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I have seen a lot of discussions about differences between the two, etc.  But, have never really seen how people would choose between the 2.  In my scenario, your options are (and only thinking in terms of baseball...not academics):

 

D1----not in the top 10-12 conferences.  Teams have typically had losing records.  No real tournament success.  Chance of NCAA tournament run small....but as we have seen with some schools...not impossible (although very infrequent).  No real big reputation for getting kids drafted.

 

or 

 

D2----top end program that competes in NCAA tournament every year.  Team that has had success and is World Series contender every year.  Top 10-20 team most years.

 

Seems like a lot of kids have this choice every year.......curious to see how you would all choose.

 

 

JB

 

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Great question.  Of course, it ultimately is your son's choice, but assuming he were on the same page - option B hands down.  I believe floridafan can shed some nice light on this topic.

 

Darin Mastroianni who is now in the big leagues started his career at a D1 and ended up transferring to a D2.  He became an All-American, led his team to the NCAA championships, and was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays.  floridafan's son was drafted out of the Univerity of Tampa which is a perennial national power.  I've always said this and some disagree, but I would rather win at the D2 or D3 level than be on a loser at the D1 level. 

I agree with CD. Only other thing I would take into consideration is playing time. If the D2 is recruiting your son they probably believe he can start there. Not sure where you are in the journey but try and watch some games of both teams. Honestly ask your self if your son can compete. It is no good going to the competitive team if you are on the bench.

All else being equal go with the winning tradition.

My son chose the D2.  The argument you gave in your original post was the exact argument his D2 coaches gave to convince him to go there.  Chances are much better to go to the World Series with the D2 team.  From watching D1 & D2, the biggest difference I see is the depth of the pitching in D1.  Top D2 teams can field and they can definitely hit.  Most have a very good starting rotation, but things drop after that.  So you wind up having higher scoring games.  I might not be totally accurate, but it is my observation.

 

Renegades5, if you don't mind my asking, where did your son commit to?  We may windup running into each other.

Originally Posted by Renegades5:

bballman.....son committed to St. Cloud State.  Last year, they came 1 game short of World Series.  They beat Central Missouri and Southern Arkansas (twice) in the regional....but lost to Minnesota State (Mankato) who came in 2nd in World series.

 

JB


Awesome!!  My son plays for Columbus State University.  We contend every year, but didn't go last year.  Hoping for better things over the next few years.  I'll be following you guys - Good Luck and congratulations on the commit!!

We sent some stuff to Columbus State.  Tough to get down south from Chicago enough to get a lot of exposure.   If I had to do it over again, I would have spent way more time on the D2 schools much earlier.   Looked at Lee U in Tennessee....and UNC Pembroke and Delta State expressed some interest but by that time son was ready to be done.

 

Hope to see you in Cary in 2015!

 

JB

Originally Posted by RJM:

Low D1 or D2? It depends which one is showing the love versus interest. I'd also be looking at the roster to see my chances of cracking the lineup. I'd rather win at a D2 than lose at a D1. Tampa could beat a lot of D1's. They get D1 transfers who don't want to sit out a year.


Ditto, what RJM said. 

 

In addition, I would want to see them play games/practice in the flesh rather than rely on a roster, or a coaches promise or guess before making a decision.  I'd want to know how I stack up, and my chances to make the lineup/get in games.  Recruiting coaches will tell you what you want to hear.   I want to see it.

 

Based on what bballman said (above) and a business partner told me a couple nights ago over cocktails (former D2 World Series position player), the pitching situation is not deep in D2.   So, there may be a huge opportunity there if he is a pitcher. 

My guy had opportunities at several D-1's and D-2's. One of the D-1's was (is) a top contender each year in the ACC. It came down to who showed the most love. One out of state D-1 offered what amounted to a 60% scholarship and the other was as a recruited walk on. The D-2's were closer to 100% when all aid was was calculated and they were very aggressive in their recruiting. The out of state D-1 was pretty aggressive as well, but the costs were still out of our budget. My son eventually settled on the D-2 and had post season play for the years he was there. He played virtually every inning of every game and we were able to attend every collegiate game he played.

The only thing that causes me any look back was a statement by the recruiter of the ACC D-1 who is no longer at this program. He stated that if my son went the D-2 route he would probably not be drafted until his senior year, and that if he was at their D-1 he might go after his Junior year and either way would receive more money out of his D-1. In hindsight he may have been correct on those counts. However, looking back we are all thrilled with the experience he had while playing in college.

I am a believer in go where they love you, and he did chose University of Tampa due to the number of players drafted out of their program and their winning record. Funny thing that one of the D-2's that recruited him wanted him for their Short Stop (he primarily played 3rd) and that program went on to win the World Series that year,lol. Barry University.

Playing on a winning team is a heck of a lot more fun than playing on a losing one. It is also a lot more fun playing than sitting on the bench. Go where you are loved is huge. Do not underestimate the coaching situation also, Go where there is a solid reputation(s) and while I do know this for a fact but it would seem to me that there would be a higher level of coaching at a winning lower level program than a middle to lower level loosing D1. At least there would be more stability

 

I know my that my son has more fun in conference tournaments and the NCAA World Series tournaments than the do during their regular season.High intensity close scoring games that mean something are to be cherished. 

 

There is a lot of D1 talent on D2 teams. Especially in the south. Many D1 guys transfer after a year if they don't play as much as they think they should. Also many juco guys who originally go juco due to grades don't earn enough credits at the juco for D1 enrollment. They wind up at D2's also.

 

I also believe it's pitching depth that is a big difference. A lot of D2's have one or two pitchers at 90-92. Where as big D1's will have a more than that.

I will come at you from the other direction then most who have responded so far. My son is at a school who's conference is most definitely not in the top 15 in the country and some years not even in the top 20 (similar to what the OP posted). In any given year only the tournament winner is going to the regionals, and typically that team is 2 and done. My son was also recruited by some of the powers in the NE-10 and the Sunshine State Conference.

 

For him it came down to the fact that the academics where better at the school he is currently at, he was not a "blue chip" player coming out of HS, and it appeared at the time (and has come true) that he would be given an opportunity to play as a two-way player right away. Had he developed into a blue chip college player (he has not) he still could have still had an opportunity on the pro level. This is what went into his thought process when deciding where to go, and what schools look at.

 

Four years later, he will graduate with a great college degree at a school with a fine academic reputation and most of it paid for by an athletic scholarship, while having the chance to "play" all 4 years of D1 baseball . There was certainly nothing wrong with that.

Last edited by birdman14

Birdman...congratulations to your son!  Absolutely nothing wrong with that.  Academics can be a huge part of the decision making process....and for a lot of kids should be the major factor.

 

I was really focusing on the baseball side of things.  Many of the D1's out there are NOT high academic schools.....so just looking at how people compare the low level D1 to the high level D2 from a baseball perspective....all else (academics, etc) being equal.

 

Thanks!

 

JB

Renegades5, when we really get underneath the top level D2 vs. mid-level D1 comparison, my perspective is your questions will find pretty good answers when the focus is on the strength of the coaches and their actual coaching...how good are the staffs of each program in terms of coaching and especially developing players.

Since he is an easy target to illustrate my point, take a look at the history of Coach Gilmore at Coastal Carolina.  He has been a tireless worker and he developed players who ended up developing his program into one which is on the national stage every year.For a long time, he didn't necessarily get the top recruits. He got really good players with a blue collar attitude and he coached/coaches the heck out of them. In addition, he surrounded himself with coaches who knew what they were doing and how to develop players. On the flip side, there is one national program which has had  a number of highly ranked recruits who struggled during their college careers but are flourishing in MLB.

To be quite candid, there are D2 staffs who can coach circles around some D1 programs.  On the flip side, though, there are likely some D2 staffs who can recruit the best darn players somewhat by success and reputation and the quality of the player and attrition keeps the program really good, not the coaching and development.

For the mid-level D1 types your describe, the same considerations will apply but be harder to figure out. If the program is a mid-level D1 and not going anywhere, it will seem like the coaching won't be as strong.  Sometimes that will be true. Sometimes, however,  there are program issues outside the control of the coaches(funding and recruiting budgets being the most obvious and perhaps important)  which cause the end results for a staff which can really coach kids.

For this, I might point to a certain Assistant Head Coach at the current national champion.  The guy can coach baseball with the very, very best.  Before he went to UCLA, the mid-level D1 program where he was the head coach struggled.  It was not because they not well coached.

I am sort of saying the question, in my view and rear view mirror, is easy: find the best coaches who can teach the game and develop players. How to get the answer to that easy question can be pretty darn challenging for the college recruit and their parents. 

Very good post, infielddad.  In Bum, Jr's case he went to a Pac-10 D1 where he was marginalized before transferring to a Big-12 D1 and things finally worked out.  I would have been very nervous about Bum, Jr. committing to a D-2 for four years.

 

At the time Bum, Jr. committed to his first D1 he had a great offer from a national champion Juco (Yavapai).  In retrospect he probably should have taken that offer.  Going from a top Juco to D1 seems better than hoping for exposure at a D2.  IMHO.

Infielddad makes important points about development. 

 

In all three divisions, there are some coaches whose strategy is to recruit & sort (i.e., bring in lots of recruits every year, play whoever wins the internal competition, encourage the others to move on to make room for the next big batch of recruits), and there are some coaches whose strategy is to develop.  

 

Generally, schools that can attract enough talent to be recruit & sort programs do so; schools that can't recruit as successfully try to make up for it with more development attention.  Obviously some coaches are much better at it than others.  A very small number of coaches excel at both, and we watch them on TV in June.

 

Also, even at schools where coaches have great reputations for development, you have to ask who gets the development attention.  All coaches are inclined to give the bulk of their one-on-one coaching attention to the players who are already starting or in the rotation because that's where they'll see the quickest payback in terms of wins and losses.  

 

The player who is a "project" (i.e., arrives on campus more than a year away from contending for playing time), had better hope he is at one of the few schools that will work with him and wait for him to develop. 

 

Although it's probably true that lower division schools are less likely to be able to execute a recruit & sort strategy and more likely to emphasize longer-term development, you can't tell what kind of program a particular school has just by knowing what division it is in.

 

Some of those lower tier D1's with less than full funding employ a strategy of playing for the occasional competitive year by allocating more of their money and development resources to certain year groups.  These schools can offer great development opportunities to the right sort of player who comes along at the right time.

 

On the other hand, some elite D2's feature many players who transferred from major conference D1's after not winning starting roles as freshmen. Many of them were pro prospects out of high school who transfer to D2 instead of a midmajor D1 because they aren't willing to sit out a second year.  I watched a D2 game last spring alongside FloridaFan and Backstop-17.  The roster was stacked with stud D1 refugees, and about a half dozen were drafted at the end of the season.  A graduating high school player with mid-major offers who picks one of these D2's because he thinks he'll get more development attention at a D2 than a D1 will very likely be disappointed.

 

There is nothing inherently right or wrong with either approach.  The important thing is for players to have an accurate understanding of which environment is most likely to help them fulfill their potential, then find a school that offers that environment and, as RJM says, loves them.    

 

Best wishes,

 

Last edited by Swampboy

college parent  that is not exactly true. Sons Juco  here in Florida, Southern Conference, last two years saw plenty of top tier pitching, plenty of pro prospects. He made first team all conference last year and 6 of those kids were drafted. I think it depends on area and program. Son went D2 here in Florida. Plenty of very strong D2s here in Florida including most of sunshine state conference, which has defending D2 champs.  

Originally Posted by oldmanmoses:

college parent  that is not exactly true. Sons Juco  here in Florida, Southern Conference, last two years saw plenty of top tier pitching, plenty of pro prospects. He made first team all conference last year and 6 of those kids were drafted. I think it depends on area and program. Son went D2 here in Florida. Plenty of very strong D2s here in Florida including most of sunshine state conference, which has defending D2 champs.  

I think you misunderstand my comment.  JC positon players are drafted from all over the place every year, no question,  however you don't see many going in the first three rounds that aren't named Harper.  The pitching competition the JC players are generally going against is not the same as the ACC/SEC/PAC10 etc.so the scouts "discount" the player in terms of draft position.  My son was  told "we like you but to draft you higher$ we need to see how you hit against better pitching everyday". My sons JC team starting rotation probebley threw 83,87,90, while his ACC team starting rotation threw 92(L),93, 95. 

Originally Posted by Consultant:

what are your goals your sons goals and objectives?

watching the Tigers Oakland game. 10 players played in our events.

they all had goals and objectives. be real!,

 

Bob

Thanks Bob - love the response!

We always need to have our son's best interests when they are invited/offered at any school.  My perspective is academics come first.  Chances of playing ball at any level above college (any level - D1 through DIII) are very slim.  For many parents that may sound harsh - and I'm sorry if this isn't what you wanted to hear.  Before I hear all the "what's your son's GPA, ACT/SAT score" - he's not going to be a brain surgeon, top 15% of his 900+ class and we're preaching grades first.

 

On another note - I'm a parent that can't afford to travel / or won't take my son out of high school to play on the PG games that are always going on - can someone please explain to me where all these kids come from?  I'm confused - are all these parents putting athletics first before school?  Seems to me that some folks are all about the PG rankings, is that people think that is what is takes to get coaches to notice you? Not in our case - and NO, our son is not a pitcher.  Don't get me wrong - I have nothing against PG. 

 

Please don't ask me how my son is doing - we're pleased with his baseball skills as well.  Tough Texas District. Started sophomore year - 1st team all district.

 

Be happy for your son - have you asked him what's important to him? 

Last edited by ilovebaseball

Daughter had to make this choice.  Recruited by one top program which went again to NCAA College World Series.  Most schools mid D-I and a few low D-I.  D-II entered the picture when one of the coaches recruiting her to a D-I became the HC of the D-II. In the end, the prospect of helping them build a program and play everyday was more appealing so she picked the D-II.  Team went 41-13 last year.

 

I've coached a lot of guys who have gone on to play pro ball.  Almost all of them went the D-II route.

Here's the thing to be concerned with at the D2 level, many of the D2 teams will have teams with up to 60 players and field JV Teams which play other JV squads and area JC's in the region. Plus you have JC kids and D1 kids who transfer into the D2 schools which may add to the frustration of the larger than expected squad and having to wait your turn to play. Many times it is easier for a player to see "real" playing time all be it limited at a D1 as a frosh/soph while many kids at D2 have to wait their turn behind upper-classmen while on the JV squad and not even travel with the big team.. D1 schools have a limited amount of players on the squad and even freshmen will get some ab's or innings during midweek games plus the opportunity to play on better summer league teams where scouting takes place.  Nothing wrong with playing with a good D2 just make sure you know what you may be getting yourself into.

Great thread, been waiting to see a lot of responses.  My son finds himself in this very situation.  Knowing he is not DI at this time, but projects very well, he is being recruited by a low level DI, and a lot of JUCO's.  The low level DI, not fully funded, shows promise of seeing lots of action right away due to limited LHP's on the squad, but the love is strong.  JUCO's, he'll know he has to go in and fight.  He knows there are no guarantee's either way.  He has a tough decision to make. It's both nerve racking and exciting watching your child grow up, and developing their decision making process.

Originally Posted by ilovebaseball:
Originally Posted by Consultant:

what are your goals your sons goals and objectives?

watching the Tigers Oakland game. 10 players played in our events.

they all had goals and objectives. be real!,

 

Bob

Thanks Bob - love the response!

We always need to have our son's best interests when they are invited/offered at any school.  My perspective is academics come first.  Chances of playing ball at any level above college (any level - D1 through DIII) are very slim.  For many parents that may sound harsh - and I'm sorry if this isn't what you wanted to hear.  Before I hear all the "what's your son's GPA, ACT/SAT score" - he's not going to be a brain surgeon, top 15% of his 900+ class and we're preaching grades first.

 

On another note - I'm a parent that can't afford to travel / or won't take my son out of high school to play on the PG games that are always going on - can someone please explain to me where all these kids come from?  I'm confused - are all these parents putting athletics first before school?  Seems to me that some folks are all about the PG rankings, is that people think that is what is takes to get coaches to notice you? Not in our case - and NO, our son is not a pitcher.  Don't get me wrong - I have nothing against PG. 

 

Please don't ask me how my son is doing - we're pleased with his baseball skills as well.  Tough Texas District. Started sophomore year - 1st team all district.

 

Be happy for your son - have you asked him what's important to him? 

It's great if your son is getting attention without having to travel. But,there are a lot of us out here where that is not the case.  As far as pulling you child out to attend a showcase/tournament event, it does not mean that you are sacrificing grades.  In my sons case, if he does not do the work ahead of time, then it's a no-go.  So, it is actually a motivator.  So it's not one or the other, it's a balance, which is a great lesson to learn.  And it's not about the ranking, it's about the exposure, but like I said, if your son is getting lots of looks and attention without going this route, that is absolutely great, and I am sure a lot of us wish were in that situation....I know my bank account would be

Mine chose D1, not sure if it is low or mid but definitely not high. He had several opportunites D2 and it came down to 1 D1.  He chose the D1 for a couple of reasons. 1, they showed the most interest in him 2. He likes that size campus (18k) versus the D2's were more like 1200-1400 students. 3. History at that college shows they pitch freshman, mostly bullpen or mid week but they do get innings (he realizes e has to earn his time and they said that, they, also, said he projects as a mid week starter / closer, we wil see what he earns). He talked to other pitchers on the team and they all said the same thing, he will get innings and has to earn where he gets them. That is as fair as it can be. 4. very good reputation in his major. 5. Proximaty to home (only 20 minutes).

 

the down side was the D2's said he could be a 2 way player and he very much likes hitting and playing teh field. But he made his choice and he is very happy with it. We will see as he goes on campus in 2014-2015 how it plays out

Originally Posted by lefthookdad:
Originally Posted by ilovebaseball:
Originally Posted by Consultant:

what are your goals your sons goals and objectives?

watching the Tigers Oakland game. 10 players played in our events.

they all had goals and objectives. be real!,

 

Bob

Thanks Bob - love the response!

We always need to have our son's best interests when they are invited/offered at any school.  My perspective is academics come first.  Chances of playing ball at any level above college (any level - D1 through DIII) are very slim.  For many parents that may sound harsh - and I'm sorry if this isn't what you wanted to hear.  Before I hear all the "what's your son's GPA, ACT/SAT score" - he's not going to be a brain surgeon, top 15% of his 900+ class and we're preaching grades first.

 

On another note - I'm a parent that can't afford to travel / or won't take my son out of high school to play on the PG games that are always going on - can someone please explain to me where all these kids come from?  I'm confused - are all these parents putting athletics first before school?  Seems to me that some folks are all about the PG rankings, is that people think that is what is takes to get coaches to notice you? Not in our case - and NO, our son is not a pitcher.  Don't get me wrong - I have nothing against PG. 

 

Please don't ask me how my son is doing - we're pleased with his baseball skills as well.  Tough Texas District. Started sophomore year - 1st team all district.

 

Be happy for your son - have you asked him what's important to him? 

It's great if your son is getting attention without having to travel. But,there are a lot of us out here where that is not the case.  As far as pulling you child out to attend a showcase/tournament event, it does not mean that you are sacrificing grades.  In my sons case, if he does not do the work ahead of time, then it's a no-go.  So, it is actually a motivator.  So it's not one or the other, it's a balance, which is a great lesson to learn.  And it's not about the ranking, it's about the exposure, but like I said, if your son is getting lots of looks and attention without going this route, that is absolutely great, and I am sure a lot of us wish were in that situation....I know my bank account would be

We allow our son to attend several events each year, and it is with the understanding that he needs to keep his grades up.  (3.81 GPA) I agree with Chef; it is a balance.  I do have friends that think it is sacrilege to have kids miss school for baseball, and some that actually miss much more school for baseball.  We don't really concern ourselves with what others do.  We take each opportunity individually and decide if it is right for our son. If it is, we send him.  If the situation doesn't seem to provide the right opportunity, exposure, etc. to make it worth missing a day or two from school, we don't allow him to go.  We don't spend much time worrying about what others think. We do what is best for our son.  

Re: pulling kid out of school for a showcase

 

My son's teachers didn't care if he missed a couple of days. He was a top student. Get used to it. They miss a lot more classes playing college ball. Or go to class tired after getting back late from a weekday or Sunday bus trip.

 

His soccer coach was real pissed (despite telling him to go) because he was a top goalie. For missing a Friday game he was benched for the following game. The coach had already been pissed since freshman year my son was playing travel baseball over club soccer in the summer. He was the only player on the team not playing club soccer.

Last edited by RJM

 

Son took D2 cause they have consistently made it to the playoffs.  In our case, neither may give him much exposure due to the leagues, however D2 is known as a baseball powerhouse vs the D1 has a baseball team.

 

In either case - goal was to play baseball and get a degree...Son has to be able to JUSTIFY the commitments and potential 'exposure' while attending college.  Dreams are dreams and very few wind up with MLB contracts.  Yes, we have some posters out there that are the exception.  However for every exception, there are a 1/2 dozen who get to play college baseball and never move on.  Beyond that there are dozens more that played HS ball that stop or can't take it to college.

 

SET a goal - be realistic.  If you’re not being heavily recruited by at least 10 D1's, then consider playing where your son can develop can potentially move on.  NOT pick HOPING for exposure and that he's a draft pick.  Juco to develop is fine, however have a next step in mind.

 

If he is that good - he can always sign at an open tryout....

 

One last comment - Baseball programs are runlike businesses.  They are not considerate, they are there for a reason to continue to improve.  If your on the cusp of D1 as a freshman, you may not be there 2nd year.

 

One quote that stood out that I was told....Everyone targets schools one Divison too high for their son.  let the coaches tell you, not you tell the coaches the kid can be a D1 starter day 1.

FWIW, 

 

For years we have been asking players which colleges they are most interested in.

 

We probably have over 100,000 replies on file.  I would have to search for a whole day and might not find any college lower than DI mentioned.

 

Sometimes we see a kid that might have low DIII ability, yet he lists the colleges he is most interested in as, UCLA, Stanford, LSU and Texas.  

 

Only reason I mention this is it is very obvious what most every young baseball player wants.  Reality sets in later on.

Sometimes the reverse is true as well, PG.  I know Bum, Jr. (and dad) was thrilled to get a Pac-10 early offer.  After years of wondering if he were "good enough" it was a huge thing at the time and he accepted.  During his senior season, he had to turn down a ton of other teams --good ones-- and only then did it become apparent he committed too early.  My advice to any player on the fence, wondering if that D1 school is an attainable goal, well, if you're good enough and they know your name (exposure) you'll be okay.  There's such a thing as jumping too soon.

 

My son chose his DII (Delta State) after turning down offers to lower level D1's closer to home and it has been the greatest thing he ever did. He has had one trip to the College World Series and spent most of last season on the number one DII in the nation until they faltered in regionals out of which came the National Championship team (Tampa). In his three years of action he has played so many of the great DII teams or ranked teams that it has been a blast. His team has a lot of new guys but they are like the Yankees or Red Sox in that their coach does not believe in rebuilding years. They are expected to reach Regionals every year by the coach. They have been to the College World Series eleven times so if you sign with a program like his(Delta State) or Tampa, Mount Olive, Central Missouri, West Florida, or Southern Arkansas as well as others you will have a lot of excitement well as be seen by scouts. So one more year of excitement for us still ahead, I hope!

 

I will comment that I feel it is easier as a DII player to get drafted as a pitcher than a position player because if you throw 91-92, it doesn't matter which college division you are in they will find you. Most of our players drafted or signed as free agents are pitchers. I agree with Florida fan that it is harder to get drafted as a Junior out of a DII due to the perception that the pitching overall is weaker than D1.

 

Delta State usually plays a nearby DI in scrimmages and sometimes in real games and Delta often crushes them (last year in scrimmmages 19-5 and 16-1). Delta does get guys who were D1 and I have seen former D1 guys who have to sit and wait their turn to contribute because someone better is in front of them. For years Delta State played Mississippi and Mississippi State and while those two did win most of the time, Delta State also beat them many times. So outside of maybe the top 25-30 D1's I feel there is little to no difference from the top DII's.

 

Last  year in the large town near us, the local newspaper asked each player on a 12 year old travel team what they wanted to accomplish in baseball and most of them said (probably fed by their parents) that they wanted to play D1 ball. My first thought was that so many of them will find out they were way over reaching and probably should just be concerned to make the high school varsity eventually.  But I guess they should have dreams but so many don't realize there are many options besides D1 ball.

 

Back to the original topic. I think what happens too in DII is that the good coaches are masters at finding DI talent that is maybe undersized, needs to be redshirted one year, had some injuries on his DI team  or a case like on our team of the last few years we had a guy who tied for the lead in HRs in the nation at his Juco, but because he had a bum arm the DI's passed so he played two years for Delta as a DH and was an excellent middle of the order hitter. It's about finding those diamonds in the rough that are not in the top 200 in their state player rankings or high on the draft lists out of high school.

@Francis7 posted:

This thread is 7 years old. Has anything changed from what was shared back then?

Everything has changed. I would hate to be in a position today where my son isn’t a top ten round pro prospect or sure he’s a D3. Everything in between is up for grabs, conjecture and a lot more competition than usual. There aren’t as many slots as usual. If my son had gone through this I would have advised him to respond to the HA D3 interest he was blowing off.

I would advise when the offers come don’t take the D1 if it’s an outlier. It’s going to be very difficult for a marginal player to make a roster.

@RJM posted:

Everything has changed. I would hate to be in a position today where my son isn’t a top ten round pro prospect or sure he’s a D3. Everything in between is up for grabs, conjecture and a lot more competition than usual. There aren’t as many slots as usual. If my son had gone through this I would have advised him to respond to the HA D3 interest he was blowing off.

I would advise when the offers come don’t take the D1 if it’s an outlier. It’s going to be very difficult for a marginal player to make a roster.

This is extremely good advice.  And is exactly what my 2021 is planning on doing.  The only question now is whether he goes HA D3 or regular D3.

it is REALLY easy to fall into that trap that RJM illustrates above, especially as travel ball has evolved.  We see a ton of kids falling into that trap.  In most cities of 300,000 or more plus the surrounding area, there are a couple of big dogs, MLB Draft picks, SEC ballplayers etc... and inevitably, your son and mine grew up competing with and against those kids ... 

Just because my kid has hit singles off of D1 commits doesn’t make him D1.  Just because he threw out a MLB draft pick by 3 steps in some random game does not make him an MLB Draft pick

Its really really easy to see your son competing on the same field as the big dogs, put those Dad Goggles on and say “my son is almost as good as that kid”.  Reality Check:  he’s not.  Mine isn’t.  Yours isn’t either.

And even if he was “almost as good”... you know how many players fit that exact skillset as “almost as good”?  Thousands and thousands.

Power Fives aren’t looking for almost as good.

so anyways, rant over (for now)... go D3, get a great education, have fun actually PLAYING Baseball in college, (as opposed to sitting on the bench or being the bullpen catcher)

Last thing: if a kid really is as good as as one might think they could develop into and hits .400+ in college with HR’s left and right?  Trust me when I tell you the MLB SCOUTS will very easily find him, in D3 or a JUCO in Wyoming or anywhere

Last edited by 3and2Fastball

This is extremely good advice.  And is exactly what my 2021 is planning on doing.  The only question now is whether he goes HA D3 or regular D3.

it is REALLY easy to fall into that trap that RJM illustrates above, especially as travel ball has evolved.  We see a ton of kids falling into that trap.  In most cities of 300,000 or more plus the surrounding area, there are a couple of big dogs, MLB Draft picks, SEC ballplayers etc... and inevitably, your son and mine grew up competing with and against those kids ... 

Just because my kid has hit singles off of D1 commits doesn’t make him D1.  Just because he threw out a MLB draft pick by 3 steps in some random game does not make him an MLB Draft pick

Its really really easy to see your son competing on the same field as the big dogs, put those Dad Goggles on and say “my son is almost as good as that kid”.  Reality Check:  he’s not.  Mine isn’t.  Yours isn’t either.

And even if he was “almost as good”... you know how many players fit that exact skillset as “almost as good”?  Thousands and thousands.

Power Fives aren’t looking for almost as good.

so anyways, rant over (for now)... go D3, get a great education, have fun actually PLAYING Baseball in college, (as opposed to sitting on the bench or being the bullpen catcher)

Last thing: if a kid really is as good as as one might think they could develop into and hits .400+ in college with HR’s left and right?  Trust me when I tell you the MLB SCOUTS will very easily find him, in D3 or a JUCO in Wyoming or anywhere

Great post. In fact, consistency is probably the key thing that most people don't recognize in terms of a predictors of how far a player can go. With pitchers, it's the difference between sits and touches. With position players, it's the same thing. Just because you hit .700 in a PG tournament once doesn't offset the other 3 PG tournaments where you went hitless and didn't get the ball out of the infield. Look at the kids who everyone talks about...he's getting at least 2 hits in 98% of the PG tournament games that he plays...and they are loud hits. 

 

My vote would be to go where you have a realistic opportunity to play. One comment said, go where you get the most love. If a coach really wants you and offers a decent % scholarship that school is going to give you an opportunity to play. You’ll still have to perform to earn playing time but you will definitely get the opportunity to show what you can do. Going to a top D1 is fantastic but you have to realistically evaluate your ability against others in that program.
It’s also very important to consider academics to insure that this school offers the sort of major you are interested in. You should also consider location. Attending a school close to home can be a big plus. The ability to have friends and family watch you play can enhance the entire college experience.

I competed in football and Track at a D2. My team went to a Bowl Game and I made the National Finals in my event in Track &Field. I had a wonderful college experience and in the end, that all that counts.

My Grandson will be going to one of the Top D2 Baseball schools in the West. The primary reason is, it's close to home, the Coach will be offering him a scholarship, and my Grandson likes the Coach and his staff. This is a Win-Win, with the added bonus of the family being able to attend most all home games and several away games as well. Hopefully he'll have a great college experience and, if he's good enough, he'll be able to realize his dream of playing pro ball.

Last edited by Peach49

Would like to add follow up to this....Started following this while my son was in High School and now he is in grad school.

So my son was contacted by several mid to Low D1's and D2's.  He had a lot to choose from, some close to home, some far away, some that had his intended major and others that did not.  He wound up making an informed decision based on some of the following:

School has intended or related major (Pre Med / Medical Technology not Biology - some baseball programs tried to steer him that way)

Total out of pocket school costs  (Costs minus Scholarships)  Note at some schools he received 50% scholarships that still left more costs than other schools total costs without a scholarship.  NOTE add baseball and academic to compare.

Program background:  history of rankings, performance, number of coaches, comments on message boards about that program.   I wish I would have seen more of these from parents / athletes prior to him committing.   First visit during fall ball saw 10 kids in slings.....Several had Labrum repairs, 2 TJ surgery and my son was a pitcher.  Initially did not seem good, however coaching changed the following year reduced that 10 to 1 or 2 and some of those were recruited in (previous D1 players coming off repairs)

Town school is located in - location from home, support from family (are they able to watch games), costs, etc

NOTE:  he did not evaluate playtime since coach may tell you one thing and reality is another.  I heard of 2 way players being told will play every day, with good scholarships and then redshirted right off bat.  Son's school had a 'highly touted' kid come in with full ride (baseball combined with academic) and didn't even throw Bullpens 1st year - was told go to weight room.

He choose a high D2 school.  This school had won a couple National Championships and he actually got to pitch in D2 World Series Junior year.

Why am I posting this?  There are a lot of factors that go into decisions.  Please do not allow "D1" to overshadow a critical decision.  The number of players that make the majors is not directly relatable.   I will add in 2020 Tampa Bay had a stud pitcher from a D3.   Think bout that.   He choose that school since it was the ONLY school that would accept him.

Think about the future of what happens if he plays all 4 years and is done.   What is his major, how much did it cost, what is his future?   The number of D1 players on every team vs those who get drafted is small, even smaller for those drafted to ever make it to the big leagues.  Yes - you will always hear of the one or two that made it, however you don't hear of the thousands that did not.

Have them enjoy their sport in College while earning a degree.  Dream Big, Shoot for the stars while being realistic in pursuing a college education that you can use when you're done.  Goal should be to get a degree while playing the sport you love during.....

Well said 2013LeftyDad, as I mentioned, the most important thing is for your child to have a positive college experience and come out better prepared for life in the real world. There are so many factors to consider, but #1 should be getting a good education. Choose a school that fits your child’s best interest, both athletically and academically.

A loving dad (who is a non-expert & big cynic) - I have a dilemma as to how to best guide my son..

My son is a (soon to be 17yo) 1B Junior.  6-4" 225lbs, broad shouldered muscular build, still growing, only runs 7.4 60yd but has EV of >105 and workable infield velocity of 85 with great overall defensive skills & baseball IQ..  PG & PBR both have him in top 10 (in STATE) for his position (top 100 in STATE overall) but STILL I have NO idea where he fits in - especially with the fun that's happened over the last year & the resulting recruiting quagmire..  

HE really wants to "play D1" which I think is largely an ego thing.  To make it worse, all his teammates tell him he's a D1 player ("cynical me" thinks maybe because they too think they are also D1, or, if he's not D1, then what are they?)  To boot, his travel coaches (who are all super awesome) tell us & him he's a D1 player too - which again, "cynical me" thinks maybe at least a part of this might be to be able to say their program produces D1 players (whether that means he's in the lineup at said D1 or not)  Don't get me wrong, he definitely looks the D1 part. He has been given the gift of a very athletic physique & he does work very hard & definitely can mash.  

But still.. he's not fast.   I'm telling him he should really consider a ±top-25 D2 & that he would probably more likely to have at least a shot to play from the get-go & still play good baseball & can definitely still keep his dream alive of playing pro ball of some type by getting on a great Summer team..  

I don't want to hold him back, or crush his dreams..  And in that he's somewhat of a late bloomer, maybe he has some tiny shot of doing something even bigger..  But - D1's are not exactly beating down his door.. & my gut tells me he's a low-mid D1 or a competitive D2 realistically and that he would have much more fun being a big hitter at the D2 than potential bench-master for at least a year (or more) at a D1..

I guess my biggest question is (besides am I wrong?) is, HOW DO I HELP MY SON SEE THIS?  There are some (top-25 D2 team) coaches that have shown strong interest & that he & I are soon visiting with..  Will/can they help him "see the light" and help "sell" him on the virtues of this path ?  

Sincere thanks!  😀

Last edited by YachtRocker

As a junior this coming summer is do or die time. Chances are the metrics he’s putting up now are what they will be this summer with the possibility of slightly better. Here’s the catch. A lot of college coaches don’t recruit first basemen unless they can absolutely mash. It’s a position they see they can place a hitter who didn’t win another position.

As a player you want to go where you’re loved. You don’t want to go where they’re interested and you’re really third string insurance. You’ve said he’s had strong interest from D2’s and not D1’s. The object is to get on the field, not just on the roster.

When it’s all said and done a player should be looking for the best possible academic and baseball experience regardless of level. Regardless of division level playing college baseball is an elite club. Ultimately, it’s about what doors does the academic experience open for the first step in a career.

Everything I’ve stated is without taking Covid and larger rosters in mind. Good luck.

Last edited by RJM
@YachtRocker posted:


..............................................

I guess my biggest question is (besides am I wrong?) is, HOW DO I HELP MY SON SEE THIS?  There are some (top-25 D2 team) coaches that have shown strong interest & that he & I are soon visiting with..  Will/can they help him "see the light" and help "sell" him on the virtues of this path ?  

YachtRocker,

Print off 2013LeftyDad's post (above) and hand it to your son.   Watch him read it, and then discuss it with him.

99% of kids that want to play college baseball start off with D1.  If I had a $1 for every Dad that comes on HSBBWeb and tells the board that their son is "D1 or bust", I could retire and play golf for the rest of my life.   D1 is all these kids know, so they gravitate toward it as the NCAA does a great job of branding the D1 CWS.   As a parent, you have more life experiences even if you aren't an expert in college baseball.   Share those experiences.  I was a college athlete (tennis) and I shared my experiences with my son when he was being recruited for college baseball.   Two entirely different sports, but the principles are the same.  I thought he wasn't listening to me, but he heard every word.

If you hang out here enough, you know there are a few governing principles to follow.  The first principle is to go where your son is wanted and your son has a chance to get some college playing time.   This is a lot easier said than done...trust me.  35 players on a roster....9 position players and 9 or so primary pitchers, relievers etc.  So, 35-18=17.   17 people are going to see zero to very little actual game playing time in a season.  No only that, but the coach is not incented to keep those 17 bench players under scholarship or roster positions  the next year if they have any scholarships to give.  Those scholarship dollars are incredibly valuable to a Coach and he wants to put them to work.   

If your son genuinely thinks he is D1 material then possibly he should consider a JUCO where it won't cost him as much in eligibility.   As a late bloomer,  he could prove his value there then move to where he best fits.   Just a thought.    There are many threads about the JUCO path within HSBBWeb.

Good luck.

Last edited by fenwaysouth

As RJM said, this summer is "the time" for him to get noticed.  When you say his travel coaches say he is D1 material....what are they doing to promote him to those schools?  My son moved to a well known organization the summer after his junior year in HS and it was unbelievable how quickly things started with regard to recruiting.  A lot of coaches at their games....and his travel coaches were calling him every couple days telling him they had gotten a call from a coach and wondered if my son would be interested in their school.   What has your son done to promote himself?  He should be emailing any and all schools that he has interest in.  Include a video if he has one....and definitely include a link to his PBR profile.     As for your worry about the 7.4.  That's not a problem.  My son was recruited as a PO...but played 1B and DH his senior year due to an arm injury and I'm fairly sure he wasn't much better than that.  Hit it hard enough and the speed isn't a huge issue....especially for a 1B.   Good luck to your son!

As a Dad of a 2021 kid (who is going D3, with friends he played with over the years who are going to every level from local JUCO to SEC), I’ve learned a lot of things

1) Travel Coaches say a lot of things.  For a lot of reasons.  A kid isn’t usually D1 material until D1 recruiting coordinators are practically blowing his phone up asking him to commit, come for a visit

2). The slam dunk D1 guys who have a good chance to play a lot are getting contacted by MLB scouts

3). There are a LOT of D1 kids who spend 4 years as the bullpen catcher, or never play, or get cut after one semester (including kids who played in the Perfect Game All American Game)

4). If you are a borderline D1/D2 guy, you are a D2 guy.  If you are a borderline D2/D3 guy, you are a D3 guy.  My son got polite replies from D1/D2 coaches, but D3 coaches came out of the woodworks to recruit him, ask him to come for visits, and admissions counselors of those schools offered generous academic scholarships, help through admissions with early decision etc.   It becomes super clear what level you are, based on the way the college coaches treat you.

Last edited by 3and2Fastball

I met a dad of one of our players a few weekends ago.  His son is a freshman pitcher who is beginning to get playing time.   He more than likely could have gone to a state P5 but he wanted to to play asap and not sit on the bench. So I am assuming that's why he is there.

The dad has a younger son who was getting lots of D1 attention. COVID came, and the NCAA handed out extra years and the phone stopped ringing.

Under advisement, his son accepted an opportunity to one on the better JUCOs in our state. 

My point is that with the situation the way it is, no one really knows what's going to happen next year or the year after, so if an opportunity comes along JUCO, D2, D3, etc TAKE IT!!!   You can play anywhere and earn your degree. Sit on the D1 bench or play. This isn't always true for mid D 1 programs.  But it seems like everyone wants to play on the P5 program. It's not as easy as you think to get playing time. Ask any parent of a P5 player.

My son was a coach at a D2, they had large numbers but also a JV team. They played great baseball and many get drafted out of this program.

I searched top P5 programs the other day and the numbers on the roster are incredible, 45, 48, 52! Are you kidding me?

You only need 9!  Do those teams put in substitutes regularly?  Seriously. Or do they burn eligibility? Search carefully.

Some of those teams had players who had no stats. Oh, ok, so they will get another redshirt year, but is this what your son wants?  Do you want to pay for 5 years of college? 

I am going to strongly assume that if a one time D1 transfer is allowed, many coaches will go after the transfers before ever considering a freshman.

JMO.

I like the idea of going to a good JUCO.  options galore....  IF you are a P5 stud and you know you are going to play....that's one thing... but if your a low D1/D2 guy.... maybe you are a later bloomer, a year or two at the JUCO, you might be a true Mid Major guy.  You get to play in the spring and fall.... no NCAA to deal with

I like the idea of going to a good JUCO.  options galore....  IF you are a P5 stud and you know you are going to play....that's one thing... but if your a low D1/D2 guy.... maybe you are a later bloomer, a year or two at the JUCO, you might be a true Mid Major guy.  You get to play in the spring and fall.... no NCAA to deal with

Agree 100% and have been saying the same for years - on this board and to kids that I coach and advise. To me, the litmus test is level of interest from MLB scouts. If scouts are visiting you at home senior year of HS, telling you that you are on your draft board, then you are ready for a top 50 D1 program. If scouts aren’t on you, you aren’t ready. I think the power of social media, and how it seems to rule the lives of so many HS kids, plays heavily into the bad decisions that kids (and parents) make. There is nothing glamorous about JuCo and the kids all want the big splash on Twitter to announce the commitment to a big name school, thank everyone and #blessed. But for 90% of kids that’s the wrong decision as it relates to baseball. Like so many other things in life the solid way to go is not the glamorous way at all.

I like the idea of going to a good JUCO.  options galore....  IF you are a P5 stud and you know you are going to play....that's one thing... but if your a low D1/D2 guy.... maybe you are a later bloomer, a year or two at the JUCO, you might be a true Mid Major guy.  You get to play in the spring and fall.... no NCAA to deal with

I'm getting the sense "knowing you're a P5 stud" is WAY different now than it was 2 years ago..  A lot of kids who fit the P5 archetype pre-pandemic are finding themselves with little interest now.. And maybe all these people telling my son he should be D1 just don't yet understand the ramifications of all the extra "inventory" of great players with this little covid extra eligibility thing?

And what do you mean "you get to play Spring & Fall".  We have the sense many programs do some Fall stuff with their team.

Lastly, would my Junior start now to identify & go after JUCOs in Spring of his junior year?   Thanks!

Last edited by YachtRocker

Hey All....wanted to add anther perspective that was previously mentioned and put some actual numbers to consider....



At my sons school (I can say this since he graduated long ago).

Pre-covid….High D2 School would list 50 to 54 players on the Roster.   That meant 12 players each year Redshirted.  I thought this was bad when he was playing.

COVID...Same school now has 60 players listed on the roster...  Everyone who was there in 2020 added extra year.  Now I don't know if that's only Seniors or EVERYONE is granted another year.  If Freshmen add the extra year as well, it will be 4 years until the pool gets back to normal.

Once season starts team can only have 40 on roster.  D2's can only travel a portion of that.

Put that into your decision on which school to choose....that WILL figure into PLAY TIME.

@YachtRocker posted:

I'm getting the sense "knowing you're a P5 stud" is WAY different now than it was 2 years ago..  A lot of kids who fit the P5 archetype pre-pandemic are finding themselves with little interest now.. And maybe all these people telling my son he should be D1 just don't yet understand the ramifications of all the extra "inventory" of great players with this little covid extra eligibility thing?

And what do you mean "you get to play Spring & Fall".  We have the sense many programs do some Fall stuff with their team.

Lastly, would my Junior start now to identify & go after JUCOs in Spring of his junior year?   Thanks!

In order of your paragraphs :

1: you are correct

2: JuCos play a fall schedule of 20 or so games and there are no limits on practice time. A player gets more work in.

3: Yes

@YachtRocker posted:

Lastly, would my Junior start now to identify & go after JUCOs in Spring of his junior year?   Thanks!

I see you're in the northeast. Harford CC in MD loves mashers. They're a pretty consistently good D1 program for this part of the country (yes, juco has divisions, too). If you don't have any good programs to check out in your area, take a trip down to get a sense of juco baseball. The campus is about 10 minutes off of I95 north of Baltimore. They have a beautiful small ballpark with a turf field. Suburban setting. They send guys to all levels of 4 year colleges. Where ever you visit, make sure your son tries to contact the coach in advance. I'm sure they would be happy to meet him and say hello, and possibly get a tour.

https://harfordathletics.com/s.../GEN_0222120709.aspx

My 2014 grad was getting interest from D2 and D3 out of HS.  He really wanted to exp. D1 baseball and a university.  TPM suggested that we look into a JUCO which we did.  The JUCO was thrilled to have him and we felt he would play as a freshman which he did.  Then after two years of JUCO and having good numbers and good grades the Mid-Major team started calling.  Mid Major team teams love JUCO guys.  They are proven and have that chip on their shoulder.  Mine went to Columbia State then to Tennessee Tech ( when Tech went to the Florida State regional and the Texas regional the next year. They were one game short of the the College World Series. 

He ended up graduating , getting married, building a house and is still in touch with his teammates.   Juco is a great way to go. It's cheap, it's fun, and can lead to bigger things.  After JUCO you can go D1, D2, D3, Draft etc....

Flip side, 2018 was getting offers from top 10 schools after his soph year in HS. Listed as a t op 200 in 2018 draft , currently pitching for Vanderbilt.   With Covid and the roster being inflated it is more important than ever to go to a school where you know you will play.  Ask the coaches, be blunt,  forget the hype, it means nothing. 

Well, if academics are a priority over baseball that's another issue.  JUCO to D1 or D2 is as common as a house fly.   JUCO to D3 could be more problematic.   Again ask the JUCO coaches, I will say that make sure you do not take too many classes in HS and make sure you get an associates degree from the JUCO. that will make transferring to a 4 year school easier.  During the first semester of his second year in JUCO he will start getting offers from 4 year schools and you should ask the individual school about credits and transfers.

Wow this is all great food for thought.. My son may even be able to play on a southern JUCO.. (FL/GA/SC, etc)

And that allows more options than going to a D2 because of ease of transfer/draft/etc?

So how could JUCO possibly be "worse" than going to a mid-academic D2? (private specialty D2's may have various obvious academic advantages depending on one's field of study) but with "business".. seems it would be wide open...

Super interesting.. again thx!

Well, if academics are a priority over baseball that's another issue.

If you transfer to a D1 & get a BS/BA then - say - an MBA (just as an example) from said D1 - how is that any different than if you started out there?



I will say that make sure you do not take too many classes in HS

How is taking too many classes an issue?  (honest question!)

THANKS!  

It's all in what he wans to do. He is the one having to do it.   all these levels are very different and not really better than the other.  I have another son that went to Tufts in Boston, a D3 school.  He was very high academic and wanted to still play some college ball.   I have another that Went JUCO and after two years went D1 but realized  he did not have the smarts of time management to do both and dropped baseball.  I mentioned the other two in another post.  In my eyes if he wants a business degree and wants to pursue baseball , I would go to a FL-TN-TX Juco.... if his skills are there he will likely end up at a D1 or D2.....  My history with D2 is that the rosters are too big, the school is too expensive and you are pretty much stuck there.  not many transfers from D2 to D1 or D3 and by the time you want to transfer the Juco option is stale

@YachtRocker posted:

How do JUCO's work with (present & future) academics?   Don't need super high but can after JUCO my son typically still transfer to a decent academic school that their high school GPA/SAT would have otherwise qualified him for - presuming he did great at the JUCO?  thx

For some kids maintaining the academic challenge/edge while attending is more of an issue of where he can transfer. Where you start college doesn’t matter. The grades don’t get calculated into the graduating gpa. All that matters is where a kid graduates.

I wouldn’t expect to transfer to an HA (without baseball and outside D1) from a JuCo. But it’s been done.

Last edited by RJM
@YachtRocker posted:

How do JUCO's work with (present & future) academics?   Don't need super high but can after JUCO my son typically still transfer to a decent academic school that their high school GPA/SAT would have otherwise qualified him for - presuming he did great at the JUCO?  thx

I too am interested in this answer...I googled "High Academic" Junior College and well, it did not come up with much that was helpful.

With the huge amount of kids currently in JUCO with 4 more years of eligibility and higher academic places like Richmond now have basically a whole new class of 5th year/grad student kids (if doing this year why would they not do this going forward for at least a couple of years) I am guessing that JUCO needs to be a considered an option for my son. The kid has a 33 and a 3.7 and am guessing that even the most rigorous JUCO classes won't challenge him a ton. Even if they did will the classes/credits earned transfer to a higher academic school if he was asked to play ball at a place like an Ivy, Patriot, or an HA-D3 (e.g. Tufts, Swarthmore, JH, Emory)?

Are there any higher academic D2's with baseball?

@used2lurk posted:

....................................

Are there any higher academic D2's with baseball?

Everybody's definition of HA varies.   There are many threads on HSBBWeb that have tried to define it.   It is in the eye of the beholder.   

Based on this website that caters to HA recruiting, there are no D2s listed.   http://www.tier1athletics.org/tier-one-colleges/

However, this list tries to focus on a good mix of academics and D2 baseball.  Your mileage may vary.  https://www.ncsasports.org/bes...-2-baseball-colleges

Last edited by fenwaysouth
@fenwaysouth posted:

Everybody's definition of HA varies.   There are many threads on HSBBWeb that have tried to define it.   It is in the eye of the beholder.   

Based on this website that caters to HA recruiting, there are no D2s listed.   http://www.tier1athletics.org/tier-one-colleges/

However, this list tries to focus on a good mix of academics and D2 baseball.  Your mileage may vary.  https://www.ncsasports.org/bes...-2-baseball-colleges

UCSD is the highest academic school in that list, but they are D1 as of this year.  BTW the tuition listed for them is wrong - well, it's the out-of-state number, while they list in-state for all the other CA schools.

Don't forget Mississippi jucos.  There are a ton of them and they don't recruit heavily outside of Mississippi  and adjoining states but are always looking.  They only get 4 out of state recruits a year so they are picky but they do a good job of passing the top players on afterwards.  Very affordable.

The rule used to be can't have more than 60 hours to be eligible in juco but Covid has changed that at least temporarily.  Who knows what it will be next year.

@PitchingFan posted:

Don't forget Mississippi jucos.  There are a ton of them and they don't recruit heavily outside of Mississippi  and adjoining states but are always looking.  They only get 4 out of state recruits a year so they are picky but they do a good job of passing the top players on afterwards.  Very affordable.

The rule used to be can't have more than 60 hours to be eligible in juco but Covid has changed that at least temporarily.  Who knows what it will be next year.

100% correct on Mississippi JUCOs. And don’t be dissuaded by the D2 in front of their names. They are every bit as good as the good D1 JuCos. Considering that LSU Eunice is also in that Region, it’s the toughest D2 JuCo Region in America- and as a result is heavily recruited & scouted.

My 2014 grad was getting interest from D2 and D3 out of HS.  He really wanted to exp. D1 baseball and a university.  TPM suggested that we look into a JUCO which we did.  The JUCO was thrilled to have him and we felt he would play as a freshman which he did.  Then after two years of JUCO and having good numbers and good grades the Mid-Major team started calling.  Mid Major team teams love JUCO guys.  They are proven and have that chip on their shoulder.  Mine went to Columbia State then to Tennessee Tech ( when Tech went to the Florida State regional and the Texas regional the next year. They were one game short of the the College World Series.

He ended up graduating , getting married, building a house and is still in touch with his teammates.   Juco is a great way to go. It's cheap, it's fun, and can lead to bigger things.  After JUCO you can go D1, D2, D3, Draft etc....

Flip side, 2018 was getting offers from top 10 schools after his soph year in HS. Listed as a t op 200 in 2018 draft , currently pitching for Vanderbilt.   With Covid and the roster being inflated it is more important than ever to go to a school where you know you will play.  Ask the coaches, be blunt,  forget the hype, it means nothing.

Bacdorslider has 4 sons, all took different paths. This is the guy to listen to. 

Thank you DS for telling your story and giving advice. I think it's been important.

I am glad that you got your contacts back on!

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