Skip to main content

I would appreciate any input on our particular situation, as follows:

Our son is a highly ranked 2009 player at a private D1 high school who played against and in the same league as a 2008 first round draft pick last season. He is being heavily recruited by the top D1 universities in our area.

Although he isn't ranked in the top 100 in the nation (yet, although he could move up), sources tell us he is known by all the pro teams and we have been getting a lot of pro team interest via letters, applications, scouts, phone calls, etc. This started when he was a freshman but has picked up more lately, for obvious reasons. It's pretty exciting to get letters in the mail from the pros asking but I don't know how much that really means.

We could choose to have him sign with a great local state college, where he could live at home and save money. Or we could sign him up with a prestigious $30,000/year well known college with a half or 3/4 scholarship and have to come up with the rest of the money (which could be a little tight).

Question is, if the pros are that interested in him, should we sign with a more exclusive college, knowing that he might go higher in the draft even though we'd get stuck with a big bill if he does go to that school, or sign with the affordable college? Our son likes them all and would be happy to play for any of them. The more affordable college might be easier, but the more prestigious college comes with its own particular rewards.

By all estimations, he is ready to begin AA ball right now and work his way up. Still, a college education is a great experience and will make him an even better player, we hope (but would it be better than AA ball?)

We are being pressured to sign an LOI now but I don't feel that that is in his best interests. It seems better to wait for the NLOI in November.

Any thoughts on this would be greatly appreciated. And yes, we feel very blessed and honored to be in this position. As you all know, it came about as the result of a lot of hard work, commitment, and research. And we would not have done it if our son wasn't obviously gifted early on and been cooperative and coachable.

Thanks for any thoughts on this matter. These are big decisions to make coming up soon.
Original Post

Replies sorted oldest to newest

2Fast,
I don't have any useful advice to offer, but perhaps some clarifying questions are in order. Frankly, some of what you've written here seems to me to not square up with some other parts. Probably you'll get better and more informed opinions if you expand a bit on these.

For example, the statement that the player is ready to immediately play at the AA level seems incompatible with a ranking (by PG Cross Checker?) outside the top 100 high school players. From my point of view, even if no college or JC players were involved in the draft, the number 100 player would be drafted in the 3rd round or lower, and when we take into account that more college players are drafted than high school players, the 100th best HS player will be at best drafted in rounds 6 through 10. Sure, the folks doing the drafting may hold a higher opinion of the player than PG, but it won't be much higher. I don't see how such a draft position presages a placement in AA ball.

The same conclusion can be reached by ignoring draft possibilities and simply considering the talent pool available to play AA ball. A player isn't just competing with other players who signed in the same year; he'll be competing with players signed over the past 5 or more years.

Or you could just look at some AA rosters and note how few players are one year removed from high school.

You mention that he is "being heavily recruited by the top D1 universities in our area", but seemingly there are just two offers under consideration. (Just two offers in August is a dilemma most players would love to have!Smile) Perhaps there will be other opportunities which may have adequate prestige and a lower financial expenditure?

Finally, are you expecting that if he signs with the more prestigous college, he'll have a higher draft postion next June, or after his junior year of college, or both? My own uniformed opinion is that it won't affect his draft position at all, although the financial worth of a college scholarship may affect the signing bonus out of high school. For a player drafted out of college, I think that the player's performance (which is likely affected by the "fit" of the player and college) over the next 3 years far outweighs any prestige effect.
Last edited by 3FingeredGlove
Separate the two!! I would not allow the pro draft to influence where my son went to college because where your son goes to college will have little (if any) impact on his professional career. Unless he chooses to go to a JUCO to remain pro eligible. You (and he of course) DO need to decide whether he will go pro or college out of high school very shortly.
quote:
By all estimations, he is ready to begin AA ball right now and work his way up. Still, a college education is a great experience and will make him an even better player, we hope (but would it be better than AA ball?)

How do you determine if a kid in high school is ready for AA ball? Can he ride a bus for too many hours, eat his breakfast out of a vending machine while reading a text message from his x-girlfriends new boyfriend, getting a visit from a catcher that can't speak english and still command four pitches while keeping his ERA low?

I doubt if your son is ready for AA ball. Just out of curiosity I ran the ages of the pitchers on our local AA team. I just guessed at your son being a pitcher.
Their ages were: 25, 29, 25, 26, 25, 25, 34, 22, 25, 31, 29, 28

The youngest player at 22 is Marwin Vega from Barranguilla, Columbia and is in his 5th year of pro ball. Hope this helps.
Fungo

PS:
quote:
Still, a college education is a great experience and will make him an even better player

A college education is MORE than a great experience AND may NOT make him a better ball player.
Last edited by Fungo
I have to chuckle about the AA comment. If your son feels pressured about committing to a school, wonder how he could handle the pressure of AA at 18. Teams DO NOT place their HS players in AA, most players, even first round picks, need to go through the system. My son's friend was a 4th overall pick out of college, at 22, almost 23 struggling in high A. In son's organization top prospect is 22 and in AAA, drafted out of HS he has been in the system for 3 years. I htink you need to understand how the system works, to come to conclusions.

You have been bitten by the pro draft bug, happens to everyone, however, do know that those scouts are doing their job by indentifing prospects early. There are a lot of things that can change in 10 months. FYI, my son was within the top 100 HS playwers in his class, yet projected, 7-10 rounds and he felt he really wanted to go to college first, knowing that things don't always work out. Things worked wel for him, going to school increaed his slot by making significant improvements as a player. But it doesn't happen like that all of the time.
His college choice, his scholarship amount and the desire to go to school first made him undraftable. If your son truely wants to begin a pro career before college, he should strongly indicate that. But do understand he will not begin his career in AA.
You've received some good advice, IMO, have your son choose a school where he feels is a good fit, and that may or may not be living home to save some money. The total college experience includes leaving home, learning to be on your own but never quarantees anything, as we all know that not anything is guaranteed in life.
It does however provide you with an education and some really great memories. Smile
It is a great dilemma to have, however, it shouldn't actuallu be a dilemma until you son is faced with being drafted, turning pro or going of to college. You'll enjoy a whole lot more this year if you take one step at a time, that would be at this time, accepting a college offer where he feels confortable.
Last edited by TPM
quote:
By all estimations, he is ready to begin AA ball right now and work his way up. Still, a college education is a great experience and will make him an even better player, we hope (but would it be better than AA ball?)



Some people have no idea how good you have to be to play AA ball........90 percent of all D1 players will not get the chance to play A ball.......much less AA


This has got to be a joke post........
If your Son is being followed by pro scouts now, then they will follow him where ever he chooses to attend college. A local college in Florida will probably have the identical scouts that are interested in him now follow him at the state college. If he heads off then the local scouts will pass his name off to whoever scouts that particular area of the country.

If the kid is good and he is currently being scouted, it will not change regardless of where he attends college. But if he is ready for MLB now then the JUCO route may suit him as well. Wink
Please throw out the AA comment I made. That shows how much I still do not know about this whole biz. He is playing summer league time with a team that has AA and AAA players or who have played AA and AAA, and is keeping up well with them, hitting HRs over 435' with a wooden bat, etc. on a regular basis. They think he's ready for pro ball, the coaching staff, etc.

But I threw that in not realizing what great controversy it would create. Some good posts, though.

There are four colleges offering LOIs right now, not two. But really isn't an LOI just a verbal commitment with nothing to back it up? It's the NLOI we want, right? The one that commits both player and college to each other.

I am concerned about paying the balance due on the more expensive colleges, but to get a degree from any of the three that aren't state colleges might look better on a future resume in a profession other than baseball.

Ultimately he would like to play pro ball and it looks like a strong possibility. The pros are asking us now if he wants to or not. It's hard to know what to say, of course it is our son saying it. Luckily he's not a blabbermouth and just says he is leaving all options open.

I'm not a troll. That's cute.

I love this board.
Your son is on a summer ball team with AA and AAA players? How do these players have time to play AA and AAA and on this team at the same time?

Your son is not a top 100 prospect but is ready for AA ball? LOL! A friend's son was a top 100, played three years in the SEC, was an All-American, drafted as a supp round one and is now playing rookie A ball. Not AA, Not High A, Not A. Rookie A.
My suggestion is to choose the school which fits his academic abilities, as well as, what school will provide the best avenue for his athletic development. It may be the school which has the best coaches that will help him develop his skills (I hear he is AA ability but everyone can learn) and provide the best competition available to challenge him to even get better and the visibility of playing against/with the best and succeeding.

Choosing the most expensive school if that fits will not matter if he can come out with it being a better athlete and possibly a better signing bonus, but you have to weigh the risk of having to pay the balance, although if he is that good, why not ask for more money.

On the other hand, if he does select a certain school, if drafted out of high school, most team will commit to pay for his college with specific conditions, so having a higher priced school could be an advantage in the over all compensation during the draft, but it also may play against you in a team may not want to pay the additional cost of a high priced school.

Some schools tend not to loose their signees; Stanford for example tends not to loose their signees due to the fact that it would take a lot to sign the player, even above the tuition cost.

If you think your son wants to go pro out of high school, you really need to make sure the teams understand your signability as it can hurt you if you go to a strong school and do not communicate your true intentions to the teams.

BTW one of the top pitchers, 1st round draft pick, out of the sunshine state that pitched 100 mph in HS is in MiLB A after two years…
Last edited by Homerun04
If there are 4 schools recruiting your son, don't decide based on prestige, how it might help with a draft bonus, or what might look good on a resume. Instead, assume that your son will go to college and decide on a school that has the best fit -- academically, financially, socially, baseball program, etc. Even if your son has excellent chances of being drafted high up out of high school, a lot could change between now and then. He could become injured or have a less-than-stellar season next spring, both of which could lower or virtually eliminate his draft potential. Should that happen, or should your son decide he wants to play college ball, you want to make sure that he is at the best possible school for him.
Fungo is right. Don't mix the decisions. The decision to turn pro won't be needed until next summer, at the very least and really shouldn't affect where your son chooses to attend college, which needs to be decided sooner.

I'm sure you and your son would like his parents to attend college games. Don't discount that expense in your decision making process. It ain't cheap following a college baseball team around.
Thank you for the words of wisdom. At every stage in this journey we have had to kind of feel our way around in the dark. There is very little information you can believe or count on. That's why I'm here on this board, but obviously my throwing in that AA stuff was sort of dumb. It shows how much I need real facts.

Our son isn't ranked in the top 100 but some people who should be ranked there are not, and some who shouldn't be there, are. We are understanding that there may be other factors involved. Our son had a stellar season last year, outperforming many on that list, but he was not ranked higher. Who knows why?
This season, barring injury, he ought to be amazing. He's gained an inch and ten pounds or more of pure muscle, played with amazing players and done well enough to attract college and pro attention at this level.

The thing about our son is that he is not his best at showcases. Where he really shines is playing in games. At these showcases you get ranked after sitting on a bench for hours and they say, "okay now, here's your ten minutes". Some guys get ranked that way, but our son had a different experience. He made all state, all this and all that, first team, etc. But because he doesn't always look great in that 10 minutes of showcase time, he isn't ranked higher. Or maybe not. I don't understand it.

But obviously somebody else is watching.

It's been an interesting journey. This year should be fantastic. He's gonna blow people away. Then maybe he'll get some attention from the people who "rank 'em." Or not.

I appreciate the info about colleges. Makes me think that there is one of the four that might be the best fit, although they'll be expensive. Maybe we can get a better offer or get some grant aid, etc. to pull it off.

Thanks again.
I accept your post at face value and assume you just didn't know about being ready for the "AA" level, as I imagine someone was blowing smoke in your ear when they said that. You do indeed have the "fever."

The real decision you have to make is whether your son should go pro now and bypass college. You have to determine if your son is ready AND whether it is the right choice for him to bypass an education that studies show is RARELY completed later. I know something about the sons of other posters here, and they are spot on in their advice on that subject.

After you make your decision, clearly communicate it to the pro scouts. To maximize your son't value, sign a NLI with the best "fit" - this will give you MUCH greater leverage in the draft.

Please consider that many Seniors SLUMP in their last year of high school because they have too much on their plate worrying about signing with a college, grades, leading their team, the draft, and prom.
quote:
Our son isn't ranked in the top 100 but some people who should be ranked there are not, and some who shouldn't be there, are. We are understanding that there may be other factors involved. Our son had a stellar season last year, outperforming many on that list, but he was not ranked higher. Who knows why?
This season, barring injury, he ought to be amazing. He's gained an inch and ten pounds or more of pure muscle, played with amazing players and done well enough to attract college and pro attention at this level.


The fact your son is ranked in the top whatever means he is well thought of. Rankings can change as the draft nears, but the only opinion that ultimately matters is the MLB scouting directors' opinions. They write the checks. If he wants to play pro baseball right now and forever, then do it. If he's not sure, then go to college.
quote:
Please throw out the AA comment I made. That shows how much I still do not know about this whole biz. He is playing summer league time with a team that has AA and AAA players or who have played AA and AAA,



Florida ranks its High Schools by the A system.....I believe up to 6A....I am expecting that the poster means 2A and 3A High school players and not AA and AAA professional players.......

Professional AA and AAA players are playing in the minor league season currently and would not be playing with HS students.........
Last edited by piaa_ump

Add Reply

×
×
×
×
Link copied to your clipboard.
×