Does the kid know more than me?

Does the picture on his PG profile and the fact he has a PG or PBR profile matter? Probably not. Can playing their events be beneficial? Sure. IMO PBR (especially in our area does a very good job on social media. Playing in our PBR state games helped my son, as did playing certain PG events. Personally I think playing a PG showcase is a waste of $700, especially if you're on a team that plays their events already. Again, none of this matters if you don't have the tools.

Sounds like he us mentally preparing himself for not playing college Baseball.

If he’s not potential D1 material he doesn’t need to participate in PG events. If he’s one of the best players in his high school conference he can sit back and wait for the local colleges to come to him. If he aspires to more he better get off his ass. 

Whatever level he aspires to play he better have a strategy of how he’s going to get in front of his targeted schools and execute his plan. He should also be playing for coaches who can sell him to college coaches. If his travel coaches are telling him to wait for colleges to find him he’s getting very poor advice. He needs to find a new travel team with contacts. 

Also, as a catcher he needs to make sure he’s being recruited as a potential starting catcher and not a non scholarship extra catcher for the bullpen.

3and2Fastball posted:

Sounds like he us mentally preparing himself for not playing college Baseball.

Not really. It's his goal. I just think he's being shortsighted and thinking they will find him and there's no need to get yourself out there.

I presume your son is talking specifically about D1 recruiting?  If so, he would be pretty accurate.  At least in SoCal, it is really about the level of travel team a kid plays for (unless they play for a really strong HS program).  And those kids on those teams who are playing in the bigger recruiting events really don't need to go to showcases because they are seen.  Many even get invited to specific weekend showcases at certain P5 schools that give them even closer exposure.

But for the kids who are not D1 (which are the majority of HS players seeking to play in college), must of them have to go to more events, including the big showcases, to be seen by the coaches in their pool-D2, D3, NAIA and JuCo.  And it helps to have PG, PBR and/or BF provide measurables from one of their events to be able to send to coaches in recruiting e-mails.  Unfortunately these things do cost money, but if they did not provide some results, they would not survive.  Sure, they may be "money grabs" from some kids who have little to no chance of playing college baseball, but at least the parent(s) and kid can say they gave it a shot by spending the money, and then seeing no interest, face reality.  

I've always wondered how many kids miss out on a chance to play college baseball because they mistakenly believed that the colleges/coaches would find them.  Yes, elite talent is found without much recruiting work on the kids end, but the lower divisions have limited funds to see recruits and the showcase events are the most effective way for them to find their potential recruits.

RJM posted:

He needs to find a new travel team with contacts. 

His coach now is very well connected.

Francis7 posted:

RJM posted:

He needs to find a new travel team with contacts. 

His coach now is very well connected.

That doesn't add up.  Then why would you write this:

When I suggested it to him, he said “No. If you’re good enough, you will be seen. And, if you’re not good enough to be seen, then you’re not playing college baseball.” (Sounds like, to me, that he’s probably parroting something that he’s being told by his travel coaches.)  ???

a well connected travel coach would never say that to a kid. 

A well connected coach would tell him to make a list. Then he would do a reality check with him on the list. Then they would create a plan for execution. It would involve planning how to get in front of schools on the list and pre selling contact by the coach. 

Is your son a sure to be drafted potential pro prospect? Otherwise where does education fit into the conversation? If Flunkie U offers a baseball opportunity is your son going to jump at it? 

3and2Fastball posted:

Francis7 posted:

RJM posted:

He needs to find a new travel team with contacts. 

His coach now is very well connected.

That doesn't add up.  Then why would you write this:

When I suggested it to him, he said “No. If you’re good enough, you will be seen. And, if you’re not good enough to be seen, then you’re not playing college baseball.” (Sounds like, to me, that he’s probably parroting something that he’s being told by his travel coaches.)  ???

a well connected travel coach would never say that to a kid. 

He's got more than one coach that he talks to...some others from a previous team who he still talks with very often.

3and2Fastball posted:

Francis7 posted:

RJM posted:

He needs to find a new travel team with contacts. 

His coach now is very well connected.

That doesn't add up.  Then why would you write this:

When I suggested it to him, he said “No. If you’re good enough, you will be seen. And, if you’re not good enough to be seen, then you’re not playing college baseball.” (Sounds like, to me, that he’s probably parroting something that he’s being told by his travel coaches.)  ???

a well connected travel coach would never say that to a kid. 

It’s something clueless parents say. Or old coaches a generation removed from the process. 

In 2019s case I saw players he was better than committing to strong baseball programs. He didn't need a team to help develop him, I could do that on my own and so could his PC, he needed to be with a team that could pick up a phone and get schools to come watch him. Figured I was already paying the money for travel ball, why not shell out the extra money so  the schools would come to us and we didn't have to spend $800 on a PG showcase. It ended up working out, and the well connected coach charged half the price of what the other academy or brand name regional teams were paying and I didn't have to pay for showcase after showcase. 

Outside of being a good baseball player, the most valuable thing you can have is a person who can get your son attention. Took him to a camp at a school he really wanted to go to. He hit 90 for the first time. Nobody noticed because he struck out three 15 year olds and it was the 4th scrimmage of the day, all but one of the host school coaching staff had left at that point. The next week the travel coach called a better school in the same conference. He was told he'd put him on a list of guys to watch. One game, a camp, and a facilities tour later he left with an offer.

Your son is probably right that PG showcases are not the avenue. They can be good, but I can find better things to do with $800. The PG profiles mean nothing. The only thing that matters to coaches on there is his contact info and velo if he's a pitcher. The camps can be good if you're invited but going to all these camps is going to be expensive and may fall on deaf ears. From what I understand, your son is a good player. I've sent you a list of some of the more reputable programs in the area, as he gets older it's probably time to get him on one of them. If his current coach is well connected then your son isn't at the level of the schools who are currently recruiting sophs. It might be time to have a serious conversation with the coach. 

PG Showcases, in my opinion, are a waste because coaches and scouts rarely come (often they are not during a time when the coaches can attend per NCAA rules). However, the PG tournaments are very worthwhile, especially the WWBA in Georgia. That's where you get seen.  Showball and Headfirst are great ways to get in front of coaches too.  I don't love the showcase format of starting with a ball and a strike. But, they can be worth the $$ if you play it right. I have become very leery of college camps that do not have other colleges there.  They can often be a way to pay the volunteer coaches and not as much about the players.  It's hit or miss as many on here have said.  But, if you're lucky, you will hit the right combo at the right time!! Best of luck!  It's a marathon, definitely NOT a sprint!!

To answer the Q posed in the topic post:

Yes 

adbono posted:

To answer the Q posed in the topic post:

Yes 

LOL! Ouch!

A well connected travel director and/or coach has gotten over 100 players into college programs, including SEC teams as well as at all levels, has had at least 5-6 kids drafted and at least 1 or 2 players in MLB.  That is well connected.  He can pick up the phone and text 50 different college coaches and get a text back within minutes.  He has colleges calling & texting him every single day.  He runs a Fall Scout team that has MLB affiliation.  MLB scouts stop by his office just to chat.

Those guys are not common.  There are only 2 of them in our entire state.

3and2Fastball posted:

A well connected travel director and/or coach has gotten over 100 players into college programs, including SEC teams as well as at all levels, has had at least 5-6 kids drafted and at least 1 or 2 players in MLB.  That is well connected.  He can pick up the phone and text 50 different college coaches and get a text back within minutes.  He has colleges calling & texting him every single day.  He runs a Fall Scout team that has MLB affiliation.  MLB scouts stop by his office just to chat.

Those guys are not common.  There are only 2 of them in our entire state.

Guys like that are who get your kid recruited. There aren’t many of them, and they are hard to find, but they are out there. 

In general those orgs exist to make money..last I checked they arent non profits....that said, my son  had experiences with both and they were positive

PBR: son attended a showcase annually beginning at 15.  Utilized profile in communication with coaches to illustrate verified velocity...also, as my son improved, pbr actually advocated for him...after a show case he was told by the state director to expect a call from a specific school..and they did within 24 hours.

Perfect Game: never attended a showcase (too much $$$) but attended wwba annually beginning at 15.  At his last tournament he had high visibility and was seen by countless coaches....some arranged  in advance, but the venue allowed for dozens of walk ups during his outing that led to opportunities, and ultimately led to his commitment

Prospect Camps - did several of those, but they never amounted to much....most were selected based on school interest and most were likely premature as he wasn't yet performing at a level that waranted him being there.....camps were the closest thing to a money grab - imo

adbono posted:

To answer the Q posed in the topic post:

Yes 

U beat me to it!