My son throws about 75-76mph as a right handed pitcher and has lots of movement on the curveball (which can be thrown for a strike) and also movement on the two seam fastball (arm side run). The only problem is the velocity. Could mid 70s be enough to pitch at the d3 level. He pitches outs and gets a lot of ground balls too.
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If he is a 2019, I would guess not. I was watching a recent summer collegiate league all star game on TV and there were D1 pitchers who were topping at 83...but they were lefties. But you know what, don't let the opinions of people on a board help you decide one way or the other. Until you exhaust your options, keep trying.
From what I have seen, no, but there are almost 400 D3 baseball programs, and the velo numbers may vary quite a bit. Only one way to find out.
Probably not going to happen with that velo..... has he tried anything to increase velo? Do you think there's more in there it just needs to come out? is he a later bloomer?
There’s a large range in D3 from teams who could compete with some D1s with their top pitcher to D3s who couldn’t beat a quality high school team. Somewhere in that range is a place for your kid. The question is how far down that slide does your son want to go and still play?. There are a lot of D3s in New England.
I concur with RJM,
There are near 400 D3 schools. Part of it all depends how badly he want t be on a team in College. How much he is willing to sacrifice to play college baseball. Some Schools also have very large rosters, so while getting on a team may be possible, getting playing time may be more difficult.
There are teams out there for most players. Yeshiva is a good example.
https://yumacs.com/schedule.aspx?path=baseball
They server a very specific population, However it does not seem there are a lot pf players in that population want to matriculate to Yeshiva. However the school has a specific mission, and provides baseball. It is a good opportunity if the school is a good fit. There are others out there, players just need to find them.
Also, if baseball is that important, do not limit yourself to D3. There is also NAIA, NCCAA, and USCAA.
Good Luck
Oh and if he still wants the Big school experience, there is Club Ball as well. https://www.clubbaseball.org/
For example Ohio State has two teams.
One competes in Division one and another in division two.
Yes, there will be a place for a mid 70's pitcher in D3. You will just have to search for one....
I sent a young man with great academics to a D-III and he didn't break 80 all of his HS career that I know of. He was "shifty" and could spot his pitches. One time he told me he had "3 curveballs" and so, which one was I calling. LOL He went on to win a lot of game for that school. Of course, and this is important, he was a serious competitor.
IMO there is pretty much a place for anyone in D3 ball. Kids I know that have measurables similar to what my kid had his freshman year in HS have, which would be a mid 70s fastball have found places at D3 schools. That said some are on the JV team and will probably never see a Varsity D3 game, but they can say they played college ball. Others are at smaller programs which are not very good and are getting playing time.
Depends on how important playing college ball is to him. I've heard of several mid 70's guys going to small schools somewhere in the Northeast. However, these schools aren't are great fit for most kids (very small, not great academically, etc.) and I'd say some of the better high school teams in their area could beat them. However, if your son's #1 priority for college is playing baseball, definitely look into some of these schools.
What delivery? If normal three quarter probably not but submarine or very low sidearm maybe.
Otherwise do lifting and weighted balls to push it to low 80s. He can still throw slower in games but it probably helps if he can show he can hit 80+.
Probably a school out there, but I don't think your son would be recruited. Maybe you want to target some schools, see if they roster less than 35 and reach out to the coaches directly. He may get an opportunity to walk on.
My sons tean qualified for the D3 tournament with a lefty reliever who I don’t think broke 80. He was a left/left or one inning max specialist, didn’t throw a ton of innings but was super competitive. Team has been ranked nationally and regionally during season
Valley Forge is another D3 to look at http://uvfpatriots.com/schedule.aspx?path=baseball
One of Valley Forge's pitchers topped out at 70 mph on his Perfect Game profile. Don't let anyone here discourage you that a kid can't play D3 somewhere if they top out in the high 70's. That isn't even remotely close to true.
In fact, a kid like the OP describes might be too good for Valley Forge or Yeshiva or Vaughn College etc
Valley Forge plays in the CSAC Conference. I would look up and down at that conference, look at every roster, and see if you can find Perfect Game or PBR profiles for the pitchers in that conference. Start comparing velocities.....
Great post 3&2.
In cases like the schools mentioned, the athlete's many times have to find them, I am not sure what there recruiting budget is.
At my son's D3, which is a very competitive D3 school run more like a D2 than a typical D3 mid seventies would get your no attention whatsoever. Guys with control and movement throwing in the low to mid 80's were mostly consigned to the JV team freshman year, given a year to show improvement and ruthlessly cut if they did not. Over the last three years the varsity has had guys throwing in the upper 80's and a few in the 90's consistently. In his league of 9 schools probably only 1 of the 9 would give a guy with the profile you describe a second look.
But as somebody said above D3 covers a very wide range.
And at rub is that at the 1 of 9 he'd have to be among the best students in the country to gain admission.
Let’s start with ...
How are the kid’s academics? His college should matter for academics 99% with a 70 mph fastball. Then consider the baseball possibilities. Is he closer to a NESCAC (Tufts) or MSCAC (Framingham State) academically?
DylBsball posted:My son throws about 75-76mph as a right handed pitcher and has lots of movement on the curveball (which can be thrown for a strike) and also movement on the two seam fastball (arm side run). The only problem is the velocity. Could mid 70s be enough to pitch at the d3 level. He pitches outs and gets a lot of ground balls too.
There are most certainly places that he can play. If you are religious look at denominational schools. These can be places where more flexibility exists. If your son can pitch to spots with movement and throw a good curve, he can pitch D3. As someone else said, though, look at trying to bump the velo up if possible.
Best wishes.
RJM posted:Let’s start with ...
How are the kid’s academics? His college should matter for academics 99% with a 70 mph fastball. Then consider the baseball possibilities. Is he closer to a NESCAC (Tufts) or MSCAC (Framingham State) academically?
More towards a nescac i would say but in the middle academically.
Here’s where you start ...
http://www.d3baseball.com/teams/region/new-england
You figure out where he fits academically. Make a list. Then search for their conference standings and decide if you think he could possibly play there.
Attend some games and ask questions. Start by asking a parent how their kid got there and where else did he consider. Parents are usually willing to talk about their kids. If there’s a comfort level ask about the velocity of the team’s best low velocity pitchers.
There’s a showcase held at Fraser Field in Lynn your son shouldn’t miss when he’s a junior.
At a High Academic school, he will need to qualify on his own. A coach will likely not use a tip, or a slot on a pitcher with that philosophy.
Once you finish at d3baseball, head over to D3boards.com. Find the board for the conferences, that your chosen schools play in. There may be much or only a little info.
Good luck...
DylBsball posted:RJM posted:Let’s start with ...
How are the kid’s academics? His college should matter for academics 99% with a 70 mph fastball. Then consider the baseball possibilities. Is he closer to a NESCAC (Tufts) or MSCAC (Framingham State) academically?
More towards a nescac i would say but in the middle academically.
Be aware the NESCAC set of schools are not easy to get into. Here are the results of a quick search. Without a coaches Hook or tip will be difficult. Many very good students apply and do not get in. I would have some fall back schools.
| School | Acceptance % |
| Tufts | 16 |
| Bates | 23 |
| Bowdoin | 14.9 |
| Trinity | 33 |
| Colby | 22.5 |
| Amherst | 14.1 |
| Wesleyan | 22.5 |
| Middlebury | 16 |
| Williams | 17.6 |
| Hamilton | 26 |
I got the impression from the poster’s response the kid isn’t NESCAC academic material. But he’s above the Framingham State/MSCAC register and you’re in level. There are plenty of colleges and baseball programs in New England in between.
Here’s an in between college. I’ll bet this kid isn’t chucking smoke. But he gets on the mound and gets hitters out ...
Hamilton is a party school.
RJM posted:I got the impression from the poster’s response the kid isn’t NESCAC academic material. But he’s above the Framingham State/MSCAC register and you’re in level. There are plenty of colleges and baseball programs in New England in between.
Here’s an in between college. I’ll bet this kid isn’t chucking smoke. But he gets on the mound and gets hitters out ...
I just re-read, and you are right. Sorry, to the OP.
Teaching Elder posted:Hamilton is a party school.
When that's your only comment about a school it's a pejorative statement. Hamilton is a good school. Lots of good schools are also labeled as party schools, though I don't recall ever hearing Hamilton called that.
Beautiful campus, well worth a look if it's a match for the OP's son. A good friend of mine is a grad. He could have gone to an Ivy if he wanted to but he loved it there.
Yeah. It was a joke, JCG, stemming from seeing that their acceptance rate percentage was the highest in their conference at 27%.
Teaching Elder posted:Yeah. It was a joke, JCG, stemming from seeing that their acceptance rate percentage was the highest in their conference at 27%.
Except that trinity is the highest
DylBsball posted:Teaching Elder posted:Yeah. It was a joke, JCG, stemming from seeing that their acceptance rate percentage was the highest in their conference at 27%.
Except that trinity is the highest
Haha... well, anyway, if NESCAC is a bit of a reach maybe the Liberty League is worth a look. Some good schools there, but most a little bit easier to get into.
BishopLeftiesDad posted:DylBsball posted:RJM posted:Let’s start with ...
How are the kid’s academics? His college should matter for academics 99% with a 70 mph fastball. Then consider the baseball possibilities. Is he closer to a NESCAC (Tufts) or MSCAC (Framingham State) academically?
More towards a nescac i would say but in the middle academically.
Be aware the NESCAC set of schools are not easy to get into. Here are the results of a quick search. Without a coaches Hook or tip will be difficult. Many very good students apply and do not get in. I would have some fall back schools.
School Acceptance % Tufts 16 Bates 23 Bowdoin 14.9 Trinity 33 Colby 22.5 Amherst 14.1 Wesleyan 22.5 Middlebury 16 Williams 17.6 Hamilton 26
I'm assuming the above acceptance percentages include all students (including those who get in through coach support). When you take out the coach supported kids, I believe those percentages go way down (and the SAT/ACT and grade requirements go way up). At these schools a large percentage of kids are playing sports, with probably half the rosters being filled with coach-supported kids. When you remove the coach-supported kids from the equation, the expected SAT/ACT scores and GPAs will be much higher (to balance out those coach supported kids who are on the lower end of the scale). Factor in legacy kids, and other special cases and net-net, if you're not supported by the coach, it is very, very difficult to get into these places.
