PG Pitcher/Catcher IA showcase

Probably depends on how your current exposure (via club team) matches up with target schools - and whether the PG event will in fact help with similar matching of schools.  Any specifics on what the target list looks like and whether he has been able to get in front on many of these?  Or, are you looking to cast a wide net?

They don't actually provide a target list. It would probably be a similar match with a few exceptions to what he's been in front of. Primarily from the Midwestern pool. 

There could be more economic options at this stage of his recruiting...  It would helpful to know what class is your son 2017, 2018?

Thanks. He is a 2017 grad

Do you and/or your 2017 have a target list - based on whatever baseball evals you may have received AND 2017's academic profiles?  I would assume that if you club team has sufficient contacts to get several D1's to attend their clinics/camps, then they should probably know which coaches generally attend the Cedar Rapids event.  Probably worth it if your target schools are expected to be there, probably not worth it if simply casting a wide net.

I don't have experience with this event, but from experience I can tell you PG runs very organized events.   What is your motivation to go?  The rating?  Does he have measurable's that will get attention?  How big is he?  How hard does he throw?  How good of a student is he?

What are his target schools?  I'd be thinking about events where some of those colleges are attending.  Also, it could make more sense to hold off for a PG Sunshine or Academic showcase in May or early June.  He could get ranked there, then, if he did well he could get invited to the PG National showcase.  More exposure opportunities... A lot of colleges throughout the nation attend these events.   Could be better bang for the buck.

Has he communicated much with any schools?  Any interest? 

Not answering your questions, but it's all related so that you can develop a recruiting plan and timeline to increase probability for your son.

Sometimes people tend to think a player just shows up and colleges start recruiting them.

Here is how it works... There could be 100 colleges watching your player perform and there might be very little interest, if any.

There could be no colleges in attendance and your player is outstanding.  There will be many colleges that show serious intertest. We have seen this happen over and over every year. The door is open!

You see, we really publicize the kids that can play and college coaches trust us.

So rather than ask how many colleges will be present, first ask if you have the talent to impress them. Truth is, if you impress us you will be very happy in the end.  If you don't impress us, you are not going to impress the college coaches that are there.

This leaves one question that will help you decide whether this or any event is worthwhile.  How talented is your player?  We actually don't see very many kids that lack talent.  But when we do I always wonder why they are spending so much money coming to our event. We can't do anything for them.  For those with talent, we can let the entire baseball world know about them. That is about as good as it gets for a young player.

Along those lines I have a question. My son played 14u last year. We played 4 PG tournaments and saw very little of PG staff anywhere. I understand not a showcase. In one of the events they picked an all tourney team and my son didn't even throw because they were saving him as Sunday pitcher and we got eliminated Saturday afternoon ( not happy with coach that day for sure). On another occasion he was throwing in a semifinal and actually had some one from PG staff visit him in dugout during game and ask him questions...(i.e. High school, Twitter handle etc) and post a pic of him throwing and commented on him on pg staff Twitter feed. I'm guessing that attention that day is a hint at least somebody with PG was impressed or no? I know my son was excited to be talked to in dugout anyhow! Just curious....

So how do you know if your son has the talent to make it worth while? My son is a 2018 and at the end of the summer his FB was clocked at 85. He also catches and plays 3rd. Not sure how you get invited to a PG event, and how you decide if it's worthwhile for your son? We are just starting to think that baseball beyond high school might be an option for him, and trying to learn a lot, so any insight helps. 

2019lefty,

If those tournaments were run by Perfect Game I assure you there was PG staff at every game.  There are certain qualifiers that are run by people other than PG.

IowaMom,

If your son is a 2018 throwing 85 last summer and he lives in Iowa, you should email staff@perfectgame.org right away.  Of course there are other things to consider, but 85 at his age will definitely create interest.  BTW, over the past 20 years all but one player that has gone on to play DI college baseball or that has been drafted in the state of Iowa has played in PG events.  85mph before his sophomore year is enough to make the above a possibility.

Is there a difference between the different PG showcases? Which ones get you the most exposure? Son is 2018 and i am considering a PG showcase this summer. Will the national ones be better or can we stay local in TX and get just the same exposure? Is there a difference between summer and winter showcases? I would like to get some feedback on the most cost effective way to get maximum exposure. Thanks in advance.

Thank you all for the info! I have a 2017 RHP going to this event. This is his 1st showcase, and we (mom and dad) were hoping for this event to help start the process in his baseball journey.  Sounds like he picked a good one to start with. Thx-nebraska parents!

HOWDYBASEBALL,

Once again everything depends on how talented your son is. If he has the talent to play at the highest level or be a pro prospect, it is always best to get involved in the National events.  

Many ask why if he plans on staying within his state does he need to attend a National type event.  The reason is it opens up opportunities and increases his value everywhere, including his home state.

That said,  if we see this type of player at any event, we will do everything possible to get him to a National or at least regional type event.  If we see talent people will know.

Someone emailed me and asked what makes us such an authority on talent?  It wasn't asked In the right way so I didn't bother to reply. Had I replied here is what I would have said...

When you look at the rosters of the top college programs and the top conferences, nearly the entire rosters are often players we have seen while in HS.  If you look at the MLB Draft and nearly all the early picks are players we have seen in HS.  When you understand that nearly 800 of these players we have seen in HS have ended up playing in the Big Leagues and that number is growing fast each year.   It really isn't that difficult being an authority on the necessary talent it takes.  It's actually sort of simple, the more you see, the better you get.  This is not rocket science!

PGstaff - thank you for the reply.

Personally, i am already aware of PG's effectiveness in talent scouting and know that these events are highly regarded in the baseball community. Kudos to PG on this success!

PG - I think you might have left out some valid info on who else is also looking at kids - and the relative numbers they each see in a given season and perhaps on a repeat basis.  I don't know your numbers, but can only assume that your counts are a multiple of others - 10x+ for all but a few.  I'm sure there are some regional differences (PBR's coverage comes to mind even though I personally am not familiar with them), but for the "typical" D1 - not counting all the Top 100 listings - PG has got to have by far the broadest and deepest coverage.  Not saying this is the best option for every kid (some can/should work on exposure to smaller, targeted lists), but I think your answer on what makes PG the authority is lacking some necessary statistical support.  

Has the OP provided any basic stats on his 2017 pitcher?  Not sure he has gotten a really good answer yet due to lack of some necessary details.

PGstaff,

As a follow up, it might be nice to know how you define talent at the national level? Velocity>x, 60yard<x, ht>x, wt>x? 

Sorry all- I was out fulfilling my last minute holiday procrastinator roll, and was delighted to see the responses and interest to my OP.  My 2017 is 5'11 190. (I'm 6'1 and grew after junior year so hoping he can get another inch or so).  He had a max FB last fall at 86. Sits 81-84.  He is athletic and has been timed in the 60 at 6.55. As he has developed his mechanics, he has gained 5 mph to his FB since he started HS. His club team is well known in the Chicago/I-94 area for producing pitchers. When he tried out for them as OF/RHP last year, even after seeing a 6.8 60 and plus arm, they told him he should focus on pitching, as that was the area they saw him developing and playing at the next level. While it was a difficult decision, he went that route and has been able to play on their A team. While they have other bigger, projectable, harder throwing pitchers, I guess they see something in him. He does show good off speed, produces ground balls, and can get outs.

Again, given that the club is well known and has some history in producing players, do they have ideas on what activities he should be doing - based on the level of college ball they see him playing?  Any other guys from that team heading over to Cedar Rapids?

Not sure, based on your description he should only be pitching. 6.55 and a strong arm are two tools that really stand out.  Also, FWIW, power arms often develop into power hitters.  

There is a 2016 by the name of Josh Lowe who we selected for our All American Game.  He is a tall (6'4") RHP and throws in the mid 90s with a good breaking ball and change up.  At the same time he is the #1 tools guy in his class.  Plus runner, Plus Arm, Plus Field, Plus hitter, Plus Power.

He would be a first round pitcher, still might be, but we think a MLB club will draft him very early as a position player.  We are very happy that no one turned him into a pitcher only.

He is just one of many examples.  

Based on size, athleticism, and the two already obvious tools your son possesses, I think it would be wise to have him play a position.  Zack Greinke was mostly a position player in his younger years and just pitched some.  He was still drafted as a pitcher.

Guess I don't believe in kids that have plus tools becoming pitchers only, unless they are among the very best pitchers in the country.

PGStaff posted:

Not sure, based on your description he should only be pitching. 6.55 and a strong arm are two tools that really stand out.  Also, FWIW, power arms often develop into power hitters.  

There is a 2016 by the name of Josh Lowe who we selected for our All American Game.  He is a tall (6'4") RHP and throws in the mid 90s with a good breaking ball and change up.  At the same time he is the #1 tools guy in his class.  Plus runner, Plus Arm, Plus Field, Plus hitter, Plus Power.

He would be a first round pitcher, still might be, but we think a MLB club will draft him very early as a position player.  We are very happy that no one turned him into a pitcher only.

He is just one of many examples.  

Based on size, athleticism, and the two already obvious tools your son possesses, I think it would be wise to have him play a position.  Zack Greinke was mostly a position player in his younger years and just pitched some.  He was still drafted as a pitcher.

Guess I don't believe in kids that have plus tools becoming pitchers only, unless they are among the very best pitchers in the country.

Thanks for your input.  I was not in agreement to have him play for them as a PO. I should have told them no thank you. But it was his decision and he was ok with it. He justified the situation thinking he will get plenty of position play in the spring and summer high school season. I guess they didn't see enough out his bat during the 8 or so flips in the cage, or they felt they had enough outfielders. Sending you a PM.