Exposure for HS Sophomores

Kmom, the son is in the same position. He is the starting pitcher and will be playing this summer with travel team. My thing is where does he want to go to school? Being in the great NE we will not get allot, if any southern or western schools traveling to pa in the cold to watch. Our thing is that if we can get him "out and about" more people will see and it can't hurt. Plus most of the higher types of tourny's will be much better compition to judge by. You could be an all-star on your high school team and flub at the major tourny's against tougher compition. We where told last year that most players now are seen at showcases for selection process. I for one enjoy watching these showcases just at the talent that is out there. Some of these kids look like they could make an inpact on a major league team right now. It's ultimately up to your family what you want to do but we are going with high school ball plus a full summer of travel ball.

Son has his eyes set on the southeast - and appears to be further narrowing the field to only the Carolinas.

kmom-

I am also a sophomore in high school and in a similar position. I am a LHP and currently the youngest kid on the varsity team at my school (11 seniors, 4 juniors and me). Instantly that will have an impact, especially if I play fairly well. I am playing over the summer for the Team New York Nine, and so far we are traveling to the BCS, WWBA 17u champs. in East Cobb, GA, to Cleveland for the CABA Nationals, Rhode Island and South Carolina for College Select tournaments and then more in the fall. I, too, am interested in going down south, perhaps the Carolinas (my neighbor is considering retiring down there and questioned legal residency issues and perhaps signing the house in my dad's name so I could get into state schools down there).

If your son has his heart set on something specific like the Carolinas, try to find some kind of tournament down there. Try Perfect Game first, but I would venture to say with a specified agenda like that, you'd be better off going more specific. Do some research looking at some colleges down there and the camps they offer. These are like showcases and are very good for maximum exposure and one-on-one work with the collegiate instructors. In terms of known showcases, I'd say look at the Best in Virginia showcase and the TPX Top 96.

~Josh

To sum it up quite easily, many college coaches, recruiters and scouts find it very convenient to show up at showcases around the country on weekends during their off or down time in the summer. I would always suggest to get your son's in a showcase or 2 and any top talent tournaments they can get in. I have had many freshman attend and it has many benefits.

Kmom,

IMO, being your son is a varsity starter he is in his showcase years. For starters would consider the Perfect Game Sunshine East showcase which believe has a strong Southeastern school presence. It will put him on the field with many of the best H.S. kids in the region and PG's evaluation will give him a pretty good feel of where he projects.

NY Dad,
you need to do a little more homework with regards to this statement.

"For starters would consider the Perfect Game Sunshine East showcase which believe has a strong Southeastern school presence."

The PG National, (yes), Aflac, (yes), E Cobb 18U, (yes), PG Warham, (yes). East Coast Pro, (yes), Selectfest, (yes), Baseball on Display, (Should) , Sunshine (I would not say so), College Select (I don't believe thats their target)

Coach, the kid is a soph never having attended a showcase, how does he get to the PG Nationals or Aflac? Why do you say no to Sunshine East, doesn't it have a lot of the Southeastern schools in attendance and isn't it something they can also request an invite to?

I'm not disputing the fact he's a soph and should go. There is not a big turnout of recruiters at the Sunshine. The National is the following week and PG does an outstanding job of bringing in the top 07' and a few 08' players along with 100's of recruiters. They will invite the top players at the Sunshine to attend the National.
To go to the "Sunshine", do well and be invited to the National the following year IS the path to take. However, I think you'd be disappointed if your sole purpose was to play in front of all the southern recruiters. JMHO

I am the son, and here is my take on it. I am going to the BCS National Tournament in the summer, and then if I do well I'm going to the WWBA tournament in the fall. Isn't that enough?
I feel a kid throwing in the low 80's, probably by then mid 80's isn't going to get enough hype to get a scouts attention. I think it would be better if I work real hard to get stronger next year and go the following year as a junior. That way I would be popping the glove in the upper 80's and have a better feel for my curve and change. What is everyones take on this?

I agree with Coach Merc that the Sunshine isn't necessarily the best option in terms of being seen, but you can't ride on being invited to the National through that either. Saying you are going to do well and actually performing there are two VERY different things.

NHSlinger- I'll be at the BCS with my team also. Again, there is no guarantee of further advancing from there into more WWBA/PG tournaments. The advantage of going to the BCS is that there are more opportunities for you to be noticed. In a showcase, you might see the mound for like 4 innings at most. In the BCS, your coach (that knows you) says when you are pitching, against who and how much. From your description of yourself, low-80's is quick for a sophomore but I agree it's not eye-popping. But if you are solid consistently throughout the entire tournament in terms of location and keeping hitters off-balance, you will be noticed.

~Josh

Research the history of all events. It takes a bit of work, but the results are available.

Check to see where those who attended various events are going to college and/or if they were drafted.

In baseball... Results are what count! Everything else is just plain confusing! The bottom line is a player must decide... If I have talent, who can help me the most.

Not much into bragging, but PG as an organization works closely with more colleges than anyone in baseball. PG also works with all 30 MLB clubs and has a committee that includes over 20 of the 30 Major League Scouting Directors.

Then of course, there's baseballwebtv.com, not to mention the 2 million plus (and growing every year) “unique visitors” that go to the PG website each year. Any college recruiter who does not visit the PG site, should not be in the business of recruiting.

The number of players discovered each year at the Sunshine Classics who end up at high level colleges and become draft picks is undeniable. The number who start at the Sunshine Classic and end up at PG National, East Coast Pro or Area Codes later tells a story. Some have even ended up being Aflac All-Americans.

Truth is the Sunshine events are among PG’s most important every year. I only ask those who feel the need to downplay these important events that have helped so many young players… WHY????

PG,
I think your misunderstanding at least my take and advice here. It is not my intention to down play the event. I have stated that it can lead to any number of possibilities in the future. It was the statement about the numer of Southern Recruiters in attendance....That's the homework assignment, as you too state. The event, facilities and basically everything PG touches are well run and first rate. I know first hand that kids were invited to the National from each of the 3 Sunshine events.

PG Staff- the implication I was making wasn't that the Sunshine wasn't a high quality tournament (I've been invited the past two years and if it didn't conflict financially and with the scheduling of my school's final exams I would certainly go), but from what I got from NHSlinger he was saying that his college selection, in his mind, is fairly specific, especially for a sophomore. The suggestions I made are simply for being noticed by more specific schools that one would be interested in.

~Josh

Coach,

I recommended the Sunshine East with the following in mind:

- Soph never attended a showcase
- Not far away being June 11
- Can request an invite
- Good exposure in Southern region
- Plenty of talent at Sunshine for the kid to get a gauge of where he fits
- Kid will get an evaluation / projection from PG.

Where the kid goes from there is solely based on his abilities which are unknown at this time.

If you feel the above was ill-advised, my sincere apologies. However, no need for the sarcastic homework assignment comments.

Peace.

P.S. Suggest you go back and re-read your posts as you appear to contradict yourself.

You wrote:

Sunshine (I would not say so)

The PG National (yes)

I'm not disputing the fact he's a soph and should go.

They will invite the top players at the Sunshine to attend the National.

To go to the "Sunshine", do well and be invited to the National the following year IS the path to take.

All points on the subject are appreciated and the discussion in our house is ongoing. I did put this up in a more generic manner, however, because I know it applies not only to my son, but to some of his HS and summer teammates, as well. At least 3 of them are specifically interested in the southeast (seems to be a trend among guys from the northeast) and I was hoping for pro's and cons in general.

We have done a lot of research and will do more before making a final decision in our household, so let's make the topic a little more general.

Under what circumstances would you advise a sophomore to showcase and under what circumstances would you recommend he wait?

If a sophomore decides he is going to showcase, what factors should he take into consideration in deciding which showcase to attend?

If a sophomore has not narrowed his college list to the degree that my son has, how would that affect the decision of where or when to showcase?

If a soph is considering a specific college, would it be better to just attend that school's camp (assuming they have one) so that he can get a feel for the school, the coaches, and the team or should he attend a broader event and keep his options open?

How do you recommend players decide between larger and smaller events?

What did those of you who've been down this road do with your sons?

As I said, the discussion in our house is ongoing, but I'm sure others have questions, as well. We had always heard that the summer between a player's junior and senior year was the time they had to get on the radar of the school's they were interested in, but we're hearing more and more that they should be on the radar sooner and be prepared to get really serious following their junior year. That's what's escalated the discussion among sophomores.

So what do you think?

NY Dad,
This is not a contradiction. My point was based on your recommendation on exposure to Southern Schools.
There is no disputing that the player is a Soph and should begin showcasing.
There is no disputing that June 11 is soon.
There is no disputing that he can get an invite.
There is no disputing that there is talent attending as there is at all PG events.
He will get an evaluation from PG.

There was no sarcasim in the post. If you've read some of my posts and those of others here we have all advised that all parents do their homework, I believe PG used it also.

My entire point was again based on the Southern exposure issue.

No hostility intended here just as I stated earlier MHO. My son(s) have attended and benifited greatly from over 7 PG events. I think the world of them.

KMom,
attending a camp run by his dream school or top choice can be great. My son attended camps at UNC and Clemson. They were his dream schools although he's dreaming differently now.

Kmom- I'll go through each question 1 by 1, all the answers just IMO...

You can't really advise when to or not to showcase. I think its best to showcase no matter what, but people also have to take in their financial status and skill level honestly.

The biggest factors in picking a showcase I would say is to try to best pick out a handful of colleges, or maybe just a general area (Ie: the southeast) and choose a showcase from there. Most showcases listed on this site are accredited and very good, such as the TPX, college camps and the always trustworthy PG.

Narrowing down the college choices affects the decision of which showcase to attend greatly. With specific knowledge of his personal interests, a HS player can choose a showcase more directly centered toward what he wants. College camps are probably the best way to go in that respect, but check out some past posts on the site to see any state showcases and check the PG site, I know they run state and regional ones.

In terms of not narrowing it down, try to attend something that you feel would best fit your skill level. I don't recommend jumping right into, let's say, the PG National Underclass unless you've experienced a showcase before and know what you can handle. I know the Northeast showcases are high quality, but if someone is interested in the southeast like this forum has been directed, try Sunshine East or try to get to the WWBA champs. in GA, something like that.

***Don't forget, there are many other organizations other than Perfect Game that offer high-quality showcases (nothing against PG of course, have the world's respect for them). More specified showcases require some more research but are not hard to find***

If there is a specific school in mind, definitely attend that school's camp. That will get you the best one-on-one with the coaches and the most visability. But being a sophomore, don't assume that school is the be all and end all. Take Coach Merc's example, his son's dream school(s) changed, and whether it be for the better or the worse he was responsible enough to keep his options open and find a good home for the next four years (so the local papers say ).

As a soph., start out with an event that you feel is at your skill level. There's no need to feeling "blown away" at your first showcase.

~Josh

I appreciate the words like trustworthy, however there are things that are much more important. I hate getting involved in these discussions, but it bothers me to think people could get confused.

I will say it once again… The single most important thing is RESULTS!

At the risk of sounding one sided, there just isn’t anyone in the business that is capable of producing the same results as PG. It’s not speculation, it is well documented. And it gets proven over and over every single year! All one has to do is pay attention to the facts.

There is no one else in the business that has the staff or the resources to produce those results. Most everyone who runs showcase events works out of their house. Most have another more important job. They rent a field, they hire part time helpers, and when the event is over they are done. There is nothing wrong with doing things that way… It’s just not the way PG does things.

Here’s a small test for those who are interested. Make a list of every possible event you can think of attending. Gather all the phone numbers possible and make some phone calls. Call them all during normal business hours. You will find out quickly who are the part timers, the full timers and those that are running a real business operation. We have 16 lines so odds are you’ll get through most of the time if you try our number. Sometimes all 16 are being used, despite the fact we all primarily use cell phones. This by itself, won’t tell you everything, but it is one significant sign. By the way, our number is 319-298-2923 if you care to try this test. You don’t need to talk to anyone, just call and ask for one of our scouts, then hang up. You’ll get the idea!

Then think about this… we field many phone calls and emails from college coaches, MLB scouts and agent/advisors all day every day. Most of the high level college coaches and national level scouts also have many of our cell phones. If you as a parent can’t get in touch with someone, what makes you think a college coach or recruiter can get in touch with them if they wanted to? The amount of information that we pass on to decision makers would shock most people. There’s no documentation of these things, but maybe that’s where being trustworthy can help you to believe it.

Despite what some people might say, we have had players receive scholarship offers and sign with top 25 type colleges without the coaching staff seeing the player. This includes players at 4 schools ranked in the top 10 at this time. That’s credibility, that’s because of a well earned reputation for honesty and accuracy. It’s because of a proven track record. It’s because people know we don’t cut corners. And it might have something to do with over 150 players who attended PG events who were on the 8 rosters of the college world series teams last year or the 823 Players who went to PG events that were drafted last June.

It’s all a matter of investment! Not the investment that the players/parents make, but the investment made on the part of the organizers. Perfect Game has spent over 15 million dollars promoting players over the past 5 years. And now we’ve committed 3.5 million to baseballwebtv which will give players, scouts and college recruiters the biggest advantage yet. Every scout and college recruiters can now see every player who attends a PG event without even being there in person. It is possible that other events could be more beneficial based on many things. But when the comparisons start, let us compare apples to apples. And by all means let’s please compare the all important RESULTS!

All the above said, there are others who do a good job and are involved in promoting young players, giving them opportunities. Most of these people do it for the right reasons. They enjoy helping young players! These are people like Tom Rizzi and Andy Partin and others who deserve respect for doing a great job of helping young players.

PGStaff- no one denies that PG is the best in the business in terms of credibility, prestige and results. was simply saying that in some occurences, it would be easier/more productive to attend another event. PG doesn't work with specific colleges one-on-one, and if that's what an individual wants, then why spur for a PG event financially and be seen by more colleges abroad?

Another example, at least from my personal experience, is financials. I've been invited ot the Sunshine East freshman and now sophomore year and would love to go, but due to my school final exam schedule and financials (my family can't pay for me to fly down to Florida and play there for 3 days plus the showcase entry fee, etc.), I am not able to attend. Once again, I agree when you say PG is the best in the business, and never said anything to alter that opinion

~Josh

PG Staff-
Please clarify for the 2006 PG National-
Will the bulk of players invited be 2007's? Will there be any 06's there? I am assuming some HIGH level 08's would also be invited.
Are these statements accurate?

jbbaseball,

As in past years, nearly all participants will be upcoming seniors (07) players. There could be a handful of the very best players in the (08) class, but not for sure! Often the underclassmen invited come out of good performances at the Sunshine Classics.

Thanks for the clarification!

Why dont you attend a perfect game showcase in the Northeast, or something else like Select Fest or Top 96 showcase.

KMomNH,
If I remember correctly from a past post from your son, NHslinger, your son plays for Team CT in the summer. Those guys over there are some of the most knowledgeable people in the business and have players playing in college all over the country. My suggestion is communicate with the administrators at Team CT. Some of the suggestions you are getting here are biased and misleading. As PGStaff said, "Go where the results are."

ILTG,

Thanks for stating the obvious. I don't know why that didn't occur to me. I do appreciate everyone's thoughts and opinions on the subject, especially because this process is so new to us. Its great to hear from, and learn from so many who are wrestling with the same decisions or who have already gone down this road.

Thanks, again.

Hello Coaches, Parents and Players,
I wanted to let everybody know about the J&R High School Baseball Showcase coming up this June 10th, 2006. This will be a 1-day event held in Winter Haven, FL at Chain O' Lakes Park(spring training home of the Cleveland Indians). This is a recruiting opportunity for all current Sophomores, Juniors and Seniors. There has been over 250 invitations sent out to college across the country with some Professional Scouts receiving invites as well. The Showcase will be conducted in a try-out style format with players running a 60 yard dash, fielding and throwing from positions, hitting batting practice and pitchers throwing bullpens. Cost of the event is $65 pre-register and $80 day-of sign-ups. Pre-registration period ends on June 1st. Each participant will receive an event T-shirt. For any additional information or to request a pre-registration brochure please contact Justin Turner justin@probaseballtips.com or call (239)229-7286. This event is being brought to you by <www.probaseballtips.com> and Victory Sports Agency. This is a unique opportunity to showcase your skills to multiple evaluators and hopefully earn a college scholarship. I have attached the brochure to this email that you can print for your players. If you have trouble with it let me know and I can send you a bundle in the mail.Thanks coaches and good luck to everyone on your district tourneys!!