Preferred Walk On - Recruiting Mechanics

Without getting into several issues regarding being a walk on first, if you’re not receiving athletic money the coach doesn’t have any skin in the game. The coach has everything to gain and nothing to lose. Second, about 18-20 players receive enough playing time to be considered contributors. Where do you believe players 28-35 sit in that equation? The goal isn’t to get rostered. Chances are if the player doesn’t quickly move up to the 18-20 he will leave the team or get caught from behind by new recruits in following years. The goal should be to get on the field.

This said I’ll cite two examples. A friend was told by his son about twenty players arrived in the fall bragging they were preferred walk ons. The only preference they got was competing for three roster spots.

In the second situation one of my son’s college teammates was a late bloomer pitcher. He walked on. He’s now pitching in the majors. He went from walk on to one of the top ten pitchers on the team his freshman year.

@2017 Lefty Dad posted:

Realized I had no real idea on how preferred walk "recruiting" actually works.  Lets say a public university (mid-major) has a great program in son's chosen field (at the ripe age of 16) and academic money is significant.  Cost is quite reasonable to begin with so economics are not really an issue.  School makes lots of sense without baseball.

I am currently a little confused on roster limits as well as scholarship counters (was 35/27 a few years back if memory serves) and it feels like thinks are headed back to those limits soon.  Assuming 27 get scholarships, how do the remaining 8 players a) generally get recruited and b) how do they get informed of their walk on "offer"?

I assume recruiting is not too different than lots of the kids on the bubble (coach says they like the kid, want to see more, keep in touch, etc), but have no real idea if coaches at some point start to identify potential walk on candidates and begin having discussions specific to a potential walk on position.  Have heard the term "preferred" attached to walk on, but have always assumed that this was probably more of an invite with zero contractual obligation (zero paperwork as the kid shows up in the fall).

Some basic outline would be greatly appreciated.

There might be some information on www.keepplayingbaseball.org

Preferred means you are recruited but have no athletic money. Every school is different in regards to walk ons. Arkansas has a history of recruited walk ons having success.  That isn’t the case at a lot of other places.

If you are being recruited as a walk on, ask the coach to provide some names of players who walked on and had success.  Then DM them on Twitter, Facebook  or instagram and ask them questions.

No money means two different things depending on where you go.

At Ole Miss it means you are one of the guys competing for 8 roster positions. At Lehigh it's almost every single person on the team as they're not fully funded.

It is school dependent, which is why one of the most important questions to ask is if they are fully funded.

Of the 8 walk on spots available at our program. 1 is on full scholarship for another sport, one is getting full academic money. The rest are either preferred walk-ons or players who took more money in years where we lost guys to the portal/draft and took less in other years. So somebody on a 50% ride may have received 50, 50, 100, 0.

I would say 8 walk-ons are brought in every year in addition to non scholarship players from the prior season for about 5-7 non scholarship spots. Probably 14-16 guys total for those 5-7 spots.

1) School dependent (and division dependent) as most have pointed out.  A preferred walk-on means the Coach knows who you are, and you have the perceived opportunity to compete for a roster spot.  It is not a level playing field competing against scholarship or slotted athletes that the Coach has previously hand picked.    Absolutely no guarantees here.  This is a difficult path, and it is a long, long way to finding the playing field.

2) For the D1/D2 schools that have the ability to include athletic scholarships (but don't for you) you are essentially a "Rodney Dangerfield player" getting no respect behind scholarship and slotted athletes.   If your ego is fine with it, then Godspeed.

3) For the D1/D3 schools that don't have athletic scholarships you have to be admitted first.   For some of these schools that can be a very challenging step which is why it is better to get a coaches support (a slot or tip) through competitive admissions.  Again, the coach has his hand picked athletes that he sponsored through admission in front of you.  Rarely, do Head Coaches second guess themselves or make themselves look bad.

As always, JMO.

@fenwaysouth posted:

3) For the D1/D3 schools that don't have athletic scholarships you have to be admitted first.   For some of these schools that can be a very challenging step which is why it is better to get a coaches support (a slot or tip) through competitive admissions.  Again, the coach has his hand picked athletes that he sponsored through admission in front of you.  Rarely, do Head Coaches second guess themselves or make themselves look bad.

This is huge.  I’d suggest reading it 3 times.

Getting walked through admissions and having early decision priority in admissions, especially combined with extensive academic scholarship money (that mostly applies at private D3’s) is a big factor.  You still have to prove it on the field but you are going to get 5-10 second chances whereas others might not get any.

During the recruiting process we heard over and over “go where you are loved”.  My son ended up choosing the D3 private that was exactly the above: early decision, walked through admissions and a big academic scholarship.    He got a little playing time as a freshman even though 5th year Seniors unexpectedly came back.  Now in line for a bigger role as a Sophomore.

You still have to work for it every day, and they are always out there recruiting guys to replace you.

@PABaseball posted:

No money means two different things depending on where you go.

At Ole Miss it means you are one of the guys competing for 8 roster positions. At Lehigh it's almost every single person on the team as they're not fully funded.

It is school dependent, which is why one of the most important questions to ask is if they are fully funded.

Of the 8 walk on spots available at our program. 1 is on full scholarship for another sport, one is getting full academic money. The rest are either preferred walk-ons or players who took more money in years where we lost guys to the portal/draft and took less in other years. So somebody on a 50% ride may have received 50, 50, 100, 0.

I would say 8 walk-ons are brought in every year in addition to non scholarship players from the prior season for about 5-7 non scholarship spots. Probably 14-16 guys total for those 5-7 spots.

The funny part in all of this is that the players don't care who has what. They are all just teammates all competing to make their team the best in their conference, no matter D1,D2,D3, Juco NAIA.

First, the two basic rules. Rule #1: your player is not the exception to any rule. Rule #2: there are exceptions for every rule.

Second, about academic majors. Statistics reveal that well over 50% (some have it as high as 80%) of college students change their major from what was indicated at matriculation. For an athlete, if the initial choice was in STEM, that number will be higher (in all but a handful of schools (all D3)) - and the final major will be much easier (less math, science, engineering) than initially desired (more intro to coin collecting, rocks for jocks, etc.).

Third, about the intersection between majors and baseball. The higher you increase the chances of getting to a CWS, the more difficult it will be to have any "hard" major; even at the Ivies - at the other end of the CWS continuum - most players will move to an easier major. There are simply not enough hours in a day, energy, or desire to focus on or master academics - where every normal student is already focusing while you were at practice, on the road, lifting, etc. Whether it's from the coaches, peers (players), or internal pressures, academics takes the hit.

Fourth, preferred recuit. There's some great information earlier - and it's very nuanced and contextual. Again, the greater your CWS chances, the more difficult to actually get playing time. Now, if a kid is costing the team nothing $$, and the kid is a positive to have around (e.g., eager bull pen catcher), and the kid is gung-ho and accepts the role (e.g., no making the travel roster), the kid has a spot - IF HE MAKES THE TEAM IN THE FIRST YEAR. (I'll note that if Rule 2 applies, if the kid earns playing time and delivers, he'll get $$; but see, Rule 1.) [Also, all bets are off when the coach leaves.]

Fifth, look around what's happening in teams with legit shots at the CWS and it's effect upon a HS player's choice. The LSUs, Texas', don't stop trying to upgrade; the upgrades - portal -  cause a cascade effect where players displaced from those teams go to mid-majors, etc. Combine that with the coaching carousel  - mid-majors trying to move up, fired big guys moving down - and there is no way a person can accurately predict what most programs will look like in 2 years. (Don't even think about proposed rule changes on schollys and coaches.)

My current theory is the higher the probability of getting to the CWS, the harder it is to even speculate what a players career at a college will look like baseballlwise.

Which brings me to Rule 6 leverage baseball into the best academic school he can get into; he's not Rule 2. Even if he were Rule 2, it's doesn't matter for proball where a kid plays, if he has a potential MLB tool he'll be found. Where he plays does matter, however, for probabilities of getting to the CWS.

My son and a couple of other players were recruited late. I think they were considered 'nice to have' rather than 'must haves'. All were offered as walk ons the first year, money promised the next three. School promised they would treat them just like the guys getting full rides.

Son took the gamble (his choice, I was nervous). All three of them were playing regularly by middle of freshman season. All had tremendous work ethics, worked their butts off and earned their way on the field. I know you can't trust everyone to be truthful about these things, but for us it worked out great.

@Goosegg posted:

First, the two basic rules. Rule #1: your player is not the exception to any rule. Rule #2: there are exceptions for every rule.

Second, about academic majors. Statistics reveal that well over 50% (some have it as high as 80%) of college students change their major from what was indicated at matriculation. For an athlete, if the initial choice was in STEM, that number will be higher (in all but a handful of schools (all D3)) - and the final major will be much easier (less math, science, engineering) than initially desired (more intro to coin collecting, rocks for jocks, etc.).

Third, about the intersection between majors and baseball. The higher you increase the chances of getting to a CWS, the more difficult it will be to have any "hard" major; even at the Ivies - at the other end of the CWS continuum - most players will move to an easier major. There are simply not enough hours in a day, energy, or desire to focus on or master academics - where every normal student is already focusing while you were at practice, on the road, lifting, etc. Whether it's from the coaches, peers (players), or internal pressures, academics takes the hit.

Fourth, preferred recuit. There's some great information earlier - and it's very nuanced and contextual. Again, the greater your CWS chances, the more difficult to actually get playing time. Now, if a kid is costing the team nothing $$, and the kid is a positive to have around (e.g., eager bull pen catcher), and the kid is gung-ho and accepts the role (e.g., no making the travel roster), the kid has a spot - IF HE MAKES THE TEAM IN THE FIRST YEAR. (I'll note that if Rule 2 applies, if the kid earns playing time and delivers, he'll get $$; but see, Rule 1.) [Also, all bets are off when the coach leaves.]

Fifth, look around what's happening in teams with legit shots at the CWS and it's effect upon a HS player's choice. The LSUs, Texas', don't stop trying to upgrade; the upgrades - portal -  cause a cascade effect where players displaced from those teams go to mid-majors, etc. Combine that with the coaching carousel  - mid-majors trying to move up, fired big guys moving down - and there is no way a person can accurately predict what most programs will look like in 2 years. (Don't even think about proposed rule changes on schollys and coaches.)

My current theory is the higher the probability of getting to the CWS, the harder it is to even speculate what a players career at a college will look like baseballlwise.

Which brings me to Rule 6 leverage baseball into the best academic school he can get into; he's not Rule 2. Even if he were Rule 2, it's doesn't matter for proball where a kid plays, if he has a potential MLB tool he'll be found. Where he plays does matter, however, for probabilities of getting to the CWS.

@Goosegg you better copyright this.  I actually understand this post.

Well thought out.

Good stuff @Goosegg. As I told the OP, it might be wise if his son did let coaches know in advance what he wishes to major in.

Adding details to the point about the LSU type schools and transfers; and imagine you were a recruited freshman:

"LSU baseball coach Jay Johnson on Friday announced the signings of five Division I transfers that will join the Tigers for the 2023 season.

The additions to the LSU roster include right-handed pitcher Christian Little of Vanderbilt; third baseman Tommy White of North Carolina State; shortstop Carter Young of Vanderbilt; right-handed pitcher Thatcher Hurd of UCLA; and right-handed pitcher/utility player Paul Skenes of Air Force."

How do you look forward a few years and even plan for this possibility?

@Goosegg posted:

Adding details to the point about the LSU type schools and transfers; and imagine you were a recruited freshman:

"LSU baseball coach Jay Johnson on Friday announced the signings of five Division I transfers that will join the Tigers for the 2023 season.

The additions to the LSU roster include right-handed pitcher Christian Little of Vanderbilt; third baseman Tommy White of North Carolina State; shortstop Carter Young of Vanderbilt; right-handed pitcher Thatcher Hurd of UCLA; and right-handed pitcher/utility player Paul Skenes of Air Force."

How do you look forward a few years and even plan for this possibility?

The “thump, thump, thump” you hear is a recruited freshman being thrown under the bus.”

@Goosegg posted:

Adding details to the point about the LSU type schools and transfers; and imagine you were a recruited freshman:

"LSU baseball coach Jay Johnson on Friday announced the signings of five Division I transfers that will join the Tigers for the 2023 season.

The additions to the LSU roster include right-handed pitcher Christian Little of Vanderbilt; third baseman Tommy White of North Carolina State; shortstop Carter Young of Vanderbilt; right-handed pitcher Thatcher Hurd of UCLA; and right-handed pitcher/utility player Paul Skenes of Air Force."

How do you look forward a few years and even plan for this possibility?

I read an article on how LSU has successfully used NLI opportunities to acquire top prospects.

One player did so well last year from NLI that the parent called up Jay Johnson and offered back their sons scholarship $$ so that they could use it to bring in top transfers to help the program immediately. This would also give the incoming freshman class an opportunity to become acclimated to playing in the SEC.

I would assume that most of those players named used the portal to insure a better draft position.

Agree with all that has been said here...
Preferred walk on = you get a shot or 2 .. not optimal on 98% of the situations

Athletic money = you are going to get many more opportunities and chances to succeed and will get "preferred treatment" over the preferred walk on's. 
there are exceptions such as HA and some specific schools- but this is the case 95% of the time..

We have a lot of experience with the "preferred walk on model" and it mostly sucks unless it is a school that your son loves for academic/other reasons.. but for baseball reasons it is no bueno.

I would try to get some athletic money no matter what even if it is 25%.

transferring isn't fun.  the transfer portal isn't fun either along with a miriad of other reasons.
I would guess now 60% + of the kids don't stay with same school now for 4 years.

good luck