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Since another thread stressed the importance of versatility in getting playing time in college - assuming you can hit - I wanted to explore the other side of it...the lack of viable other options.

Say you're a catcher who is five ten in spikes on the dugout floor. What other possibilities are there? LF? RF? DH? 3B? 1B?  Do you really see many RH five nine guys playing 1B in college? Or is catching recruiting an animal to itself and versatility doesn't matter?

Speaking of 1B, say you're the LH throwing slow 1B. And, you're really locked into 1B or DH because no one is going to recruit you on your OF defense. Is this kid the one who is going to have the hardest time getting recruited - unless he hits like John Olerud?

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5’10” won’t get someone ruled as short. It’s just not prototypical height. Catchers have arms and get block. They can typically play anywhere on the corner infield or outfield.

A 5’9” first baseman probably has another issue unless he can run and play outfield. He’s probably not a masher. A first baseman typically has to be a masher. Some teams don’t recruit first baseman. They figure the extra players who can hit can DH or play first.

A former teammate/friend’s son was recruited by a top ranked team as a shortstop. The junior shortstop didn’t leave in the draft as expected. A kid who was expected to play short played first for a season. He hit .340 with an .880 OPS. He followed up being an All American at short the following two years and a first round pick.

Teams generally recruit pitchers, catchers, middle infielders and center fielders. The middle infielders and center fielders (assuming they don’t throw left) can play anywhere. Anyone else better be able to mash.

Where the previously mentioned kid played the coach took a right fielder with a gun and turned him into a catcher. He never caught until college. He was just that athletic he could make the conversion. Three other recruited catchers started at first, third,* left and DH. The regular third baseman missed extended time one season with an injury. Two ultimately became starting catchers. One has been in the majors for several years. One stayed in left and was drafted as a power hitting corner outfielder.

The kid moved from right was drafted as a catcher. Bob Boone (Phillies, Angels) was a third baseman in college. He became a catcher in the minors. Blake Swihart (Red Sox, Dbacks) was a shortstop in high school and converted to catcher in the minors.

A catcher needs to be versatile. What if he gets to college and there are one or two better catchers on the team? Or the team brings in catchers in following years? Four years is a long time to catch bullpens.

The thing about catchers is a team will constantly recruit them. Chances are there will always be three on the roster. They will always be looking for new catchers since at least one of the three is likely to transfer. Regardless of position the coaching staff is always looking for someone better.

One of my son’s high school and travel teammates chose his dream school. It was a reach. He could only play first. He was 6’. He could pick it with anyone. He crushed the ball. But he didn’t elevate. He hit hard doubles. He sat behind two prototype 6’3” 210) 1B/DH’s until he was told Opening Day Eve of junior year his services would no longer be needed.

I had a kid on my 13u to 16u travel team who could pick it at first with anyone. But he was 5’8” and done growing at fourteen. He ran a 6.8. I told him in 14u he would start playing more outfield. I told him it was unlikely a coach would want him at first. A lot he could pick a taller first baseman could catch on the fly. I was right about the kid. He played left in high school and at a D3.

My son is 5'10.  Played C and MIF in high school.  Had some preferred walk-on options at P5 schools but chose a mid-major where he had an opportunity to play immediately.  His freshman season he got starts in LF, DH, 2B and 3B, and worked some in practice at 1B also (the starting 1B was 5'9.)  This season, his sophomore year, he is starting at 3B.  Bottom line, being versatile is valuable and allows for the old addage "if he can hit, they will find a spot for you" to work in your favor. 

@Bulldog posted:

My son is 5'10.  Played C and MIF in high school.  Had some preferred walk-on options at P5 schools but chose a mid-major where he had an opportunity to play immediately.  His freshman season he got starts in LF, DH, 2B and 3B, and worked some in practice at 1B also (the starting 1B was 5'9.)  This season, his sophomore year, he is starting at 3B.  Bottom line, being versatile is valuable and allows for the old addage "if he can hit, they will find a spot for you" to work in your favor.

^This^ Great post!

Top D1 programs recruit offensive players differently than mid D1. So do most D2 programs.

Chances of getting an opportunity to be in the starting lineup everyday, one needs to hit, of course and have versatility.

Unfortunetly, I have seen over the years, highly ranked recruited catchers lose their position because they couldn't hit or had trouble calling pitches, or couldn't handle the pitching staff that well.

Unless you are a Yadi Molina, make sure that you are willing to play another position because as you see from the post above, it doesn't always work out.

Chances are whenever an offensive player is recruited, if the coach wants to win, they have already decided player has multiple skills.

Keep in mind, it usually takes about 20 games before the coaches decide who really belongs where (offense and defense). This is not something that I have made up, but something often stressed by legendary former Clemson coach Jack Leggett. It's surprising how field and lineup players change, especially in mid programs, D2, Juco, etc.

I can't imagine any 5'9" kid playing 1B in college.  The types of skills he'd need to have to be viable there would almost certainly place him in 1 of 6 positions OTHER than 1B.

I do think 1B-type players have the hardest time getting recruited in this era.  Just look at the draft or anywhere else players are ranked and see how few 1B are near the top. I have a 2022 dad buddy whose kid is a 6'2" 1B/DH who is extremely slow. Just ran an 8.35 60.  He's got a really pretty swing and can crush the ball. His 1B skills are what I'd call average at best, but 1B skills are hard for me to qualify because so much of what they do is simply reach out and catch the ball.  Passed catching balls thrown right to them, I then look at picking and range.  This kid is a decent picker and his range is not good because he's neither fast nor quick. He just committed to a Juco as 1B, but I worry about him.  If you look around college baseball, "prototypical" 1B are fairly rare when compared to the number of converted outfielders playing there now.  Since the expectation today is that everybody has to mash to play, you can simply choose from 15-20ish position players so long as they mash.  Wichita State has a kid playing 1B right now that was the #1 player in our state his senior year of HS and an All State SS. Think about that. He obviously has a huge range, athleticism and is used to picking all kinds of balls out of the dirt.  And he mashes. Who in their right WOULDN'T put a kid like that 1B if he had the depth at 3B, SS, 2B, LF, CF, and RF to do so?  I looked into a local mid major D1 here in town and found that all their 1B for the last several years were OF in HS.

My son plays for a Juco where the coach does not recruit 1B at all.  He usually takes the 3rd or 4th best COF that can mash and puts him at 1B.  The coach told me he doesn't recruit 1B because they can only do one thing.  Versatility is his MO.  They played their first games on Monday and the kid I figured would be behind the plate, was actually playing 2B.  With players getting serious coaching and instruction while still in diapers these days, few coaches have to make compromises at 1B and DH these days.  The kid I mentioned above has a TON of pressure on him from my perspective.  He has to be absolutely awesome at 1B and at the plate to get the 1B spot.  Because his speed makes him an offensive liability. He will NEVER leg out infield hits and stands to induce a lot of doubles plays due to his speed, so hitting the ball anywhere in the infield simply isn't an option.  His AVG and HR production will need to be significantly better than any other options the coach has.  I don't want to say he has to be perfect, but I'd argue he has to be closer to perfect than any teammate who runs a sub 8.0 60. 8.35 speed is handcuffing unless all your hits end up over the fence.

Based on my son's recruitment and his 4 years at a mid-major I'd say

1) If a HS catcher hasn't got quite a bit of experience at another position (3B or maybe RF) he probably isn't going to play anything other than C in college....unless of course he can just mash the ball.   5'9 likely limits any chance of playiing 1B

2) a slow LH first baseman is likely going to be a 1B or a DH.  The fact you termed him "slow" from the start probably keeps him out of the OF

3) My son was an all state SS and also a RHP (6'0) coming out of HS.  4 HR's his high school senior year so by now means a power guy.  He was recruited as a PO.  First two seasons he pitched and had a few AB's.   The last couple practices they had him hit with the idea that maybe he would get more AB's his junior year.  He hit in summer ball and came back to school in the fall with a pretty good bat....after not having hit for 2 years.  Got quite a few AB's as a DH in addition to pitching.  Hit again all the following summer.  Hit .390 in a pretty good summer league.  Developed an arm issue.  Didn't want surgery so got back to school his senior fall with the intent of just DHing and maybe some time at 1B.  Ended up as their primary DH and got quite a bit of time at 1B.   Lead the team in H's, RBI"s and Avg.   I guess what they say is true....if you can hit they'll find a spot for you.

Our (D1) starting 1B was an all state shortstop in HS. He's 5'10 but also the team leader in homeruns. The only "1B" that was recruited out of HS is a DH now with spot starts at first.

The best player on our HS team was a pure bat, he was also our SS and could not field. He was given every opportunity on earth to keep his position and ended up losing it to a freshman. He became a full time DH in high school. It was that bad.

That kid - the same kid who did not play the field in HS - left his successful D1 program starting at 1B in nearly every game over four years.

There's a story about Daniel Murphy. At his first team meeting in college they went around the room and had the new guys introduce themselves by giving their name and position. He said "I'm Daniel Murphy and I bat third".

The bat gets you the job. The glove determines which desk you get in the office.

@Francis7 posted:

And just like that, TODAY, a major D1 brings in a 2022 (in February 22?) who is really (at best) a 1B

https://georgiatech.rivals.com...mits-to-georgia-tech

9.45 - 60 YARD DASH

He’s not just any first baseman. He’s a top seventy-five prospect. He has size, He’s in the top fifty in exit velocity. He’s a masher. And he has baseball heredity on his side.

Last edited by RJM
@RJM posted:

He’s not just any first baseman. He’s a top seventy-five prospect. He has size, He’s in the top fifty in exit velocity. He’s a masher. And he has baseball heredity on his side.

In over 100 career PA in PG games over the last 3 years, he's batted .193  - size, yes, bloodlines, yes...masher?  Not yet. Zero HR in those 100 PA.

@Francis7 posted:

In over 100 career PA in PG games over the last 3 years, he's batted .193  - size, yes, bloodlines, yes...masher?  Not yet. Zero HR in those 100 PA.

You’re missing the point. It’s about projection and bloodlines. While GT is a decent program and it’s ACC ball it’s not like he went to a top program. GT has only made the tournament once in the past five seasons.

@RJM posted:

You’re missing the point. It’s about projection and bloodlines. While GT is a decent program and it’s ACC ball it’s not like he went to a top program. GT has only made the tournament once in the past five seasons.

From online: "The 6-foot-4, 240-pound Sabathia said he also was being recruited by Harvard, UCLA and Wake Forest."

It must be a great program if he took it over those others.

@2022NYC posted:

Does he pitch?

If that 60 time is for real, then he better learn.... I don't know maybe he tripped? Seriously though, I would bet if he put the effort into pitching his potential would be through the roof. I'm pretty certain any decent college coach would feel the same way. PG listed him throwing 89 from 1st base.

Truly though; I wish him all the success possible, and I hope he makes it to the big leagues as the next Vlad Jr. However, If your dad is a 6'6" 290lb Cy Young award winning LHP with an almost 20 year career in the Show.....

@Francis7 posted:

From online: "The 6-foot-4, 240-pound Sabathia said he also was being recruited by Harvard, UCLA and Wake Forest."

It must be a great program if he took it over those others.

He must be a bright kid. These are all top academic schools. It’s not uncommon for east coast recruits to pick ACC programs over Ivies. I see it all the time. GT has been winning more games than they lose. But they haven’t been making the tournament.

@Francis7 posted:

@PTWood - I just brought him up because (ironically?) he announced his signing JUST AFTER we started this conversation and the conversation here was "is it hard for a 1B only to get recruited" and he did get recruited to a major program and he's a 1B only.

I agree with PTWood. He is the son of a MLB legend, not just 1B only.  He will get multiple opportunities to succeed or fail. A MLB son attending a college program is money in the bank for any program.

He is still in HS.

Last edited by TPM

I remember the board mostly stayed away from the Robert Stock debate ** because he was a high school kid at the time. It’s always been kind of an unwritten hsbaseballweb rule not to make negative comments about high school kids by name.

There’s a high school kid in NJ who commuted to GT is the way to go with this. If people figure out who, so be it.

** Stock is 32 now. There may be posters who don’t know the story. Stock hit 90 at fourteen. He ultimately hit 100. He was on the 18u Team USA at sixteen. He was also a catcher who hit bombs.

The baseball world told Stock he was a pitcher. Stock and his dad insisted he was a catcher. He graduated early at sixteen and headed for USC to primarily be a catcher and do some pitching. Had he stayed in high school senior year he would have been a high pick signed for several million had he agreed to pitch only. The family view was he could leave college in the draft at nineteen with three years of college under his belt. At draft time he still insisted he was a catcher.. He ultimately became a pitcher. He’s now a journeyman pitcher with a bad arm. He’s pitched 72 innings in the majors over the past four years.

There were several points of debate. The big one was do you ignore what the baseball experts are telling you and pass on a several million dollar signing bonus next year?

At the time the board mostly stayed away from the debate because he was a sixteen year old kid.

The most MLB visibility Stock has had was from his wife’s funny tweet … https://www.nbcsports.com/bost...sponse-twitter-troll

Last edited by RJM

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