Is my son good enough to play College

jamesb posted:

My son just graduated HS class of 2017.  He ended his Varsity Senior year with a .444 BA (2nd on the team).  The kid who was 1rst(.448) got a baseball scholarship to a Div. III school next year and I think my son is just as good as he is, truthfully.  

My son is 6'0 162lbs.  He is a versatile player that has played all the positions.  But his main position is Catcher.  He rarely allows a passed ball, & has very quick feet.  His throwing arm is slightly above average.  He is very fast and runs the bases well.  Hitting, he can hit to all fields and can hit anybody's fastball.  He rarely strikes out.  His coach says that he is good enough to play JUCO ball right now, but I don't know.  We have not measured his pop time, or any other measurements.  

He has graduated early as he won't turn 18 until late September (academically he finished early) however he only got a 22 on his ACT both times he took it.   

Should he just find a few JUCO schools nearby and tryout and see what happens.  Even JUCO schools not in our district? 

What do you think?  

James

Curious to know how things have worked out and what steps you took. My son does not want 4 year college right out of high school. He's a young senior (2018) and wants to go to JUCO. Like your son, he also wants to learn a trade. He's decided to focus on business and marketing while at JUCO. He has no pie in the sky dreams of "going pro" and really just wants to continue to play baseball and further his education. If, at the end of his 2 JUCO years, nothing really pans out his fall back plan is to THEN attend trade school. Then he'll have the business/marketing education under his belt. He would like to own his own business eventually so that can only help him with achieving that goal. We are doing what we can on our own. I hope things have worked out for your son. It's not an easy process to navigate.

Yes, thanks for asking.  Basically, he does not want to play College baseball at this time, at any school.  He could not give me a reason why when I asked him.  It's a shame because he is as good as one of the other seniors that were on his HS team, who got a baseball scholarship.  Who knows, he may change his mind later, but I know that when you get out of the "baseball routine", the odds are slimmer that he will play in the future.  Who knows?  He still has a couple summer HS classes that he is finishing up right now.  He is graduating a year earlier than everyone else (17 now, & won't turn 18 till late this year).  I told him to continue to keep in shape, workout, etc. just in case.  I am looking into an apprenticeship right now.  This all goes to show me that a player may have the skill and ability, but not the motivation to go on at the College level, where its more like a job (training every day, etc.).  I am a bit depressed about it, but it is his life.

JamesB.....I don't mean to sound harsh, but it's reality.  If your son "does not want to play in college".....he isn't going to make it on a college baseball team no matter how much you want him to.   My son had talked about college baseball every day since he was 3....it was going to happen, no matter what.  Well, he got to college, found out it was extremely hard juggling classes, baseball, travel, studying, etc, etc, etc and decided after his freshman year that baseball wasn't for him any more.  He was actually about 12 hours from telling the coaches when a family friend/former coach/former D1 player took him out to lunch, had a long conversation with him and convinced him to give it another year.   He did, and he's happy that he did.   I guess my point is, you're either all in....or it's just not gonna happen.  Tebow is possibly proving that you can take time off and come back, but I think it would be awfully tough of ra 17 year old kid to take a year or two off and then come back and play a year or two later.    I know how you feel.  The day my son said he was done, I was crushed....just loved watching the kid play....but in the end it was his decision whether to quit or continue and I let him make it.  I'm glad he stayed, but I'm not sure what I'd be doing with myself all spring/summer if he hadn't.   Good luck to your son whatever he chooses to do.

It's not college, But if the young man wants to stay in shape and still play. There are Men's leagues. My son is playing in one and having a blast. When he graduated from College he was done playing. He had a few opportunities for some independent baseball, but he chose not to pursue those. He was done playing.

He started coaching as an assistant at his HS. That started to get the itch back. A local men's team called and recruited him to be on there team. So he is playing again, and is no longer a PO. He is having a blast. He is in the All Star game this weekend. And me and his mom are able to go to games again.