Must you have a PG rating?

Is your son on a competitive summer team?  Will he play at showcase/tournaments where college coaches will attend this summer? Or on college campuses?  At the PG WWBA tournament in Georgia or in Arizona?  

If so, and with all the attention he is already receiving, he may not need a PG showcase and rating.  If he isn't committed by the summer, you could always decide then for him to showcase and get a PG rating, especially if he has improved and is considered a pro prospect.  But you can wait until summer to decide.

keewartson committed without a PG rating, but he attended 4 PG tournaments over the years, so there is some background on him buried in their database, whether that helped (or hurt) him I have no idea!  

JMHO.

Of course it isn't necessary, but if he has improved, it can't hurt.  I believe the PG Rating has helped my son a great deal.  

I didn't take down Bum, Jr.'s first score, a disappointing 6.5.  Instead, he worked at his game and displayed tremendous improvement.  At his next PG showcase, just over a year later, he rated 9.5.

Please have no shame in a low PG rating.  Take it as a challenge.  These folks at PG are human and sometimes they peg it right and sometimes they have to be shown I'm better than you know!  But I know Mr. Ford and I can tell you PG rates you as honestly as they can.  Swallow the bitter pill and buck up.

My 2015 son has caught attention from 4 D1 schools-one talking scholarship. They have all seen him at their camps. Before he goes he sends brief email w some of his numbers/accomplishments listed as well as very short video. PG numbers are on there-his velocities/run times etc. He did make tourn team at PG event, as well as top prospect list from one of their showcases, and that is highlighted also. IMO PG info can be used as quick reference for coaches, but they always want to see player in real game situations which is what happened w my son w school that is talking scholarship.

if son was not getting attention and had low score I would have him go again, but if he was being seen at camps/games and schools r interested, it may not be worth money. I would ask coaches how much stock they put into PG scores or PBR when they r talking w you. 

I'm not sure if coaches believe the PG numbers more than they believe their eyes.  The road I took with my son was to get him seen in person by as many schools as possible.  Let me refine that a little, he had a list of 20 or so colleges that he thought would be a good fit and made as many of those camps as possible along with email contact and having a good video his pitching on the web.

Our high school coach was a good resource.  He would make contact with some teams we were interested in and helped to ensure my son got in front of that coach personally or on tape.

Cal

I’m talking from a 2015 pitcher perspective.  Position player may be different.  Attending a PG event is definitely not a “must”.  Although you do need to get your name out there.  Our area has several showcases each year put on by JuCo’s, baseball academies, or lessor known “showcase” type companies.  These seem to be a bit less stressful than the larger events.  Usually cost between $50 - $120, with no travel.  If you put up good numbers at a showcase, even a small one, the baseball people seem to find out.  We attended a very small showcase in early Dec with only 20 schools, no D1’s.  Son put up good velocities on all three pitches, within a week we had about 15 “prospect” inquiries – from top D1’s to D2’s to JuCo’s.  I have no idea how they found out.  If the numbers are good, you can also use these “verifiable” velocities when you contact schools you are interested in – “FB velocity XX at XYZ showcase on 12/07/13”.

I wouldn’t count on getting noticed just playing on a good summer team.  Recruiters don’t normally show up to watch random summer games.  They show up to see someone on their recruiting list.  You get on their list by making a name for yourself.  You make a name for yourself by creating interest through showcases, not necessarily PG or PBR.  Of course you need to have the skills first.  For a pitcher it’s primarily velocity.  So unless you’re at least 80 as a Fr, 82 as a So, 84 as a Jr, and 87+ as a Sr, I don’t think I would attend a showcase, for sure not a national one.