My son has his first showcase coming up this weekend (PBR). He is a freshman and our plan was camps this year and showcases next year when he has a little more to show. Well the head coach at his HS sent him a personal invite and said he was ready...so here we go!
I think I am more nervous than my son and I told him this will give us numbers to see where he is and then we can focus on what he needs to work on for next years showcase....
Any tips? Advice?
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tell him when doing the exit velo to hit the ball back at the l screen...the lower the better..also when throwing at his position tell him of the 5 or so throws just to air it out...doesnt matter if it hits the ceiling...they are just going for velo and not accuracy
A lot of the PBR events have very long lines and long wait times.... Tell him to bring a Baseball in his bag to throw every once in a while against the net while waiting in line, to keep his arm warm (or play catch with someone else in line)
Same thing while waiting in line to run the 60. Do some basic dynamic Warmups every once in awhile, while waiting in line.... Pretty tough to run your best 60 time when you've been just standing there in line for 30-45 minutes
I like that you are going as a Freshman. Just remind him at the end of the day the numbers are just that, numbers. They are a snapshot in time of his ability. Use those numbers to focus on what he works on for the next one. Build a story for the college coaches. Everyone's story is different.....
Have fun!
The first showcase is always a little nerve racking, for both parents and son. For my son I told him there are no expectations, go out and do your best. Use this first one to see how these events are run, the type of talent you will be competing against in the near future, and what areas you will need to improve. Use the results not necessarily as a indication how good you are compared to Jr's/Sr's but as a personal step, trying to improve your personal goal every year. Have fun, this is just one step in the life of a baseball player.
I'd like to add a question about PBR showcase events specifically as my son has his first coming up as well. Do the athletes run only one 60? How many swings off the tee are they given and finally, how many position throws? Thanks!
one chance at the 60...I think 5 swings off of tee and I believe 5 or 6 position throws
One thing i do not like about PBR is that they have you run the 60 solo. Players tend to run faster when they have a partner to run against.
Thank you all for great pointers!
Bring snacks and hydration - there may be some waiting around. Tell him to hustle and look like wants to be there :-) It will be good for him as a freshman to get a taste of the show case format and some initial measurables to work with. Good luck!
Accuracy matters in exit velo...try to aim the ball directly at the gun. Same thing when throwing...my son always throws from the OF directly at the guy holding the gun.
57special posted:One thing i do not like about PBR is that they have you run the 60 solo. Players tend to run faster when they have a partner to run against.
Agreed here. Son used to go up to players in line and ask prospects if they were fast. That's who he would want to run against. Son also found he could run faster without his protective cup.
Agree with MNBASEBALL guy that it is a good idea to get one under your belt freshman year. Also TRUST IN HIM mentions it can be nerve-wracking..true too. Use this showcase as a benchmark (floor) for his numbers; most will improve just from the natural growth and getting stronger. Son did a few BF and PG early on (Fresh/So), so that when it REALLY mattered (when he started attending HA or school specific camps), the BP or that "grim reaper" (slow roller to 3rd) in fielding drills had nothing on him! Good luck! Did you mention your son's position?
Ripken Fan posted:Agree with MNBASEBALL guy that it is a good idea to get one under your belt freshman year. Also TRUST IN HIM mentions it can be nerve-wracking..true too. Use this showcase as a benchmark (floor) for his numbers; most will improve just from the natural growth and getting stronger. Son did a few BF and PG early on (Fresh/So), so that when it REALLY mattered (when he started attending HA or school specific camps), the BP or that "grim reaper" (slow roller to 3rd) in fielding drills had nothing on him! Good luck! Did you mention your son's position?
My son is a RHP and SS mainly but can also play outfield.
K9 posted:Accuracy matters in exit velo...try to aim the ball directly at the gun. Same thing when throwing...my son always throws from the OF directly at the guy holding the gun.
Thanks. I would think accuracy would matter to a certain point otherwise its just a wild throw.
At PG, they even tell them not to worry about accuracy on the throw. When they do the quick hits on Twitter, no one sees which throws went where, it’s just who threw the hardest. I would have him let loose on at least one. The video only shows fielding the ball and the release, you can’t see where the ball ends up. PBR runs a good showcase here and our director is connected. It’s a good experience. Good luck!
Pbr is a bit inconsistent in the way they report their EV stats. Some states record it off of the tee, while some record it during the live batting practice round...can be a little bit deceiving.
Have FUN! It's a game. When you look back you will scratch your head and wonder why in the heck was I stressed out.
real green posted:Have FUN! It's a game. When you look back you will scratch your head and wonder why in the heck was I stressed out.
At what point does this happen? 😂
From the non performance side:
Be prepared: don't forget your belt, spare contacts, extra shoelaces, hat representing your school/travel team, etc. Not sure I would wear perfectly white baseball pants, but clean ones.
Snacks, lunch, water bottle/jug, sun screen, sunglasses....yes, sun screen in the winter.
meads posted:Thanks. I would think accuracy would matter to a certain point otherwise its just a wild throw.
I know it sounds counter-intuitive but you'll be surprised. Batters will take swings they would never take in a game while trying to max exit velo. Infielders and outfielders will take running starts and cut loose without regard for accuracy. Pitchers will try to hit their velo goal before worrying about strikes.
If you can buy/borrow a Pocket Radar it will help with prep.
My son just did his first one (PBR) a couple days ago as an 8th grader. I was feeling the exact same way as you were and I’m glad he did it. He had a great time and put up some great numbers which just reinforced his confidence. All of the advice given is spot on. It is well run but there is quite a bit of down time in between stations so tell him to stay loose but not to throw so much he tires his arm before it counts. Ours was indoor and they did 30 yard instead of 60 yard. They allowed them to do some calisthenics to warm up before hand and then they were allowed to run it once. Overall it was a great experience.
Be an athlete. Be prepared and interested and take advantage of every opportunity to be involved in what's happening. Run, don't walk. Listen, don't talk. And have fun.
I agree with telling him to just air it out. In his first PBR event, my son focused on hitting the spot at home plate with his outfield throws and also off the mound, while most others just let it fly wherever and they got the write ups. Same with BP. He was spraying line drives all over but the big kid who only connected once in 5 pitches was higher rated for hitting it harder. It was a big lesson to learn about showcases.
For the next level, Power is projectable. power plus execution is playable. Execution without power will be ignored unless there is a compelling reason like plus speed.
wildcat posted:I agree with telling him to just air it out. In his first PBR event, my son focused on hitting the spot at home plate with his outfield throws and also off the mound, while most others just let it fly wherever and they got the write ups. Same with BP. He was spraying line drives all over but the big kid who only connected once in 5 pitches was higher rated for hitting it harder. It was a big lesson to learn about showcases.
Wow! Thanks for that, I will make sure I tell my son that 
Tell him to relax. As a frosh nothing will come from this showcase. It will be useful for him to get the numbers and use them to track progress, get them in the PBR database and then show progress to the colleges as he improves. Don't go into this thinking there will be a whole bunch of colleges watching all waiting to pounce and offer up a scholarship. I could be wrong if your son is throwing 95MPH but if that was the case you would already be hearing from the colleges.
I also agree with others with airing it out. Accuracy won't count but velocity will. The guys running the first PBR showcase my kid attended told them that upfront.
Ditto on the waiting around comments. There will be lots of down time and time spent standing in line. Your son is going to need to find a way to keep his arm warm while waiting.
Finally, look like a ball player. They will be taking video and pictures. You don't want to be the kid with the shorts and tights on. In contrast to my earlier notes about no one caring, you also never know who may be around. If there are some college guys there they may make a note on your son in case they come across him during the recruiting cycle in a coupe of years.
My kids have done a few PBRs and college camps. One is a PO but this would apply to anyone...pair up with a good ball player, you don't want to be throwing with a kid that can't do catch play...
Tips: RELAX, follow instincts
Advice: ENJOY!
Have the attitude that your are .... Tim
....be a flame thrower
....be a man of valor
.... Tim never walks
.... Tim always knows the coaches names
.... Tim's actions speak louder than his words
.... Tim always sends a thank you email to all of the coaches
.... Tim always has courage in any circumstance
.... be TIm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDAeJ7eLGGg
My son (2020) has done a handful of PBR events. We chose to pick one "outfit" and stick with them. With specific college camps to attend, it can get very expensive trying to get a profile with several "outfits".
Freshman Only PBR Showcases are usually free. So that is a good thing. If he is a freshman going to a "mixed" showcase then it does cost $$$. I think they are pretty reasonable.
Running: I have seen different distances (30yd and 60yd). Usually identified and Home to First and 60 yd. As someone mentioned, do not wear a cup. It does help. They make you take a stealing stance at startup. Have your son move his right foot about 45 degrees towards the end line. This will help his hips to rotate a bit faster. Keep his head down and body low for the first 10-15 yards. then athletically bring his body up to a full running position. There are many videos on youtube on this. Practice a bit if you can prior just to get the hang of it. As for the time, sometimes its hit or miss. The guy at the end uses a watch, and starts at the first sign of movement. the same at the finish line. The guy with the watch stops it on his own. My son knew the two fastest boys during his last event. Ran against them. One ran a 6.6 and beat my son by half step. They gave my son a 7.04. It was all on film. I called and questioned his time. But it is what it is. My son is on the track team and runs the 55M and his official times are between 6.7- 7.0. Usually depends on the jump at the start. This is why I do not like the stop watch. I wish they had a laser for start and finish. There are many products out there and as many showcases they run, this expense should be warranted. I have also seen timed events solo, x2 or x3. As also mentioned, If your son is fast, try to run with faster players if possible. They also run twice in every event my son has been to.
Hitting: I have seen tee and side toss used for metrics. I have also seen front toss used when college coaches are there. Usually its twice through with about 10-12 balls each. This also depends on how hard your son hits the ball. If he hits it hard, they will let him hit a few more. If he is a bit weak, they sometimes only hit a few. You can also use your own bat. Other program(s) make you use their bats. I see pro and cons with each position.
Fielding: As someone stated, try to run to the ball and throw. May give you a little but of jump. Throw as hard as he can. accuracy is not the issue here.
As also stated, it is his first one. Have fun. He will be up against many older boys. It is tough to relax when other boys are crushing the ball or hitting/throwing harder, but usually each boy finds his own rhythm and does ok.
I could write more. but dont want to make this any longer than needed. Let me know if you have any questions I may be able to help with.
Good luck
I'm not sure this will work for anyone else, but my son wore his soccer shoes for the 60 because they're so lightweight. They're also better than baseball turf shoes, if you're running on turf.
Agree with the airing it out. Just throw the crap out of the ball.
And the Enchanter's comment: run don't walk, applies to hitting in a scrimmage, too: hit don't walk. (BTW, I can't believe the Enchanter has visited us twice this week. I'm speechless. Almost.
keewart posted:From the non performance side:
Be prepared: don't forget your belt, spare contacts, extra shoelaces, hat representing your school/travel team, etc. Not sure I would wear perfectly white baseball pants, but clean ones.
Snacks, lunch, water bottle/jug, sun screen, sunglasses....yes, sun screen in the winter.
Glad you mentioned spare contacts! He wears glasses and just started wearing contacts for bb only.
We just finished our last showcase last October, and many were PBR. We started the summer, before he was an in coming freshman. He's now a 2019 HS grad and signed his NLI with a Big West Conference University last November. You're heading into a fun time in yours and your sons life. As you already read, it's exciting, scary, nerve racking, etc...
And there's great advice already posted above. My advice is for the parents:
1) When your son's out there, make sure he's your focus. Put the cell phone away, unless, you're texting your spouse with updates. Nothing is more important then your son at that point in time. Your son doesn't want to finish taking a couple balls yard, and look in the stands and see you chatting on the phone and not watching him.
2) Setup your equipment early. I had my camera setup and left it running. Then, I'd edit the video later. Nothing wrong with cell phone cameras, but, I've missed too many plays because I wasn't ready fast enough with a cell phone camera.
3) A couple of times, I used Facebook live and streamed the event when my son was hitting, fielding or running the 60, since my wife, his Grandparents, etc. couldn't attend all the events.
4) Make sure you have plenty of wood bats, if it's a wood bat event. My son would bring 2 in his bag and 4 backups we'd leave in the car. He learned that if you break a bat, and don't have a backup, you may not get someone to loan one to you. Now, you're kid is SOL on hitting.
5) Before and after the event, don't be asking him a bunch of questions or being "dad coach". You know, drilling every hitting tip, fielding tip, running tip into him before the event. He's got enough pressure and nerves, he doesn't need you reading baseball digest to him. Just let him know he'll do great out there, and leave it all out on the field. At the end, all encouragement, offer to get something to eat or drink. He needs to decompress from the whole thing. Don't lay into him with a bunch of "you should of....".
6) Each showcase will get easier, mentally. Once the fear of the unknown is behind him, it gets easier. That's a huge reason to get some showcases under the belt early.
Lastly, keep records of how each of his tools are developing(velo's speed, etc). This gives you both a benchmark to see where he sits, and what he needs to improve. For example, if he's an outfielder, and his first showcase 60 yard is 8.0, he'll need to bring that down. Down to what... depends on what level, school, etc. But, it gives him goals to strive for.
Dad H posted:We just finished our last showcase last October, and many were PBR. We started the summer, before he was an in coming freshman. He's now a 2019 HS grad and signed his NLI with a Big West Conference University last November. You're heading into a fun time in yours and your sons life. As you already read, it's exciting, scary, nerve racking, etc...
And there's great advice already posted above. My advice is for the parents:
1) When your son's out there, make sure he's your focus. Put the cell phone away, unless, you're texting your spouse with updates. Nothing is more important then your son at that point in time. Your son doesn't want to finish taking a couple balls yard, and look in the stands and see you chatting on the phone and not watching him.
2) Setup your equipment early. I had my camera setup and left it running. Then, I'd edit the video later. Nothing wrong with cell phone cameras, but, I've missed too many plays because I wasn't ready fast enough with a cell phone camera.
3) A couple of times, I used Facebook live and streamed the event when my son was hitting, fielding or running the 60, since my wife, his Grandparents, etc. couldn't attend all the events.
4) Make sure you have plenty of wood bats, if it's a wood bat event. My son would bring 2 in his bag and 4 backups we'd leave in the car. He learned that if you break a bat, and don't have a backup, you may not get someone to loan one to you. Now, you're kid is SOL on hitting.
5) Before and after the event, don't be asking him a bunch of questions or being "dad coach". You know, drilling every hitting tip, fielding tip, running tip into him before the event. He's got enough pressure and nerves, he doesn't need you reading baseball digest to him. Just let him know he'll do great out there, and leave it all out on the field. At the end, all encouragement, offer to get something to eat or drink. He needs to decompress from the whole thing. Don't lay into him with a bunch of "you should of....".
6) Each showcase will get easier, mentally. Once the fear of the unknown is behind him, it gets easier. That's a huge reason to get some showcases under the belt early.
Lastly, keep records of how each of his tools are developing(velo's speed, etc). This gives you both a benchmark to see where he sits, and what he needs to improve. For example, if he's an outfielder, and his first showcase 60 yard is 8.0, he'll need to bring that down. Down to what... depends on what level, school, etc. But, it gives him goals to strive for.
Thank you! All the advice is so much appreciated. His HS coach will be there so I think that will help keep him calm and he will know a few boys there. Tonight is that last of the advice and tips I will give him. I am having him read all the advice on here and tomorrow is nothing but encouragement and keeping my mouth shut ( he doesn’t like me cheering, lol).
I told him tomorrow is just about establishing himself, getting numbers so he knows what to work towards 👍
updates tomorrow 😉
Well we are home and we both have mixed emotions.
He ran his 60yd in 7.72 he was satisfied with that, I know he is faster, so I wasn’t satistfied with that.
Hitting he did well, we were both happy.
Infielding he did okay, he let his mistakes get to him. I thought he looked slow out there. Afterwards, he came to me and I said “what happened out there?” He got mad. But I am not one to baby him or tell him it’s alright. And encouragement wouldn’t have come out right.
Pitching he looked good. His velocity looked faster but he had more balls then strikes which he usually throws 60/40... guess we now wait for results...
We definately have a feel of what he needs to work on for next time. But I look forward to PBRs comments and videos and we will take it from there!
Thank you all for the advice!
Update:
infield velocity :65 mph
exit velocity: 78 mph
fast ball avg 72 mph
now, anyone have numbers of where he is suppose to be? And I will add, his fastball was averaging 65mph in November so we are excited about that! 👍😱🎉
Hey Meads it’s hard to say where he is “supposed to be” without knowing where he is as far as his development as a teenager. My advice would be to look at the other kids with the same graduation year who competed in that same showcase and see where he stacks up. Either way he isn’t done growing yet so whether his numbers are great or not so great.......the important thing is just continue to work hard to improve everything.
It’s hard to say where he should be. Some of what will be will be. Some can be changed with effort and work. Where he should be depends on his goals. 2022s don’t have a ton of data because for Perfect game they only rank the top 175. I can tell you where some of them are but at this point, those ranked are likely the studs of the class. Some will get jumped because they have already matured. Others will stay in the top 200 through hs.
I would like all of the posters on this thread to know that I have really appreciated the information that I have read here. Unless something very unexpected occurs in the next month, I will be taking my 2023 RHP/1B to a PBR "Introduction" showcase/Junior Future Games Trial for 14U players. I am cautiously optimistic for good results given his size (5' 11" in "sock feet" and 165 lb) and strength. He is a returning HS JV player, so he has been diligently working on pitching, batting, and conditioning since December. They are just getting to fielding due to facility limitations. If anyone has any experience with Junior Future Games, I will probably start a thread on that topic, should he be selected.
