Division 3 to Pro

Your coach is going to place you in the appropriate league if he thinks you have the talent he will get you placed there. Top D3 programs have scouts at their games and following their top players and many have a scout day. Getting noticed is not typically not the problem if the talent is there. 

BOF is correct, I know a kid friend of the family who committed to a power 5 school. For a few reasons he ended up staying local and throwing D3 ball. He had many scouts looking at him closely this summer and will have many more this spring.

Much depends on which DIII college you are at.  Some are followed closely by the scouting community, many are not followed at all.  There is a very big difference between the highest level and lower levels of DIII.

I would think that most coaches would know when they have a player with professional ability.  They should also know some area scouts that they can notify and someone in a summer leagues.

Also, be proactive if you truly believe you're a prospect.  There are Tryouts you can attend.  There are ways to find out who the scouts are that have your territory.  Contact them, some might work you into their schedule.  Obviously, your coach can help in this as well if he wants to.  For sure I would talk to your coach and see if he thinks you are a pro prospect.  You can't expect him to lie to scouts or summer collegiate teams.

There are not a lot of DIII players drafted, but there are some.  Much easier if you happen to be a pitcher.  The new CBA actually benefits all college players, especially seniors.  Chances of an early round or big bonus aren't likely, unless your an extremely talented and hard throwing pitcher.

A coach at a quality D3 is going to know pro scouts. He's probably had scouts interested in his players in the past. If a player isn't getting interest and his coach isn't good enough to help he should attend a MLB tryout. If he has anything he will be noticed. 

A D3 pitcher is more likely to draw interest than a D3 hitter. 90+ is 90+ regardless of the competition. I know a kid who entered college 5'11" throwing 84. He left drafted, 6'2" throwing 93.

The question regarding D3 hitters is the overall quality of pitching they face. D3 hitters need the top quality college summer leagues more to prove they can hit D1 pitching.

A kid from our LL was one of the top D3 hitters a couple of years ago. He wasn't drafted or offered a free agent contract. He could swing the bat. He had a good glove. But size and foot speed were an issue for projectability. 

The coach of my son's D3 says that he expects that up to three of his players should draw some interest in the draft  this year.  From what we can gather the coaches  are well connected and well respected,  at least for a D3.  They seem to get what might be called a small trickle of guys drafted from time to time.   I think I read on their website that it was 24 in the past I can't remember how many years.    So it definitely can happen.   Of those 24 draft picks, though, I think most were in  very late rounds and I think only one of them made it to the majors.  

Thanks for the input everyone! Looks like I'll have to attend a tryout this summer since my school isn't a power house D3 program. We do play a lot of power house schools (two schools from our conference went to the world series last year and one of their coaches made it to the majors) though so I may get lucky if a scout is watching someone on another team. I am a pitcher by the way and I know we have a better chance at being scouted.

Thanks again!

Here's the key question: what is your velo (sitting and touch)?

I'm a sophomore sitting around 86-87 touching 88

With that velo, you should press your coach to find you a spot - Northwoods would be perfect for you. If he does not have the contacts, press him to speak to an area scout who has the right contacts. If that doesn't work, at the beginning of the Northwoods season, teams are always looking for temp players to fill in until the rostered players arrive. Do well during that temp contract and the team will either have a spot or call other teams on your behalf. Also, as the Northwoods season grinds on, many spots open as pitchers reach their annual innings limits - so reach out to the HCs of each team if going through your college coach is a dead end.

Your velo is good enough for a good college summer league, but it's not quite there for pro ball (unless you're a LHP or clearly not yet at your final physical maturity). But I suspect you're one of the weekend starters for your college team and you may not have many innings left on your arm after the college season ends. (Sort of a catch-22 for you to navigate.)

If you want to have a shot at the draft or sign as a FA, and you're a RHP, you need to gain 3 - 4 mph. IMO, gaining the velo is more important then finding a spot in Northwoods (now, if you want a lifetime experience, playing Northwoods will be just that - but it won't develop the velo).

Id also suggest finding a PC who will try to get you those mph's. Recognize that the best PC can't get you what you're genetically limited to; all that PC could hope to achieve is reaching that genetic potential. But you never know, until you figuratively lift up every rock in furtherance of your dream.

lion,

I am going to come at this in a slightly different way, but it worked for our son who was a D3 position player who was drafted.

This is actually the way our son's D3 coach did it and his track record for Summer placements is second to none at the D3 level-last summer he had one player selected as a Northwoods All Star and 2 selected as NECBL All-Stars, (including one pitcher) and another who was one  of the very top hitters in the NECBL for most of that Summer.

I would suggest you look at this as a two step process and try and get your college coach to support you. It is not critical  for you to be placed in the Cape or Northwoods after your sophomore year. You need to be in  a place where you pitch, have success and develop further.  I would strongly support trying to get into a team in the NECBL like Sanford, VT, Plymouth, etc.

They are great franchises and Summer places and usually quite well coached.  Assuming you develop during your sophomore college season into the Summer and get to 87-88 touching 89, and put up decent numbers, those can be used for the Summer after your junior year to access the top teams in the NECBL like Newport or teams in the Northwoods, and usually a coach can do that without a MLB scout reference.   To be perfectly honest, the Cape does not have a much affinity for D3 guys for various reasons.

If, by the start of your senior year you are 89-90 and have a solid Summer at a top NECBL or Northwoods team, MLB scouts will find you, partly because of the velocity and success but partly because owners and GM's from teams in the NECBL/Northwoods will be providing them information. Hopefully your college coach is working for you every with MLB scouts every step of the way in the process.

At this point in the Winter of your sophomore year, though, it starts with your college coach.  He should open the door to some contacts with teams/leagues where you can have success during the Summer after your sophomore year.  That success can be the building block to allow you to earn further opportunities. As a D3 guy, you will have to "earn" them and the road might not be the one you would like.  I can assure you it can be done, though.

Good luck!

lionhurler posted:

I'm a sophomore sitting around 86-87 touching 88

Contact a guy like Kyle or cressey and get your velo up a little

You have received great advice, get on a good summer league team, work on your velo, and don't worry about the pro prospects until it is evident you have those skills. 86-88 in today's world is nowhere near where you need to be.

Frankly 90 is not that unusual these days, for serious pro interest you will have to sit 90 (minimum) and be touching 94-95, anything less than this you are just kidding yourself. My son has a friend from his program (CWS team) who sat 90 touched 94 and was taken as a un-drafted signee. My son was 88-90 touching 93 and did not bother with the interest in him as he enjoyed his college career and with borderline numbers he knew it was time for him to move on. 

My advice is to work hard, enjoy the next couple of years, as you are truly blessed to be playing college ball, and it will be self evident whether or not you are pro material or not.