D3 pitcher development

gch4,

Great question.  I'm sure many will chime in with their experiences.  My son considered D3 HAs as well as D1 HAs, and we found them both to be similar.  It boils down to the philosophy of the pitching coach, access to strength and conditioning programs, and nutrition.  My son was fortunate to pitch for a fantastic pitching coach that brought out the best in him, and didn't take a cookie cutter approach to his pitching staff.  I would request that you meet with the pitching coach, and ask about his approach and successes.  Do your research ahead of time.   Your son is going to be spending a lot of time with the PC, so the working and personal chemistry is extremely important.   Good luck!

@fenwaysouth is right on point. I will add this…. The “norm” in all of college baseball is a lack of player development. A lot of programs give lip service to “how well they develop players” but few schools actually do it. They just claim credit when one of their players has a breakout season after working his ass off for 2 years on his own. The “norm” is what you will get unless you do your homework. There are some tremendous coaches in D3 and some of them are good at player development. Your job is to find them. More specifically, your job is to find a D3 program that has a PC that’s known for developing pitchers. When I want to know something about a program I’m not familiar with I talk to people and ask questions. I talk to scouts, coaches, players, private instructors, etc. Anyone that I think might get me pointed in the right direction. D3 baseball budgets are limited and D3 PCs are often young in their coaching career. Which isn’t necessarily a bad thing but a guy like that isn’t likely to be good at developing pitchers. In a situation like that you might need to rely on a trusted private pitching instructor. Asking for information on this board is a good start but the information you need will come from boots on the ground legwork by you in the area of the US that your son will play in. Start by talking to MLB scouts in your area. That’s what I did.

@adbono posted:

D3 PCs are often young in their coaching career. Which isn’t necessarily a bad thing but a guy like that isn’t likely to be good at developing pitchers.

This also means that the PC at a small D3 school is likely looking to move up, and perhaps quickly. The chance that such a coach will stay with a prospect for all 4 years is perhaps slim.

What adbono and NotMade said.  Most PCs do work with players, refer them to outside training, work with them as much as is allowed under D3 practice rules, give them weights programs, etc.  Definitely talk to the PC and HC about their philosophy:  some might be opposed to programs like Driveline, for example, whereas some might be enthusiastic.  Some might be more analytics-driven than others.  It comes down to what your son prefers, and whether he feels comfortable working in the way that program operates.

At a top D1 with “one of the best pcs in the nation” they’re is virtually none. I think it must all depends on the coach. I think you only know by asking past/current players. Having successful pitchers doesn’t mean they were developed.

A friends son pitched for a ranked HA D3. When he arrived there wasn’t any plan in place for off-season pitching and physical development. They didn’t have an in season arm preparation and maintainance program.

He was a bright kid. He developed his own plan combining the best of the experts he researched. He put his plan in a booklet. By his junior year his booklet was the programs plan. Before then this ranked program just beat the game with numbers.

He now runs his own baseball academy.

Be prepared for what happens if pitching development is less than expected. Do your homework up front on local (to the college) pitching instructors.

I am sure the answers to this question will be all over the board…..

Here is my two cents….. be ready to compete when you step on campus freshmen year. My son is a senior pitcher at a D3 and pitching development does not exist. Son has had to develop himself. Fortunately it has worked out and he has had a role since freshmen year. The PC has not taught him anything of significance. I know I probably sound bitter, but this was the best place for my son and we wouldn’t change a thing. He plays in one of the top D3 conferences (OAC) on a very good team. It’s made him a better teammate and leader.

Thanks to all who have weighed in so far.  The PC has been the one recruiting him from day 1 and we will ask the questions suggested by those on the board at the upcoming visit.  The PC is mid career, not early career, and is a pitching coach in the Cape Cod league in the summer where he has worked with a number of guys who have been drafted so seems like a pretty good situation but I guess we will see.

Thanks again to everyone for the advice!

Did your son should ask the PC for the program and talked to the other P on the team?

@LuvMyKids posted:

….. be ready to compete when you step on campus freshmen year....development does not exist. Son has had to develop himself.

^this

@gch4 posted:

Thanks to all who have weighed in so far.  The PC has been the one recruiting him from day 1 and we will ask the questions suggested by those on the board at the upcoming visit.  The PC is mid career, not early career, and is a pitching coach in the Cape Cod league in the summer where he has worked with a number of guys who have been drafted so seems like a pretty good situation but I guess we will see.

Thanks again to everyone for the advice!

gch4,

Just to double click on something I mentioned earlier when I said..."Do your research ahead of time".  When all was said and done, my son had 3 offers from 3 HAs (2 Ivys and 1 NESCAC) schools that he was seriously considering.  Baseball was actually a minor factor, however it had a weight in his final decision.   We had met a PC from one of these 3  schools at a UVA skills camp that was close to home.  We looked at the historical performance (ERA) and health (injuries noted in pitchers bios) since that PC had been at the school.  We found an abundance of elbow and shoulder injuries for the pitching staff since that PC had taken over 4 years previously.  So, my son was armed with that information prior to meeting with the PC and HC when they offered.  He went into this eyes wide open.

Good luck, and let us know how it turns out.

Son went to a NESCAC school.... the team utilized "Driveline" and attended 3-4 week programs to refine their pitching skills, as well as strengthening hitting.  It paid off for the individuals and team.