MLB scout coming for a home visit.

What are the odds of getting drafted if you get a home visit?

Bsb. Not enough info to determine. There are lots of variables including, but not limited to, bonus asked, strength of college commitment, impressions created during the visit, etc.

All you can conclude is he was high enough on a scout's list to warrant a visit.

Goosegg, how does the hierarchy of interest breakdown for scouts? Just this Spring I've seen among my son's friends (four different players in these examples):

• Scouts talking to each other about a player [that is, they're following him, but it's not overt]
• A scout introducing himself to a parent, handing a business card, having a conversation about pro ball [overt interest]
• Home visit
• Cross-checkers showing up at games

1200 kids will get drafted, but the numbers being followed must be 5X that, right?

First, I'm assuming these are HS seniors.

Second, you described (pretty much) the scenario of the HS pro scouts: a few gather and always talk amongst themselves (usually pointing out all the player's flaws); a player passing the eye test (with a radar gun/stop watch/video assisting) will get a questionnaire and/or a business card; and as the player's in the scout's area perform (i.e., demonstrate to the scout a prospective MLB tool) a home visit wil be scheduled.

Cross-checkers appear for prospects who could be considered higher round selections (lets's say 11-15) and also to evaluate players who need to be seen by even higher ups. If an asst GM or high execs of a club's amateur scouting start showing up, the player is being evaluated as a single digit selection.

BUT, at any point in the scouting process a kid can disappear from the prospective club's draft board - think absolute college commitment, out of the ballpark bonus demands, injury, performance, character issues, anything really.

While there are 1200 spots, i think less than 300 HS kids are drafted. And way more than 300 (or even 1200) are scouted amd evaluated.

Clubs hold draft meetings towards mid-May. All the club's scouts participate with the goal being a ranking of the prospects (the list has already elimimated many - some were not current prospects [but will develop into one during College], bonus, etc.). For many prospects, clubs will hold workouts (sometimes regionally, sometimes at the home park) where lots of the club's talent evaluators can observe and try to reach a consensus.

Clubs pretty much argree internally about the first day of the draft; by day three it cam be an internal brawl as area scouts advocate for their picks (scouts get small bonuses for picks they sign). For players (day 2 and 3), often a phone call precedes getting picked to make sure the player can be signed, whatever. Just getting a call is meaningless, however, until the selection. (My son was called by half a dozen clubs during one of his drafts.)

It's a process with lots of nuance; just because a player is NOT drafted is not necessarily a reflection on his baseball tools; drafting a HS player has more puzzle pieces than drafting a college junior or a senior (which has 2 pieces: MLB tool + a steeply discounted bonus).

Thanks! Yes, all seniors.

Well , from my exp..... home visits are nice... and as previously stated the scout is gathering more information.   

A few things I have asked... age of the scout , how many players he has had drafted, how long he has been a scout, the size of his territory.  How did son grade out... where does he see him in their org?    

IF you are getting info from MLB you are likely in the top 300 HS players.... turning in all medical records , giving a urine sample, getting a MRI or CT scan. 

Look at this from the scouts point of view... He has a territory he covers,  sometimes he finds the player , sometimes the club tells him to go scout a player.  The scout has to turn in the charts, numbers, videos, home visits , impressions etc... IF the Dir of scouting, asst. GM's, national cross checkers are coming in you may just get drafted high enough to take the money.   If it's a area scout he may love you, and he may never grace the draft board meeting room either.  

Do some research, most of the time the top top HS players will go, the money is too good.... or a HS player that's a project  and will sign on the cheap....... but when it comes down to it... teams will take, and there's a trend to take, proven college players that fill the teams needs.... less risk, less money, ready to hit sooner.... 

Don't get me wrong, we had a blast with draft stuff.... great times, meeting nice people... but factor in the returning players, free agents, rule 5 players, foreign players , college players,  you better be ready to go take someone's job in spring training.... Oh and once you get there, it's new set of opinions ... scouts moved on to next years draft.  

Tough road for HS players that don't go in the top 3-4 rounds.....  

Enjoy... good luck 

Wow that was awesome @bacdorslider! My boy is 3 sport athlete that for the most part flew under the radar probably due to not attending the bigger showcases. He has already signed with a Div 1 school and like you eluded too, college ball is probably the way..

I appreciate the feedback!

Son had a friend drafted out of HS and went late round but the team knew his #, skimmed previous deals/slots and paid him. He went and passed on one of the best baseball schools in the SEC.

Skip ahead to now, both are playing for their respective orgs and signed for about the same. My son went to college, won an ACC championship and was an all American last season. He did not have the luxury of being drafted out of HS but that was the absolute best thing for him.

i listen to him talk now as he is in prospect camp with the Mets and he is a man. No excuses, outworks everyone and expects nothing in return and doesn’t complain or become concerned with anyone else there and their ascension vs his etc.

Enjoy the ride, and slow HS down...i miss these days

@Shoveit4Ks!!! Love it! Yup no rush and I don’t think my boy is projected for top 10 rounds..And yes, the college experience is priceless. I played some D1 football and those were surely the best days of my life.

Thanks for the response!

Shovit, can you lay out the path of the young man who signed out of HS (year 1 which level, year 2 which level, etc.)

This is what I see online. He’s a talented CF with speed and his as scouts described an interesting hit tool.

FWIW: for the most part (Vlad Jr. is the unreal exception, ditto Bo Bichette), it's:

• Rookie ball, e.g., AZL
• Low A
• High A

Then lord knows.

So, the milb career of the HS player Shoveit posted is very informative and also typical of the path of the overwhelming number of HS signees.

For families even considering signing from HS, the seeming advantage of an early pro start is basically a mirage - especially compared to what a HS signeee gives up.

Four years in and the HS player made high A; note that the biggest jump is to AA and his stats dont get him there (yet). Four years in, the college (4 yr) player has whatever 3 college years brought in course credits (typically 2.5 - 3 yrs worth), and one season in milb (most likely SS). Both report this spring; the HS player is ticketed to high A; the college player has a legit shot at high A, but most likely will be assigned to low A full season. So, passing on college was worth - most likely - one season advantage. AND the HS player has been forced to mature in milb; the CP matured in the half-way house known as college. 

(Pitchers may even essentially lose that first draft season (whether HS or college) due to limits on innings.)

While one size doesn't necessarily fit all, fewer options are burned by going to college and there are few real advantages for passing on college ball.

Imo.