I Love David Price

Smart guy, I agree. Unless of course you get paid the big bucks, go to college.

 

Price was insistent he was going to Vanderbilt. The Red. sox drafted him about round twenty and offered late first round money. He turned them down despite the seven figure offer.

Chipper Jones has a different point of view.

 

https://twitter.com/RealCJ10/s...s/608101091373285376

 

Rich

www.PlayInSchool.com/bus_tour

If it isnt about the money..sign. If it is, go to school.

Barring injury, first round talents like Chipper Price and Chipper Jones can't go wrong whichever way they choose because true first round talent at 18 is still first round talent at 21.

 

For everybody else, the decision has consequences that should motivate most people to choose college. 

 

However, the decision is personal for everyone who faces it.

 

What's right for most people isn't right for everybody, so I'm reluctant to tell anyone else how to approach it.

 

One high school senior drafted out in the 30th round might decide to grab the only shot he may ever get to play as a pro, even if it's just for a couple years, because he'd regret not doing it if he missed out.

 

Another high school senior drafted in the same round might look at the negligible percentage of players from that round who will ever make any money as a pro, conclude that he needs to focus on his education, and go to college.

 

They could both be right--for the lives they want to live.

 

It takes 4-5 years for a HS senior to be ready for ml...maybe.
Find out where you will spend most of that time.
What will the HS player with minimal bonus do in off season? 
Will he develop the same relationships as he would in college?
Will you be willing to help pay his bills?

Some late round high school kids sign because they are not really college material academically. They're looking for a shot in baseball.

These are indeed some of the biggies among the consequences I said should motivate most to choose college.

Related question -- how do the clubs know which HS kids are signable and how do they factor that into their choices, especially in the early rounds?  I understand that it's more of a crap shoot later on, but losing your #1 pick to college has to smart.  For example, there is one local HS kid who is ranked very highly who didn't get drafted yesterday. I heard that he said on social media this week that he would honor his college commitment, so I'm assuming the teams took him at his word, and/or maybe people close to him put the word out that he was serious about it.  Another kid, ranked almost as highly also didn't get drafted yet. I heard that his dad was telling people he would sign only he really got paid.  So maybe that scared clubs off, like apparently Daz Cameron did with his expected financial demands.

As a matter of necessity, MLB teams are skilled at ascertaining the intentions and bonus expectations of players they expect to draft--and of the key influencers in those players' lives.  They devote considerable energy to avoiding surprises with their intended picks.

 

Every pre-draft questionnaire asks if the player wants to play pro ball and how much bonus money he wants. For top prospects, there is much more communication, and much of it centers on this subject. 

 

How do MLB teams know a high school player is signable? The older brother of one of my son's former travel teammates was called ...

 

if if we draft you (here) will you sign for X dollars?

 

The kid signed three days after the draft.

 

Another kid from our area stated unless offered X he was headed for an ACC powerhouse. He was drafted and offered 87% of X. He signed for 87% of X at 11:55pm on the deadline day. The drafting team knew 13% wasn't going to stop the player from signing.

Slot money is designated but be prepared for them to know how to manipulate.
You have done this once...they many.

If my kid was a pitcher, there are very few college coaches I'd trust to have his best interests in mind through three years of college ball. College coaches will almost always abuse an arm if they deem the stakes high enough. Look recently at Fullerton's usage of Eschelman (146 pitches in regional, 100 pitches on Saturday in super, then save on Monday). Not saying I don't get it, but I would be less than thrilled if it was my kid. Numerous major schools with "elite" coaches just shred arms (Rice and Texas come to mind) and just call it "team first". Pro teams will typically have far more incentive to develop you properly and safely. Just my opinion i of course