Do you have to be a stud ?

No.
Mine never looked like a stud, just a tall lanky kid with an eagle armspan and ostrich legs
I think some coaches like to find kids they can turn into studs.

TPM

I totally agree with the coach concept--I know we truly enjoy having the unsung player with us and then see him get the scholarship

I think the "studs"--the one's that just rake the ball, get first looks. They are the ones that drop bombs in the showcase events and put on the "displays." For success, though, I don't think you have to be one. My thought (and hope) is that the college recruiters look at a body of work--how the player performs during warm-ups, his "field presence," etc. In short, you don't have to be a stud to be a "ball player." I think (and hope) this is the advantage of a week-long camp like Best in Virginia.

I think this is a difficult question to answer because we all define "stud" in a different way. My son's HS team had one "stud" - he went pro. However, they had several very good baseball players that were recruited and going to play ball in college. There's lots of variables to receiving attention from coaches, but being a "stud" doesn't have to be one of them.

TR.....my guess...and an uneducated one at that...but....with time and monetary constraints....college coaches have to focus on the high profile/stud players....

Are we talking as in "stud" looks, or as in "stud" get the job done?

...that's funny, TPM!

Hmmmmm...I thought that was a legitimate question, FO. Really!

Websters take on STUD (noun)
1. A short intermediate post, as in a building frame; a post to which laths are nailed.
2. A collection of horses and mares for breeding.
Nope, I don't think coaches are looking for either one

Work hard and play hard and good things will happen with or without a "stud" status. Some colleges will stay away from the "studs" because they are a waste of time as they are often high draft picks. However, size, strength and speed are definate attention getters.

A very good question. My uneducated guess is that a lot depends upon individual coaches and the types of positions they are trying to fill. For example, college rosters seem to carry a lot of pitchers. So, from a numbers perspective, it would seem that a coach may be more willing to take on a "development project" with a pitcher than say a middle infielder. I don't know this as a fact, just a conjecture.

Here is a specific question: What if a non-stud has a very good showcase outing, but he has no "all-region" accolades and mediocre HS stats?

Finally, if there truly are schools that pay attention to promising "non-studs", how does one distinguish the colleges that will "develop" non-studs from those that will only take proven studs? Is it a simple matter of Div I versus Div II versus Div III ? (My guess is not).

[ In our situation, we have an '06 catcher who got a late start playing "serious" baseball. Feedback he has received indicates he has a lot of promise, but needs more playing time. Is it too late for him or are there programs that would love to help him develop? ]

Two people I don't want to disagree with are Daniel Webster and TPM but something doesn't ring true here. I have come to the conclusion that Webster made a few mistakes.

quote:

2. A collection of horses and mares for breeding.

Anybody that knows anything about horses knows a mare can't be a stud. I know times are changing and sexual orientation gets confusing but I got to draw the line. I'm surprised some Texan hasn't jumped in here and explained a little equine hierarchy and anatomy.
You got Studs, Mares, Geldings, Fillies and Foals. The stud is ... well ... "He's The Man!" In baseball he would be the homerun hitter with the 90mph fastball and he knows it. The mare is a momma horse, or will be, if the stud sees her. In baseball she would bring the brownies and drive the team to practice. The gelding would have been a stud but he took a four foot jump over a five foot fence and left parts hanging on the fence. In baseball he could be a catcher without a cup. The filly is the little teenage female, young and innocent. She would be the cheerleader. The foal is the baby...special to all.
Back to baseball…. Do you have to be a stud to get to the next level? Of course not. Moving to the next level is a humbling experience. Those that claim to have “stud status” will soon be passed by those that are coachable and have a great work ethic.
Fungo

I was, uh, chomping at the bits......

Fungo,
Being a city gal, I was wondering that myself!
However, didn't want to bring up an argument against another "WEBSTER".
FO,
I appreciate your acknowledgement of my attempt at a sense of humor. I appreciate yours!

I truly think that is it important for all parents to understand this

Look at the college rosters and you will see that not every player is a so-called "stud" --they are kids just like yours -- solid team players--all conference etc-- AND THESE ARE THE MAJORITY OF KIDS HEADING TO COLLEGE--many of the studs go in the draft and that leaves a small number heading into college

You cant have a team of 25 studs. otherwise who would sit on the bench.

every team needs role players.

I think that many of the kids who enjoy success in HS think of themselves as studs.
Then they get to school and find out there are 30 more studs on the team, then the first game comes and 30+ more studs show up to play.
Suddenly your son realizes he is not the stud he thinks he is! It is a most humbling experience.
All kidding aside, college coaches and scouts are looking for the player that has the potential to become a "stud" as he matures physically and mentally.
Thanks Prepster

Fungo, TPM- you guys have provided my chuckle for the day!!! Fungo- you don't need a Texan to explain the equine world- you did it much better than we could have. BTW - guess we Moms are the ones with the brownies???

amom,
If we bring the brownies, guess we'll never be "studs".
That's ok, we're baseball moms, and that means we know a lot more than those "studs" ever will!
Right Fungo?

Seems to me...being from the North and a "city girl"...that I read somewhere that you were a "stud" until you were put "out to pasture"...

I think you do have to be a stud. But let me explain what I define a stud baseball as.

#1- The obvious stud. Can rake the ball - Throws gas with controll ( can pitch ). Great speed with great hands plays outstanding defense. Can play mulitple posistions and is very athletic. Pitchers Catchers that excell at their posistions.

#2- The not so obvious stud but a stud still the same. Great physcial body. Tall lanky with alot of room to grow and fill out. Good solid baseball skills but not outstanding. Can run very well and can play solid defense.

#3- The guy that doesn't look like a stud or show well at pro style tryouts. He just beats your butt on the field. A gamer , a player that knows the game and how to get the most out of his ability. Can sac bunt , maybe hes not a burner but he can flat out run the bags. Moves runners and does whatever it takes to just win.

#1- Guys everyone knows about. They are highly sought after and many sign out of HS and some do not.
#2- These are the guys that are not going to get drafted at least out of HS but by their Jr year are highly sought after if they work while in college. Alot of times they develop into players that excell far and above #1.
#3- These are the guys that end up being the difference makers in college programs. All the big time programs get their share of the #1 and #2 guys. The difference between these programs is who gets the most and best #3 guys. These are the guys that are the backbone of any quality college program.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Stud is in the eye of the coach. There are a ton of #3 guys that dont make any all this or all that lists. But they put wins on the board for you. They are the glue and they are the guys that make the difference. And yes they are studs in their own right and every bit as important as #1 and #2. JMO

...and the horses that are lame have to be put down.

Catchermom,
You are phuneeeeee!

Stud or not, I would add that you need a solid reputation (which ties into being a gamer and some of the other stuff mentioned previously) because some schools get the scoop from your opponents' coach.

If enough coaches say "yeah, player X killed us. That kid is a baseball player" .... interest will skyrocket.

My observation has been that if a coach/scout only sees a kid once or twice he needs to do something spectacular.After they see spectacular good enough to play at the next level is good enough.There are tons of kids "good enough" but they have to catch someones eye.They have to do something spectacular in front of the right person.Timing is everything.

Remember, there are only 11.7 scholarships (if the school funds them all) available. Coaches cannot get 35 studs with that sort of money so they do spend time trying to find the right fit player who they see potential in.

From my experiences they find them three different ways;

Having a solid showcase or scouted event where the player did many things in a spectacular fashion.

Have a great game where there is a stud playing so the scouts are watching. For example: The scouts or college coaches show up to watch a stud pitcher throw. Your son walks up and hits a bomb against the stud. Now the coaches are watching him.

College coach A needs a third basebam and has not been able to find what he wants. He talks to college coach B who tells him about some kid he saw at some game.....

Also different coaches will look for different things. Coach A may need more speed in his line up while coach B may be looking for a left handed batter.

This is very far from an exact science.

Benchwarmer,
Very nice post
Also, since coaches can only be at one place at one time, they have eyes out all over the country for them, including their own players!