Ive been told that if a high school player does not make his Varsity team by the time he is a Sophomore, he stands virtually no chance of being looked at by a D1 school. My sons high school has Varsity, Junior Varsity, and a C-Team. He is a Sophomore this year and made the JV squad. Is there any truth to this and if so what factors can change that?
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Ive been told that if a high school player does not make his Varsity team by the time he is a Sophomore, he stands virtually no chance of being looked at by a D1 school. My sons high school has Varsity, Junior Varsity, and a C-Team. He is a Sophomore this year and made the JV squad. Is there any truth to this and if so what factors can change that?
Question 1: No - example: Jeff Weaver
Question 2: Talent and hard work
Welcome to the site and to be honest there really isn't an answer to your question. The thing to understand is how good your son's HS team is. The better the talen the harder it will be the make varsity as a younger player. College coaches understand this and are looking at the skills a player has and potential to get better. Stats don't matter nor does what level they play at whatever grade. Do they have good skills or not?
Most recruiting isn't done during the HS season. While HS baseball is important and should be taken seriously it's highly doubtful anyone will get seen during the spring. What's important is being on a good summer / fall team that play in front of the right people.
Hope that helps
NOT TRUE!
There are too many ways available today for a kid to develop into his potential, and lots of way's to be seen. Not playing Varsity might raise a few questions, but nobody really cares how many homeruns a kid hits against a local HS with a pitcher throwing a 78 MPH fastball.
I agree, there are too many variables to say "virtually no shot". However, just based on numbers, I would guess that a high percentage of DI players did play varsity as sophomores. Certainly in my area that's true, but I would also imagine plenty of DI kids from FL and CA who attended large high schools didn't get their chance to play until jr or sr year. Other factors could be growth rate and physical development, and even position.
I agree, not true. At least not as a general statement. In a strong program many excellent sophomores play JV. Just to name one example, Gerrit Cole pitched JV his sophomore year, and two years later was a 1st round pick and went on to pitch at UCLA. Perhaps in a weak program not making varsity as a sophomore carries a stigma, but kids develop at different times and there's plenty of HS time left (as well as summer/fall ball) to overcome any of that.
I agree with the others, too much of a blanket statement to be true. For that matter, College D1 is a pretty wide net - there are a lot of D1 conferences and there is some variation in general talent level among them. I think high school size may be a factor too - it's one thing not to make V as a soph if you go to a school with a total student body of 300 kids. Quite a different story if the high school has 3000 kids.
There is a HS here in Ohio.....very, very strong, nationally ranked by major publications/organizations. They have kids juniors who are getting interest (and offers) from major D1 programs...and they haven't played a varsity game yet due to the strength of the upperclassmen. They play on top level summer programs, which is where the coaches/scouts found them. Most serious recruiting/scouting of players happens in the summer. Coaches will go watch spring HS games if they can, but usually only to see a player they already know or have an interest in. Just not enough time as they are also in their college season during the time that HS games are going on.
A lot of early bloomer studs commit to colleges the summer after soph year. For most players the summer after junior year is the key year. Remember most kids who go on to college ball aren't going on to major conference programs.
Unless a kid is the stud every pro scout has to rush to see, his exposure is going to come from a summer travel team playing in showcase tournaments. What the player is doing in high school may not even be visible to college coaches watching travel teams. The key is being on the right travel team.
If a kid is a late blooming stud senior year of high school, do you think colleges are going to turn him away? I'm sorry! It says here on your permanent record you played jv as a soph.
Had to look up the Jeff Weaver story, good read:
Two kids, both 2014's in the same high school conference. One is at the top school in the conference, and played j.v. as a sophomore and did not start on the varsity as a junior. The other is at the #2 team in the conference and has started on the varsity since a freshman. Both have played showcase for the same organization.
The one who was not on the varsity as a sophomore and did not start on the varsity as a junior, has already signed with a small D1. The kid who has started on the varsity since a freshman doesn't have any offers. Two years ago, I would have never believed it.
They project very differently at the next level.
Thanks for all of the excellent replays. I really appreciate the perspectives.
I know of 4 D1 players that have come through our HS that were NOT on Varsity as sophomores. (Actually 2 were brought up late but didn't play.) In fact one of them is play professionally now.
We found through our experience - the college coaches didn't care about high school, accolades, all-area teams, batting averages, etc. It is what they saw at the travel-ball tournaments, showcases is what mattered.
Mcass, stay on this board, read and learn... and stop listening to whoever told you that.... they are ignorant.
I know of 4 D1 players that have come through our HS that were NOT on Varsity as sophomores. (Actually 2 were brought up late but didn't play.) In fact one of them is play professionally now.
We found through our experience - the college coaches didn't care about high school, accolades, all-area teams, batting averages, etc. It is what they saw at the travel-ball tournaments, showcases is what mattered.
True but if a kid is a very good summer team player they usu r a good player on HS Varsity, unless they r at a school w phenoms and they don't get to V until Sr. Yr.
There r also kids on V as Freshmen, but for one if two reasons. They r either very skilled players-the ones who will prob play D1 or they have a small school that can barely field a team. Know a few of these and the parents like to brag they r on V when in fact if they were at better school they would be on Freshman team if at all.
I wouldn't worry about blanket statements, just have son work hard and develop as a player. If a kid has hit a wall and does not make V as Jr. It may be a good indication that D1 is out of reach. Yes there r always a few exceptions but players/parents need to be realistic.
Getting an eval, by PG or other group is import IMO at least by Jr yr, it can give u idea of where your son is and where they should be looking division wise for college. No need to spend hundreds going to multi D1 camps/showcases for ex if they do not have skills for that level
Another question similiar to the OP's post
For the HS coaches on this panel.
If there is a senior playing the same position and is pretty decent, would a coach decide to let the soph play JV even though he may be better?
