Need guidance for a 14 year old player.

rain delay,

Sounds like your son is very talented. It might help you (later on) to understand the tools most important at each position.

The pitching will take care of itself.

Sounds like he can hit. Sounds like he can throw. Probably a bit too early to figure out what kind of power he will end up with.

If he can run, I wouldn't worry about the other outfield positions. Centerfielders always create the most interest. If he doesn't run well, right field might be the best fit. Left field and first base are hitting positions first and foremost. Not that hitting is any less important at the other positions.

Size can also be a factor, if you have an idea as to how big he might end up being. Sounds like he might end up being fairly big.

At most showcase type events you might play all the outfield positions. You are likely to play 1B as well. For sure you will pitch. For sure you will hit. If you hit well others will figure out the position based on your present and projected tools.

He is young, keep doing a bit of everything and enjoying the game. Things will work out the way there supposed to regarding the position. Just watch over and protect his arm.

Good luck

quote:

Do they recruit players that are left handed that can play multiple positions and let them continue to play multiple positions?

It really depends on who "they" are. Coaches and programs deal with this in various ways. But one trend is clear-- the higher the level of the team, the more likely that a player will be used at one position only. A higher level team could mean simply a big high school, or could mean a college level team. With a talented team, most players can provide value only at their best position.

Let's take outfield as an example, and I'll use performance that is seen at better high schools where I live. If a player can't run a 7.2 second 60 yard dash, he can't play outfield, no matter how well he hits. Most OF players are closer to 7.0 seconds. A lefthander who is slower than that either pitches or plays first or is a designated hitter. So if your player is slower than, say, 7.3 at 14, he doesn't have a rosy future in the OF, unless he attends a smaller school. Working on OF skills may be entertaining, but a player has to be fast to get that position.

If the outfield isn't available, a lefthanded player needs either a big bat or be able to pitch. To play first or be a DH, typically a player needs to be in the top 3 or 4 hitters on the team. Frequently they are the two best hitters.

So, if a lefthander is fast, hits for average and power, and has a 85mph fastball, he can play OF. first or pitch, and he'll end up wherever the coach has the greatest need.

However, darn few players have have all those tools. If not, the dividing line for position players is speed. In my opinion, if a player can run a 7.0, there is little point in practicing grounders or picking the ball.

That's for high school players. In college, two-way players are quite rare, because it is too dificult to remain skilled both as a hitter and a pitcher.

rain delay.. Welcome to HSBBW! You'll find this a very addicting site with a lot of great members.

I think your son's progression with the bat will largely determine his path. Get some honest feedback from a college coach or two, or at a showcase or two, whether or not hitting is his thing. At 14, it may be too early to determine this, but in the next year or two it will be more clear.

If he ends up focusing on pitching only, that's a blessing, too, being that he is left-handed. Just be sure to get him good mechanical instruction and check out previous threads on long-toss to develop arm speed.

Good luck!

Rain delay,
Welcome to the HSBBW.

From are experience play all the positions you can.
They will let you know were they need you.
Son also a Lefty, excellent hitting ability in HS.
Hasn't touched his bat in College.
His value to the team is as a LHP.
One piece of advice I received here on the HSBBW.
How good can you become.
If you concentrate on just 1 position.
But at 14 its to early to decide in my opinion.
Have fun watching these years.
Time will take care of the decision making for you.

EH

Thanks guys for your advice. At this time,I'm getting my son a good variety of agility training, pitching lessons and hitting lessons from ex-pros. The pitching teacher is excited by his natural sinking fast ball and change up. The hitting guy is excited by his ability to crush the ball and his hand speed. I wanted to give him the opportunity to decide by exposing him to all the positions. As you say, time will tell. As my father once said to me, "I'll supply if you apply." I'm trying to do the same thing with my son. Point blank, he still absolutely loves baseball and apparently has some ability, and I think that is a good thing for a 14 year old. Thanks again for your responses.

Wouldn't concern about marketing him yet. Let him focus on making his team and contributing wherever they need him. His talent will show up at whatever position they put him.Hopefully he will play the position he is best at for where the team needs. He seems to have all his options open by playing the of/inf as well as pitch.

You seem to have done a good job preparing him. Good luck to your son keep us updated.

Colleges do recruit two way players and being lefthanded is definitely a plus in the pitching department but limits him in the position he can play as you indicated. His greatest asset as a position player will be his ability to generate offense of which his bat is the main part of that.
I might add as the size (competitiveness) of the college division and conference increases the number of two way players in that conference decrease. It's not uncommon for an excellent pitcher to be a very good hitter and NEVER pick up a bat in college. You'll just have to see in which area your son excels (maybe both) and go from there. My son was a 2 way player in college and I think it made for a more rewarding college baseball experience. He declined college offers that wanted him primarily as a pitcher with the "promise" that he could bat. He opted for a college that wanted him as a position player first allowing him to establish himself as a hitter knowing all along that he could pitch if he wanted to. He was a catcher/closer as a freshman and in the weekend rotation as a sophomore playing different positions 1B/3B/DH when he wasn't pitching --- then opted to go to catching only as a junior.

Sometimes I think I should have encouraged him to stick with one position but other times I know he enjoyed doing both.

I think it was John Olerud who said he was a pitcher until his third year of college. While he is certainly the exception to the rule, I would not be so rushed to pick a position to the exclusion. The coach odf his spring and summer teams will have an idea where he fits best. I don't know of any high school programs which take the bat out of a pitcher's hands, unless they have better hitters on the bench. At 14 I would let him play and practice at as many positions as he can

On a personal note, my son was recruited as a LHP to a DIII school. After his senior spring season the coach wrote a note telling him to make sure he brought his bat and 1B glove to fall practices. It is still very early in his college career, but for now he is listed as LHP/1b on the roster.