JUCO list

Are you anywhere near Sauget?  If so, you might consider this - https://jucoroute.com/product/stl/

It'll be almost as overwhelming for anyone here to help you with this unless you can provide some more info.  I saw you're in IL from your profile, but Juco ball is so big that without any idea of where you want to look, you won't find a ton of help here.  I wouldn't get preoccupied with trying to get your sons into "best" name JUCOs so much as I'd get focused on ones that would be best fit.  And for most, that means within a reasonable driving distance.  For example, if someone here says Juco X in Portland, OR is worth looking into, is that even a option for you?  The more specific you can get, the better your chances of getting worthwhile advice here.

How old are your kids?  JUCO’s don’t really start recruiting until the summer before Senior year of high school.

What area of the country are you in?

Edit to add:  I just saw you are in IL.  There are a lot of good JUCO Baseball schools in Iowa https://www.iccac.org/sports/bsb/index

@3and2Fastball posted:

How old are your kids?  JUCO’s don’t really start recruiting until the summer before Senior year of high school.

What area of the country are you in?

Edit to add:  I just saw you are in IL.  There are a lot of good JUCO Baseball schools in Iowa https://www.iccac.org/sports/bsb/index

I have a senior and junior.

I would love for them to stay in Midwest but they will go anywhere to keep playing the game. Its what they love to do.

In Illinois some well known programs are Parkland, Lincoln Land, Wabash Valley, and John Logan. You might start by getting familiar with those programs first. Study the rosters and see where their players come from. Research the academics of all of them as it varies. Most important of all, go see them play. Talk to players in those programs and ask them pertinent questions. Players will tell you the truth. See what you can find out about the coaching staff. As players, were they pitchers or position players? The answer to that Q usually (but not always) is an indication which will get the most coaching at that school. Find out where their players have advanced to over the years. Once you get a feel for the schools you like the most find others like it. Looking at other schools in their conference is a good place to start. When you have determined schools of interest (this should be done before junior year of HS) check their website for prospect camps on campus and attend some. Other online sites that promote JuCo baseball (like JBB - JuCo Baseball Blog) also retweet info on prospect camps on a regular basis. If you follow this rough outline you will learn a lot - one of those lessons being that high level JuCo baseball is really good and very competitive. It’s imperative to go to a program where you will get on the field so don’t get hung up on the bigger names if you aren’t good enough to play there.

It's a bit of a drive, but Patrick Henry Community College in Martinsville, VA has had a good program (despite going through 4-5 coaches) for many years.   This year they made it to the D2 JuCo WS for the first time ever after knocking on the door several times - ended up 3rd in the WS.

Full disclosure - Foxson attended and played at PHCC from 2012-2014.

A couple of the best JUCO, are down here in Texas. San Jacinto-had been to the JUCO WorldSeries multiple times( i can't count that high-LOL)., and McLennan just won the 2021 JUCO WS. Both have multiple alumni who eventually played in the MLB, and both have students from all over the country and the world (Puerto Rico.etc.). They both play Very high level ball!  I have been told that both could beat most D1 schools. My son is seriously thinking about going to one of these two. A friend of his is currently going to San Jac and told us they cut a pitcher throwing 95MPH-not sure why, but obviously they have plenty of talent. Tell your sons to come on down to sunny Texas( as long as they like hot weather-LOL).

@Adams Baseball posted:

A couple of the best JUCO, are down here in Texas. San Jacinto-had been to the JUCO WorldSeries multiple times( i can't count that high-LOL)., and McLennan just won the 2021 JUCO WS. Both have multiple alumni who eventually played in the MLB, and both have students from all over the country and the world (Puerto Rico.etc.). They both play Very high level ball!  I have been told that both could beat most D1 schools. My son is seriously thinking about going to one of these two. A friend of his is currently going to San Jac and told us they cut a pitcher throwing 95MPH-not sure why, but obviously they have plenty of talent. Tell your sons to come on down to sunny Texas( as long as they like hot weather-LOL).

Thanks for the info!  My oldest was just in Texas yesterday at the Don Mattinly (something like that) World Series in Melissa. He had a great time but he did say it was HOT!!

@Adams Baseball posted:

A couple of the best JUCO, are down here in Texas. San Jacinto-had been to the JUCO WorldSeries multiple times( i can't count that high-LOL)., and McLennan just won the 2021 JUCO WS. Both have multiple alumni who eventually played in the MLB, and both have students from all over the country and the world (Puerto Rico.etc.). They both play Very high level ball!  I have been told that both could beat most D1 schools. My son is seriously thinking about going to one of these two. A friend of his is currently going to San Jac and told us they cut a pitcher throwing 95MPH-not sure why, but obviously they have plenty of talent. Tell your sons to come on down to sunny Texas( as long as they like hot weather-LOL).

All that is true - but most people have no idea how good you have to be to get on the field at either one of those schools. The recruiting process is different at those schools compared to almost any other JuCo. They are very selective and get most any player they want. Personally I prefer McLennan. San Jac brings in a lot of foreign and out of state players - which I don’t care for. They could be great without taking any players outside of the greater Houston area - which is what they used to do back in the day. McLennan roster is mostly Texas kids and they pay more attention to character. Both schools also do a lot of their “recruiting” by doing nothing more than answering their cell phone. You don’t get schools like those interested in you unless you have exceptional talent.

You’d be wise to listen to adbono on this one… JUCO’s in Texas?  That’s pretty deep into his wheelhouse.  He might not tell you what you want to hear, but he’ll tell you what you NEED to hear

@adbono posted:

All that is true - but most people have no idea how good you have to be to get on the field at either one of those schools. The recruiting process is different at those schools compared to almost any other JuCo. They are very selective and get most any player they want. Personally I prefer McLennan. San Jac brings in a lot of foreign and out of state players - which I don’t care for. They could be great without taking any players outside of the greater Houston area - which is what they used to do back in the day. McLennan roster is mostly Texas kids and they pay more attention to character. Both schools also do a lot of their “recruiting” by doing nothing more than answering their cell phone. You don’t get schools like those interested in you unless you have exceptional talent.

Mitch Thompson has been a fixture around the backstop of my 2022’s games the last two weeks in Hoover and now Atlanta.  He is out working the 17u circuit pretty hard right now.  

@22and25 posted:

Mitch Thompson has been a fixture around the backstop of my 2022’s games the last two weeks in Hoover and now Atlanta.  He is out working the 17u circuit pretty hard right now.  

Mitch is a good dude and works the recruiting trail pretty hard. He always has. But he is also the beneficiary of a lot of D1 bounce downs that seek him out because of his reputation and the success of the program. I sent him one last year that turned into an all conference performer. Don’t get me wrong - he deserves it. But it adds an element of difficulty for the HS recruits because there is a higher likelihood that their playing time could be impacted by a D1 guy that’s a late addition at their position. Also, McLennan does not over-recruit. San Jac does.

@lucky4three posted:

Thanks for the info!  My oldest was just in Texas yesterday at the Don Mattinly (something like that) World Series in Melissa. He had a great time but he did say it was HOT!!

Who did he play for?  We just finished the semi finals tonight?  Us (Stix) vs. Twelve tomorrow night.  And while it was warm, it has actually been a pretty nice summer here in DFW temperature wise.

Typically any D1 competitive juco has the same talent as mid major and  P5s.  

the list of alumni from Santa Rosa JC includes two former MLB players, three MLB Managers and Coaches, one current MLB Assistant to the President of the Padres and 80 players with athletic scholarships to College programs.

This is over a 5 year period.

Bob

@lucky4three posted:

I have a senior and junior.

I would love for them to stay in Midwest but they will go anywhere to keep playing the game. Its what they love to do.

If your son is a senior to be, you're very, very late in the game to be looking for a program for him....Juco or otherwise.  You need to get on this today....as summer recruiting season is winding down fast.  AT this point, you're going to have to make the contacts....rather than wait for a coach to see him somewhere.

@Consultant posted:

the list of alumni from Santa Rosa JC includes two former MLB players, three MLB Managers and Coaches, one current MLB Assistant to the President of the Padres and 80 players with athletic scholarships to College programs.

This is over a 5 year period.

Bob

Bob, I think that having 2 guys get drafted 1 and 3 in the first round very recently has already begun to change things, but until only 5 or so years ago, Sonoma County kids didn't, for the most part, even try to get recruited by 4 year schools. They played at the JC and then moved on to a 4 year program or the draft. The other North Bay counties were the same.

JCG;

the year 1989, SRJC finished 3rd in the California State.

8 players received scholarships to U of Oklahoma, U of Texas,  U of California, U of Nebraska, U of Hawaii and Long Beach State.

Two years later, the Oklahoma, Texas and UH played the Division playoffs for the College WS.

Bob

For transparency, College Baseball Insights has one of the more comprehensive JUCO databases.

5 years of insights for

Roster Management

Win/Loss

Player Attrition

Financials

Program and Major Completions (new)

Covering NJCAA (D1,D2, D3), CCCAA, and NWAC

NJCAA-D1

NJCAA-D2

NJCAA-D3

CCCAA

NWAC

Here is the type of information

Using Parkland as an example

Where are their players from?

Players by Position and graduation class

Additional Team Roster Insights  (note, 2021 collegiate summer league is pending)

JUCO Pipeline (how many players at 4 year schools)

Player Attrition  (Note, 4 yr transfers are those player's that moved to 4 year schools)

Players that left by position

Standing (Last 5 years)

Win/Loss Record last 5 years

And much more!!!

@adbono posted:

Mitch is a good dude and works the recruiting trail pretty hard. He always has. But he is also the beneficiary of a lot of D1 bounce downs that seek him out because of his reputation and the success of the program. I sent him one last year that turned into an all conference performer. Don’t get me wrong - he deserves it. But it adds an element of difficulty for the HS recruits because there is a higher likelihood that their playing time could be impacted by a D1 guy that’s a late addition at their position. Also, McLennan does not over-recruit. San Jac does.

Still reconciling information, but in 2021 McLennan had ~34 players at 4 yr schools

whereas San Jacinto ~25 players