I-95 Metro Select Showcase?

Spent a ton of money on showcases last year trying to get exposure for my late blooming junior/senior. Not a pitcher. We're in New York, so I-95 was close to home. Unlike many of the other more prominent showcases, they discourage interaction with coaches on the field. 

They do give evaluations that are sent out to players and the college coaches. My son got a good eval and a couple of emails from coaches at small D3s. Not schools we were interested in, but gave him a bit of an ego boost. 

In the end, we did better with Headfirst (more expensive) -- got recruited by one of the dugout coaches. At I-95, and at all the other showcases, there is both bullpen and live pitching. Pitchers always get lots of attention.

My older son did very few showcases, I think if you play with one the proper organizations you will get the attention, coaches feed info to contacts and there are plenty of players on the squad that colleges show up. I think virtually every game we played in the scheduled tournaments or scrimmages was scouted.

My younger one is a 19 grad with the same organization, he will do one or 2 this summer just because...and that is about it.

I agree about "proper organizations." My son got into a high academic public school in NYC with a young coach and no connections to colleges. HIs travel team was a little better connected, but not great. My son always did well coming up from little league to high school, but he was never one of the guys who got the most attention. As a junior he was not on anyone's radar screen. The only way he was going to get a college interested was by getting in front of coaches. So, he did a lot of showcases. He got better and better as the summer turned into fall. He was hitting doubles and triples against live pitching, home runs in BP. The lack of response from coaches was baffling. Lesser players were getting commitments. Eventually, we broke through.

It's a racket for sure. There's lots to criticize about the whole recruiting process. If I could turn back the clock, we would do a lot of things differently. But my son got the job done and will be playing baseball at a good school. 

We're in similar situation.  how did your son break through?

At the Headfirst showcase on Long Island, my son had a good rapport with one of the coaches in the dugout. He didn't do anything spectacular. A nice sac fly to the right field fence showed he could hit the ball deep. Looked reasonably solid in the field. We followed up with the coach, and eventually got an offer. This is D3, so no scholarship or binding commitment. The story gets more complicated later, but the positive interaction with the coach was the break through.

brosenyc posted:

It's a racket for sure. There's lots to criticize about the whole recruiting process. If I could turn back the clock, we would do a lot of things differently. But my son got the job done and will be playing baseball at a good school. 

I agree with the bolded, there are some great coaches out there, there are many more who don't fit into that criteria IMO. At the end of the day you have to do your homework, use your gut instincts and be willing to work hard. It is not a science.

Hello,

My son went last year and I thought it was great.  They don't discourage coaches talking to players, they do discourage it from parents.  I asked the gentleman running it and he said, he wants the coaches focused on the players and many like to review their notes and contact players.  It was well run, organized and we even received a video.  Head first is good too, but they have 5 fields going on and ALL the coaches are scattered.  I95 had the most coaches and we got the most bang for our buck.

GOOD LUCK

Jason Rylick posted:

Hello,

My son went last year and I thought it was great.  They don't discourage coaches talking to players, they do discourage it from parents.  I asked the gentleman running it and he said, he wants the coaches focused on the players and many like to review their notes and contact players.  It was well run, organized and we even received a video.  Head first is good too, but they have 5 fields going on and ALL the coaches are scattered.  I95 had the most coaches and we got the most bang for our buck.

 

GOOD LUCK

I agree with the kids being allowed to interact with the coaches. My son spoke to a few of them and some of those same coaches filmed his BP at the cages. 

What's the best non-academic showcase from Pennsylvania to NC for a pitcher?

2018 pitcher posted:

What's the best non-academic showcase from Pennsylvania to NC for a pitcher?

My 2018 RHP got great exposure at the Dynamic Spring Skills Combine.  Lots of coaches who are only watching two pitchers at a time.  It's coming up quick, so jump on it soon.

http://dynamicbaseball.org/201...ring-skills-combine/

Really nice list of D1, D2, D3 schools on the list(s) for the I95 showcases.  It's not exactly PA to NC - but Trenton's not far from PA.  

Question:  why are all the comments so positive?  http://www.i95metrobaseball.co...-player-results.html

Every single player is that good?

Did your kid get any interest after I95?

i think that's a really good point Jason made above that people don't really know until they are there.  Yes the coaches at HF are very accessible, but they end up talking to one guy (who may or may not be good) and are often distracted.  Even parents (who should not but some cannot help themselves) talk to coaches and that means less availability.  Ivy coach spent 45 min with a dad last year -- pretty amazing despite a line of boys waiting to talk.

With 4 fields at HF, it is sometimes hard for your son to find the coaches your son wants to talk to when they are assigned to one field and your son is on another, etc.

My son had virtually no interaction with coaches at i95 because they were all off to the side and did not make themselves easily available. Head First is definitely more of a three ring circus (4 fields), but my son was able to speak at least briefly with multiple coaches. He ended up being recruited by one of his dugout coaches. The i95 people clearly want to differentiate themselves from the other big showcases, and I'm all for that. So, I don't want to sound too negative. They're also a newer organization and are probably still tinkering with the way they do things. Head First has a formula they've been using for years.

^ Totally right.  Both posts.  I know I spoke to the young man who run I95 who was very organized and said that he was worried that the coaches wouldn't focus on the players so they made it more separate.  He said moving forward he liked it, but would allow some more time for interaction.  They had their staff throw BP, hit fungos instead of coaches, which I liked. 

I do understand the social part, but it is dangerous.  My son at headfirst, same thing.  A few parents grab the ear and it is over they missed at least 20 kids hitting BP.

I am for whatever WORKS, but at least they have a plan and bottom line they have the best schools, even better than headfirst this year.

Anyone go to this year's?

Just want to bump this. Did anyone go in 2018? Thinking about having my 2022s attend in 2019

I just got an email "invite" for 2019 for my 2022.

A friend went to one in NJ last year with his son.  He said it was pretty good, run well, with a lot of kids and a lot of schools.  He recommended singling out a few schools first to make sure it made sense to go, based on who's attending, etc.

Much of the positive feedback for this showcase is about interaction with coaches. Makes me wonder how the D1 rule changes in 2018 impacted that aspect of the showcase. I don't think the D1 coaches can have any interaction with the kids who aren't rising seniors.

MidAtlanticDad posted:

Much of the positive feedback for this showcase is about interaction with coaches. Makes me wonder how the D1 rule changes in 2018 impacted that aspect of the showcase. I don't think the D1 coaches can have any interaction with the kids who aren't rising seniors.

The rule that took effect in 2018 is that coaches can't really talk with players prior to Sept 1 of their junior year (so not rising seniors--more like newly-minted juniors). 

My 2020 son went to Headfirst in July 2018 (~2 months before Sept 1 of his Jr year).  He had some good conversations with D3 coaches, but they aren't actually recruiting players that early.  The D1 coaches my son talked with basically said "nice to meet you, but I can't talk with you yet."  For my kid, HF was mostly about getting comfortable with the showcase process and laying some initial foundations with schools he's interested in.  The first goal could be accomplished at a cheaper event.  Not sure if the second goal was worth $900 plus travel costs; I guess we will know more about that later.  It was a good experience and I got to spend time with my boy at the hotel and en route, so I didn't feel it was wasted money by any means.  My kid is fairly introverted, so putting him in an environment where he was expected to introduce himself to coaches was good (for baseball and for life in general).  IMO it's better to get comfortable doing that early on (but this is my first baseball recruiting rodeo, so take that for what it's worth). 

Chico Escuela posted:

MidAtlanticDad posted:

Much of the positive feedback for this showcase is about interaction with coaches. Makes me wonder how the D1 rule changes in 2018 impacted that aspect of the showcase. I don't think the D1 coaches can have any interaction with the kids who aren't rising seniors.

The rule that took effect in 2018 is that coaches can't really talk with players prior to Sept 1 of their junior year (so not rising seniors--more like newly-minted juniors).  

The I-95 showcase is in July and August (prior to Sept 1 for rising juniors), so no recruiting talk with D1 coaches for rising juniors and younger, right?

Chico Escuela posted:

MidAtlanticDad posted:

Much of the positive feedback for this showcase is about interaction with coaches. Makes me wonder how the D1 rule changes in 2018 impacted that aspect of the showcase. I don't think the D1 coaches can have any interaction with the kids who aren't rising seniors.

The rule that took effect in 2018 is that coaches can't really talk with players prior to Sept 1 of their junior year (so not rising seniors--more like newly-minted juniors). 

My 2020 son went to Headfirst in July 2018 (~2 months before Sept 1 of his Jr year).  He had some good conversations with D3 coaches, but they aren't actually recruiting players that early.  The D1 coaches my son talked with basically said "nice to meet you, but I can't talk with you yet."  For my kid, HF was mostly about getting comfortable with the showcase process and laying some initial foundations with schools he's interested in.  The first goal could be accomplished at a cheaper event.  Not sure if the second goal was worth $900 plus travel costs; I guess we will know more about that later.  It was a good experience and I got to spend time with my boy at the hotel and en route, so I didn't feel it was wasted money by any means.  My kid is fairly introverted, so putting him in an environment where he was expected to introduce himself to coaches was good (for baseball and for life in general).  IMO it's better to get comfortable doing that early on (but this is my first baseball recruiting rodeo, so take that for what it's worth). 

FWIW, the Sept. 1 contact date has been in effect for years. What changed in 2018 was that there used to be an exception for camps, and that exception was done away with. Plus a bunch of other changes:

https://d1baseball.com/feature...ts-baseball-changes/

"a school or their staff members may not participate in an unofficial visit before Sept. 1 of a prospect’s junior year. That means that prospects who are younger than juniors can’t have contact with players and coaches, by design, on campus, and they can’t take tours of the facilities. Coaches also won’t be allowed to leave tickets for prospective recruits who aren’t juniors or seniors in high school. Additionally, recruiting conversations will not be allowed at clinics or camps until that same Sept. 1 date. "

MidAtlanticDad posted:

Chico Escuela posted:

MidAtlanticDad posted:

Much of the positive feedback for this showcase is about interaction with coaches. Makes me wonder how the D1 rule changes in 2018 impacted that aspect of the showcase. I don't think the D1 coaches can have any interaction with the kids who aren't rising seniors.

The rule that took effect in 2018 is that coaches can't really talk with players prior to Sept 1 of their junior year (so not rising seniors--more like newly-minted juniors).  

The I-95 showcase is in July and August (prior to Sept 1 for rising juniors), so no recruiting talk with D1 coaches for rising juniors and younger, right?

Yep.  I misunderstood that you meant only for rising seniors at these events.  (Sorry--I know you're a regular poster, so I should have figured you knew the rule.)

My 2019 attended the 2018 Metro showcase held at the Trenton Thunder stadium this past July...it was by far the best of any we have attended...he wound up getting numerous contacts off of it..he committed to a top D3 thereafter..they don't allow the scouts to roam around like other showcases so everyone is seen at bat, fielding, throwing, 60s etc..they run it like a precision drill..highly organized..worth the money indeed.

Jason Rylick posted:

For you 2022 and 2023- They have an under-classmen game ONLY on day two.  SO great.  Coaches locked in, against real peers.  Coaches all right behind home plate at ONE FIELD/ONE game knowing their grad year.  Big advantage.

I find it strange that your only posts are regarding the I95 and they are often weeks/months after the original discussion happened. All the capitalization, enthusiasm, and hyping up would make me assume you're involved with the organization

PABaseball posted:

Jason Rylick posted:

For you 2022 and 2023- They have an under-classmen game ONLY on day two.  SO great.  Coaches locked in, against real peers.  Coaches all right behind home plate at ONE FIELD/ONE game knowing their grad year.  Big advantage.

I find it strange that your only posts are regarding the I95 and they are often weeks/months after the original discussion happened. All the capitalization, enthusiasm, and hyping up would make me assume you're involved with the organization

Looking at his history, if I95 isn’t paying him, perhaps they should!