came from Florida said to move the son down there. Coach played in minors. Move on down to CA or Florida and you'll be seen by many. They like the warm climate too.

Tournaments do allow coaches to maximize their time when scouting.

I know in the Mid-West, as is the case throughout the U.S., a good number college sports are getting squeezed (particularly ones without big revenue). Because of that, the amount of time and money they have to scout is being decreased.

Stu

When talking to my sons D1 college coach before he signed I asked when he saw my son pitch and he said for the last 2 years I was the guy sitting alone at HS games on the top row of the bleachers behind the plate wearing a golf hat and reading the paper which was hiding my stopwatch and notepad.

The moral of the story: You never know who's watching.

Another thought is that this site often bases thoughts on the big school mentality and IMO coaches from all those mid-majors, D2, D3, and juco's around the country who who have to dig for un-found gems and diamonds in the rough still beat the pavement in their recruiting areas.

Thanks guys for all the input.

M2CW
The local tourneys we've been at this summer - 17/18s have been well represented by the smaller regional D1s and by JUCOs. I wouldn't say lots, but they are definitely there and are looking hard. Whether they are seeing anything is something only they can answer. But the kids are definitely being given a chance to show what they have at least to someone.

I am sure it varies by program and by coach. But, I was told that UCF Head Coach Terry Rooney was here in Maryland recently at a MD Collegiate League game checking out a very good local juco player. While I'm guessing he was in town for Jerry Wargo's So. Maryland Baseball camp, he evidently still feels it helpful to get out and see the players actually play.

Another local Maryland coach who is very often out at games is Towson HC Gottlieb. He is known as a frequent attendee when not in season, and even sometimes on off days in season.

The new staff at Univ of Maryland is also getting around to games, both in season and during the summer.

Funny how college coaches show up when good players are playing.

Over 350 college coaches from coast to coast are in Georgia (right now). Many are here for two to three weeks and for sure they travel here and work hard to see as many players as possible. The ones who work the hardest are the biggest winners because there's a lot of players to see.

BTW, some of the top academic schools in the country are here. In fact, as I type this, Joe Walsh from Harvard is in the tower talking to coaches from Vanderbilt, Duke and Virginia.

Also more than 150 mlb scouts here. So far, we've had 13 of the 30 MLB Scouting Directors check in.

So, if anyone is wondering about why they don't see college coaches (at least the DIs) at their local games or tournaments... It might be because they are in Georgia looking for players right now and they are finding the players they want. At the same time they are keeping an eye on the players that have already verbally commited to them.

Jerry, the WWBA tourney has to be quite a sight. I am hoping to make it down there next summer just to try to understand what that experience is like for the players and parents.

Julie

Julie:

You've never seen anything like it... Coaches and scouts everywhere, games going on all over the area... highs and lows of real competition (players actually care about winning and losing unlike showcases)... It is an amazing experience.

Even though my son is past it now, I'd love to go back and just watch... Of all of the events, this one was the highlight of his 17U summer and one of my favorite events of all time.

I agree with 08Dad- the East Cobb event was on of the greatest, most memorable events in my son's baseball career. You couldn't walk through the East Cobb complex without rubbing shoulders with coaches and scouts. There was an air of excitement all around the complex and it was fun to watch other games when we weren't playing.

Great event PG! I think I even met Mrs. PG while she was working the gate. The last day of the tourney our team was seeded #32. We started @ 8am, kept winning and playing until 10pm that night! What a great day as our little team, a year younger, and with only 13 players beat several other higher seeded teams. We were actually glad to lose to the All American Prospects late that night. Great experience and in my opinion no one puts on a better tournament than Perfect Game.

I have something more to add to this topic. We went to a College showcase for a University in our state as our high school coach got a call asking that my son attend and asked for his stats. So we went, he had a good day but not a standout day, but we payed our $100 to let them see him. Couple weeks later we are getting another Flyer to go to another showcase of the same college and now they took the time a month later to send out a second mailing for the same showcase. Its like I already paid you $100 to see him how about you come see him play this time at one of his summer Tournies. If you were interested in him the first time you should have spoke up. They had all his stats which were requested so they know how he performed as a junior and 3 year varsity starter. I just really get the idea kids are being taken to the cleaners.

A few things here:

Stats from HS mean nothing

His performance which you admit was subpar may have intrigued them enuff to reinvite him so they can see him again

They have a generic mailing list and your son's name is one it

It also disturbs me that people throw $$$ figures out so freely

TR - there is nothing disturbing about what parent2011 posted.

Couple of things...

$100 is a pretty good deal. He is on the mailing list now so he will keep getting the flyers. Look, I can almost guarantee that if he goes back to that camp and stands out above all others, he'll likely get an offer from them. You visited the first time because you thought there might be some interest there. Now that you visited, you might have figured it out that your son might not really be happy there even if they did make an offer. Thus, no need to spend anymore money. On the other hand, if you and your son are head over heals in love with this place, $100 is not a lot to risk imho.

parent

if your son likes the college,but the money is an issue. have him call the coach and tell him the money's tight right now. if they say come anyway, very good sign.

Cleveland Dad

It is disturbing because to me he is seeing a trend that isn't there

In terms of price for events you get what you pay for and that is a proven fact in life

TR,

My advice to new comers to this process would be save your money to go to the really big events.

From the experience we have had this is the best approach to take.

You can find some scouts at local high school games but its usually looking at some 6' 8" pitcher throwing 95.


20Dad
My point was the school requested thru the high school coach to have him come to their showcase so we payed, the dollar amount doesnt matter, so went and wasnt long after being a part of their fund raiser they are wanting us to come back to another showcase for another fund raiser and they mailed us out 2 flyers , but my point is we just went to your showcase, are you wanting another look at him or wanting a donation. How about coming to our place its $100 for parking at our place but looking at players is free.

30-40 scouts at our school this past spring for home games. Funny thing was, you could only spot 20 or so. Have also been to other local schools with scouts in attendance. These kids are all known D1/Pro prospects.

We have had a few area players attract that kind of attention also. Its a sight to see to show up at a game and see all those scouts. But if your not a big D1 prospect or Pro prospect dont think just because your good enough to play college ball that one day your going to have 20 scouts at your game. The norm is not that way.

Funny , We just received our 3rd mailing for this showcase. Boy they sure could saved some stamps. Nice Fliers printed for the Showcase also. I got 3 ,of them anyone want one?

My son is 15 and 2013 grad. His travel team plays in a lot of San Diego tournaments along with Arizona and Orange County, CA Tournaments.

At first I was wondering where the scouts were since we were told they would be there. Finally my sons coach told him that 4 college scouts were showing interest. Some were even D1 schools and 1 D1 school had now come twice to see him play.

I do believe that they are there but I don't think they come to high schools as much unless you have a player that they are there to see specifically.

My son plays travel just to get seen.

quote:

Originally posted by TRhit:
I do not think it is the number of teams in a tournament but the quality of the teams---

This is what I was thinking when reading your first post. My son is a 2011 in the Midwest and every single tournament he's played in the last two years has been well scouted. This includes the 100+ team tournaments down to the 6-8 team tournaments.

There are a few national events that you surely want to attend but there are many worthwhile events within a few hours drive of anywhere in the Midwest if you're playing for a quality program.

I am not making this up but this is just getting too funny got another email today a mass mailing from one of the coaches for this same showcase that we have already been to and also played at one of their summer tournaments. So to sum it up we have been to their showcase played in their summer tournament gotten 3 fliers in the last 3 or 4 weeks to attend one more fall showcase got an email from a third part about the showcase and now got an email directly from one of the coaches