can someone please give a cliffs note version of PG ratings and when we should start trying to get one and how...many, many thanks in advance!
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JUSTSOMECOACH, Welcome to the site! This topic has been cussed and discussed but the general consensus is that PG Showcases are a good resource to get third party measurable information and an unbiased opinion of your son's ability, compared to his peer group. The other popular opinion is that a player probably needs something to showcase before hitting a PG event because the numbers live on until they are improved by attending another PG event or showcase.
My opinion for PG Showcases is pretty simple. If the kid wants to go, has some ability, you can afford it...why not, but I would wait at least one more year to go.
Thank you greatly...great site---another one i'm on is down for some reason--or at least my devices cant get it to work----thnx again
The PG rating is sort of the pinnacle for ratings (expert, national coverage, etc), but certainly not free nor even cheap. Many folks would recommend doing some more local events where measureables are taken (local college camp?) that are inexpensive (both in terms of showcase cost and any associated travel) just to get some ballpark figures - then you can always compare to the PG database. If you are truly top 25% of class, then you may want to be a little more aggressive in getting the PG rating - if you are bottom 25%, you may never really need to pursue a PG rating but might still be able to pursue college opportunities are the appropriate level.
As with a lot of answers, "it depends" should always be a part of this answer.
thanks, all of this is good to know...and a lot different than college volleyball recruiting ---my daughter will be in her sophomore season in that-----i think it was way easier lol---i basically just emailed coaches and heard back from 95% of them----i think what got their attention was her being named an under armour junior phenom one of 12 in the state----lot more competition with boys sports though
Welcome to the site. You can search posts here and you will find a ton on PG ratings. PG is the one entity that is most universally followed by recruiters. The rating system is familiar to them and considered quite reliable. 2017LHPscrewball mentioned "it depends". That is definitely appropriate here. If your 8th grader is already considered a top player beyond his local circles, you may want to start looking at getting him into the PG data base. Otherwise, for the 98% of other good players, no rush.
There is also a ton of information here on putting together a recruiting plan. Again, unless your son is likely high D1 recruit (and you would know it if he is) at this time, no rush. But, eventually, your/his overall recruiting plan will factor in to how important getting him into the PG data base is. For example, if he ends up with a very specific career focus and/or a very narrow school list, PG ratings may not matter. He will need to get in front of those few schools and they will either like him or not.
If your son is like most, he will not have a great deal to show now as compared to when he develops in a few years. So, in that instance, for now, it may make sense just to take him to a few local showcases to get him comfortable with the format. Then, when he has something to show to college recruiters, he can start thinking about the important exposure events.
Make sure you enjoy every step of the journey along the way... don't get too caught up looking so hard at tomorrow, you don't see all of today.
justsomecoach posted:thanks, all of this is good to know...and a lot different than college volleyball recruiting ---my daughter will be in her sophomore season in that-----i think it was way easier lol---i basically just emailed coaches and heard back from 95% of them----i think what got their attention was her being named an under armour junior phenom one of 12 in the state----lot more competition with boys sports though
Good, then you already sort of know... you will know when they start receiving outside attention from sources tied to recruiting circles. There is also a lot of information on the typical recruiting timetable for baseball here. It is likely a bit different than for girls VB. I'm not intimately familiar with that schedule but girls sports are typically earlier than boys. For example, if your son is high-academic but not targeted at D1, he may not get actively recruited until junior or even senior year of HS.
A PG rating is not something a kid needs until he has something to show and the ability to draw attention. In 8th grade the only kids who need a PG rating are kids who have already started growing and filling out AND he is the player everyone notices every game he plays.
As players get older the rating becomes relevant when size and skills become projectable (based on his current age) to D1 to powerhouse D3 potential.
But the number is nothing more than a brochure to draw attention. College coaches want to see tools, mechanics, skills and awareness on the field.
justsomecoach,
Welcome! Cabbage & others are correct...
See HSBASEBALLWEB.COM in blue bar across top of page? In drop down menu is Recruiting tips & Articles...READ all you can to get an understanding of how baseball recruiting works. Follow the timeline. Some articles were written 15-18-20 yrs ago & may not be pertinent any longer.
Go on & become familiar with current NCAA rules on their website. Once your son gets to sophomore-junior in HS, he needs to register with NCAA. He will need to establish a working relationship with his Guidance Counselor as soon as he starts HS to make sure he stays on top of HS grad requirements, any dual enrollment (College & HS) or College credit classes offered. Be careful that any potential school will accept these courses. If he winds up in-state, likely no problem. Out of State may be a different story. Private Colleges may not accept DC's...
Enjoy the ride!
JUSTSOMECOACH,
Some good advice by others to your question. One thing I would add, even though tools/measurables are important, a players grade at the younger ages especially is dependent on over all playability and projection. Hint... Quick twitch is important.
Bottom line, if your son is advanced for his age and has talent, he might think about attending. However, there is no rush to get this done. Truth is, it helps us sometimes as much or more than the player when they attend showcases. Our goal is to have as much information as possible on every young player we see. Then in the end that history becomes valuable in further projection. Many MLB clubs love it, especially for HS players. Often they have very little history on those kids compared to college players.
To simplify if we see two pitchers for five years, A and B. Both are seniors topping out at 92 mph. Both are similar in just about every way including size.
Pitcher A 5 year history. 86-89-91-92-92
Pitcher B 5 year history. 76-80-84-88-92
Just based on their history, which pitcher would you project to be better next year or in the future? Nothing is ever for sure, but you have to go with the information available. It even gives clues about work ethic, desire, and makeup in some cases.
One more thing and I have no idea if it pertains to your son. If he happens to be one of the very best in the 2021 class, I would highly recommend he attend. Last year we started something similar to our Nationally televised All American game for this age group. It was an amazing event, nationally televised with some outstanding young talent. There was a player in that event whose dad contributes here. I would have to say it is as big as baseball can get for that age group. Things will change, but we expect some of those players to stay among the best in their class for the next four years. We select those players from all the PG events we do, both showcases and tournaments.
If your son is like most kids his age, please believe me, he has plenty of time to further develop and become a high level prospect. We certainly don't see every top 14-15 year old play at that age. Wish we could somehow, but that is impossible.
So the only way you should think about spending the money to attend is if your son is an exceptional player in his age group. Or if for some reason you feel fairly sure he will become an excellent prospect for DI college or professional baseball. Sometimes bloodlines play a part in that. We have seen it too often to ignore it.
Just to be honest... We do not want bad players to attend PG events. There are more than enough good players to make our business work fine. We simply cannot help someone that isn't a good player. Obviously none of this pertains to specifically your son. Just some info that might be helpful to you, I hope.
justsomecoach......your profile says you're in the Midwest. If you're in a state covered by Prep Baseball Report (PBR) you can catch one of their showcases/events relatively inexpensively....get some true measureables and see where your son stacks up against others his age, both in state and in neighboring states. As others have said, unless he's already 6' throwing 80+ I don't see the need for a PG rating at this point. If you're in Ohio or Michigan, PM me if you'd like. I can give you some info on how my son started the process at your son's age in this area
RJM posted:In 8th grade the only kids who need a PG rating are kids who have already started growing and filling out AND he is the player everyone notices every game he plays.
And that is a good point but really only relevant if the kid is playing the absolute top competition around. As an example, my son is playing 14U Majors Baseball in Wisconsin. He's faced one pitcher who throws in the 80's. A few pitchers who threw high 70's but couldn't throw strikes. And a bunch of pitchers throwing high 60's to mid 70's. Standing out as the player everyone notices around here means zero in the big picture Perfect Game national picture.
On a National level, the best of the best 14U's are throwing mid 80's to low 90's and consistently throwing strikes. Would a kid stand out as the best of the best against that competition?
One thing I've seen is that the Travel Ball landscape for current 13-15 year olds has changed drastically from even just 5-10 years ago. I think a lot of people would be shocked at just the sheer physical development of some of these kids these days.
Thanks again everyone, and PG staff...! I'll bookmark this post and go through everything as suggested. Great feedback and advice, much appreciated
If an 8th Grader is over 6 feet tall, throwing over 80 mph, is running the 60 from 6.9-7.1 or lower and has 90 plus exit velocity off the tee and is really good at playing Baseball, then perhaps a PG Showcase makes sense. You can get those measureables taken at a local facility or at a less expensive showcase
Perfect Game Showcases cost $600 plus travel expenses and are, in my opinion, worth every penny and more, but for us we need to estimate when is an appropriate time to start down that road
One thing that can be very helpful is if you can get the objective opinions from current/former college/pro coaches & players who have seen your kid play multiple times. Not everyone has those types of connections, I understand that, and it cannot be someone you pay money to (such as an instructor or travel coach) and it can definitely not be a relative or close friend. But someone who is a straight shooter can tell you if your kid looks like a D1/MLB prospect and if not what they need to work on.
my son has time left, gonna let him be a kid and keep growing and working ....thanks for all the replies and thank you PG....great stuff
One of the great turns of phrases that I picked up from another coach years ago goes, "The thing about seeking exposure in baseball is, you might get exposure, but you might get EXPOSED."
Meaning, a lot of people go out there and do the recruiting events including showcases and tournaments and they assume that if they work the system hard enough things will happen. This is actually a cynical view of recruiting, i.e., the belief that you can buy your way into a college roster spot.
But while a talented player needs to get exposure, for a less than talented player, you might be paying just to get exposed -- and written off. And continuing the process will only empty your bank account with nothing but frustration to show for it.
If your son is a talented player, then I think one year from now is plenty soon enough to do any showcasing. And I would add that if he does a PG event, there's really no reason to do any others, because when you're done you'll have a player web page with a reliable scouting report posted for all to see. Just be sure he's ready for that day when it comes, so that he shows well and gets the report you are hoping for. One PG event per year will document his measurables and also result in his web page showing his progress (or lack thereof).
If your son is really just going to enjoy HS ball and is not really a college (or pro) prospect, then showcasing is not for you. If you feel you are knowledgeable enough and objective enough to make that assessment yourself, great. For most players, it's advisable to ask someone knowledgeable and who is willing to tell it to you straight.
To clarify, that's as to showcases. Tournaments are another thing altogether. Play all the tournaments you like. It's a game, and it's supposed to be played! If something further comes of it, great. If nothing more than the opportunity to play more right here and right now comes of it, then I say, enjoy it while it lasts. It all ends too soon, so grab all the games you can while you can.
3and2Fastball posted:RJM posted:In 8th grade the only kids who need a PG rating are kids who have already started growing and filling out AND he is the player everyone notices every game he plays.
And that is a good point but really only relevant if the kid is playing the absolute top competition around. As an example, my son is playing 14U Majors Baseball in Wisconsin. He's faced one pitcher who throws in the 80's. A few pitchers who threw high 70's but couldn't throw strikes. And a bunch of pitchers throwing high 60's to mid 70's. Standing out as the player everyone notices around here means zero in the big picture Perfect Game national picture.
On a National level, the best of the best 14U's are throwing mid 80's to low 90's and consistently throwing strikes. Would a kid stand out as the best of the best against that competition?
One thing I've seen is that the Travel Ball landscape for current 13-15 year olds has changed drastically from even just 5-10 years ago. I think a lot of people would be shocked at just the sheer physical development of some of these kids these days.
You are right 3and2 it has changed. But I think you are a little high there. Very very few 14's anywhere are throwing mid 80's and darn near none are 90. Only a few freaks. But your point is valid. Unless you are an outlier it's fairly pointless to do a PG showcase. My son likely will never showcase. Many D3 types never showcase. He is simply not at that level. I can read others profiles and see where my son is. Here is my rule of thumb. When I believe he is a recruitable player he will showcase. If he never reaches that level I will simply save the money.
Exposure vs. Exposed, great way to put it. I believe most parents never consider the down-side to showcasing. Ask yourself: is he athletic? If not, then train to improve athleticism. Does he have an above average understanding of his primary position? If not train to improve the skill at the position. Is he healthy? If not, do not let scouts/recruiters see him, measurables will suffer and sends a terrible message/says something about the adult that put the kid in that situation. To the OP, for the most part let him get a season of high school baseball under his belt before too much effort is put into the recruiting process, if he's advanced they will find him and the timeline will be accelerated. Best of luck and good luck to your son this summer.
Truthfully, showcasing at the 8th Grade Level could have some benefits, but probably not in the way of garnering a lot of interest. The benefit would be for the kid to see what he is up against. Traveling out of area to a big venue can be a real eye opener for kids, but it gives them something to shoot for. When a kid is from Idaho, and they go to Salt Lake, Vegas, Phoenix, etc., they see that they aren't the big fish anymore. It can definitely provide motivation.
Personally, if your kid is pretty good, I would say go for it. If he doesn't put his best foot forward, it is no big deal, because it is so early in the process. He can improve the rating later when it matters more.
We've all seen it too often -- the parents see their son through rose-colored glasses, they pay to send him to showcases, the evaluations come back at levels that they find disappointing, no recruitment materializes, and the parents start carping about how they got screwed. I can't tell you how many posts there have been on this board over the years attacking PG for being -- gasp! -- a profit-seeking venture! Those capitalist fiends!
The role of PG is to see, assess, and report, all as accurately as possible. That's what your money buys you, nothing more. It's not at all PG's job to deliver a glowing report in exchange for your money. All you pay for is an honest assessment, one delivered by trained professionals who aren't blinded by parental bias. For this reason, you shouldn't be paying to have that done unless you have reason to believe the reporting at the end will be favorable.
I will say there is a certain justice in having the uber-helicopterer pay to have illusions dashed. But it's probably not nice of me to feel that way.
I took my two 8th graders to a local showcase yesterday where there were 13 schools. Only thing that we wanted out of it was to get a starting point and experience. Of course they were nervous but overall it was a great experience. No they didn’t light up the gun while on the mound, but now we have somewhere to start. My catcher had a pretty good pop time, he was only .2 sec behind a senior D1 commit and .02 behind a junior D1 commit. But now they both know what is expected of them at the next showcase. After it was over a couple of the coaches stopped them and told them they were impressed and to keep working hard and it will pay off. It was the best $100 I have spent.