I was looking at Minnesota 2021 projected roster and the breakdown by position. 35 total players, 13 RHP, 5 LHP, 3 Catchers, 11 INF, 3 OF.
Does this seem out of line and what would you expect the breakdown to be for a 25 player travel squad?
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The mix of IF and OF seems off. They must be expecting one or more of the 11 IF to be able to play OF.
18 pitchers and 3 catchers seems consistent with what I usually see. But, agreed, some of those INF have to also be OF.
@Good Knight posted:I was looking at Minnesota 2021 projected roster and the breakdown by position. 35 total players, 13 RHP, 5 LHP, 3 Catchers, 11 INF, 3 OF.
Does this seem out of line and what would you expect the breakdown to be for a 25 player travel squad?
27 travel in D1.
A pitcher's dad such as I says 14P, 3C, 10 position players.
Big10 may have four game weekend series.
Absolutely, some guys coming in and perhaps listed as IF's will be groomed as OF's. Quite common.
And if Big Ten does go to 4 games a weekend that is a lot of pitchers!
I'm wondering if a couple of those RHP's are 2-way players.
Good Knight
How many left handed hitters?
Depending on the weekly practice, the travel roster can change from week to week. Advance scouting reports will determine the team "make up".
Bob
Yes, there are a couple 2 way players for sure. Maybe more than 2..... They are not shy in using them if they can hit, Max Meyer was a 2 way for them.
MNBBG
Wow 15 left hand hitters!
@Good Knight posted:I was looking at Minnesota 2021 projected roster and the breakdown by position. 35 total players, 13 RHP, 5 LHP, 3 Catchers, 11 INF, 3 OF.
Does this seem out of line and what would you expect the breakdown to be for a 25 player travel squad?
Middle infielders are athletic enough to become outfielders. You hit, you play somewhere.
@Go44dad posted:27 travel in D1.
A pitcher's dad such as I says 14P, 3C, 10 position players.
Big10 may have four game weekend series.
I am pretty sure that most D1 programs will have 4 weekend series. 2, 9 inning games and 2, 7 inning games.
With that being said I am wondering if they will expand the travel roster.
Coaches say he will get the chance to be 2 way SS/RHP. Anyone with experience in this?
Seems to me too hard to keep skill levels and are not injuries in play?
Good Knight;
ask yourself "how & when will the coaches determine the decision"?
Intra squad games? infield practice? bullpen?
Different arm angle!! Cold weather!
Bob
@Good Knight posted:Coaches say he will get the chance to be 2 way SS/RHP. Anyone with experience in this?
Seems to me too hard to keep skill levels and are not injuries in play?
There are quite a few on this board with experience in this. The chances of him being a 2 way player at SS & RHP are one in 10,000. Even if he has the requisite skills to do both there isn’t enough time in the day - and it’s too much throwing. My guess is that he will get a courtesy look at SS for a few days and then he will be told that he is a RHP only. That is typically how it goes. I could always be wrong, as there are occasional exceptions, but I’m willing to bet a beer on it.
adbono
Exactly my thoughts. And with a hard major it seems impossible.
I am inclined to work his pitcher/hitting skills more.
@TPM posted:I am pretty sure that most D1 programs will have 4 weekend series. 2, 9 inning games and 2, 7 inning games.
With that being said I am wondering if they will expand the travel roster.
Cutting back actually. If they can save $125/night on 2 rooms for 3 nights 10+ times a year they will. Especially when you factor in meals and other costs associated.
I'm hearing a conference wide travel limit of 24 is currently being discussed, 25 for 4 game series. This was discussed on the team zoom.
Some of the guys who came in as two ways and specialized are starting to swing again in case of an emergency PH. I would suspect it would be 11 position players and 13 arms
The 2-way player deal in college is something I don't much at all about, but I am curious. I know/know of several kids where their future college coach told them they'd have a shot at playing 2-way, but I have to wonder what that chance actually will look like. And if coaches actually mean it except in very rare instances. I'd love to know what percentage of kids who are told it's a possibility, actually end up being 2-way players. It has to be very low, right?
Knight:
It really gets back to the axiom is your son a hitter who pitches or a pitcher who hits?. Son had 3 two way players on his college team- two were position starters (1B/closer and 3B if needed). The third was pretty much a PO his junior year as he was the ace his senior year,and his bat got quiet. SS is a position teams usually don't rotate. It's a position you want continuity.
Son had a HS teammate that played for his college rival. I always thought he was a dangerous hitter who pitched but didn't dominate. He thought he would pitch in college and DH when not pitching. His one round a cage eventually phased out. He never got the college AB. This player did play with a 3B/SP, who was drafted as a P.
First 3 years of HS he has played pitcher, catcher, ss, and 3b.
He is a dominant pitcher who can also hit (.410 last year).
I just doubt he can play 2 way on a P5 team and handle a tough major.
@Good Knight posted:First 3 years of HS he has played pitcher, catcher, ss, and 3b.
He is a dominant pitcher who can also hit (.410 last year).
I just doubt he can play 2 way on a P5 team and handle a tough major.
Good Knight (and Danj),
If your kid is being recruited by a P5, what adbono said is exactly right. There are those college RC's and HC's who will say something like "you will have the chance to compete as a 2-way" but when the rubber meets the road, it is almost always decided at some point that it is best for all if a player focuses on one or the other. The exception is usually when a player ends up playing at a lower level than where he is capable of playing and really stands out on a roster that doesn't have a tremendous amount of depth. That would not be what a P5 school is. BTW, the coach staff rarely takes into account what the player's major/school load is with this type of decision. Also, remember that many if not most kids that are recruited were stud 2-ways in HS.
Yes I agree. He signed with Minnesota, and although they will try him as a 2 way, I see him as a PO.
And of course it is me that worries about class load , not the coaches.
@Good Knight posted:First 3 years of HS he has played pitcher, catcher, ss, and 3b.
He is a dominant pitcher who can also hit (.410 last year).
I just doubt he can play 2 way on a P5 team and handle a tough major.
It is almost like a unicorn to be a P5, 2 way with a tough major...I can't even imagine overcoming all the challenges with that.
@Good Knight posted:Yes I agree. He signed with Minnesota, and although they will try him as a 2 way, I see him as a PO.
And of course it is me that worries about class load , not the coaches.
Cool! I didn't connect the dots very well. Sounds like at least this school has a recent history of allowing/using 2-way so maybe a better chance than usual.
As much as I agree with the "unicorn" statement, you have to look at the team and coaches. Last year the gophers had 2 players that were 2-ways. One was a first round draft pick and one was a freshman. It is a different era now with COVID and expanded rosters, but the coaches have a history of having 2-ways. But they better be a stud at both.
Good luck to your guy, looks like a stud.
MNBBG
Son came in as a two way guy pitching and limited hitting and did last fall until he broke his ankle which limited it all. He never swung last spring but was never fully recovered and could not swing for 3 months. They were a lot more worried about his pitching than hitting. There was only 1 legit 2 way guy last year and he was an outfielder who threw hard from left side so he got a few innings. Son has not even swung this fall but when you have all the bats that are fielders/hitters there is no reason to put in the extra time to work on hitting above and beyond when they have so many to pull from.
I think conferences and teams may limit travel squads but not the NCAA. Some schools can afford to take 35 and others can't. I don't see the P5 schools limiting it because if you are playing a four game series it will take a lot of pitching.
Agree about the IF's ending up OF's
My son's freshman class at a mid-major (based on HS position):
7 guys.....all HS infielders....6 shortstops and a 1B. My son and the 1B were both HS pitchers also.
Of the 7...only 4 spent time in the IF. One started 4 years at 2B......one of the played some 3B, the 1B played a couple games at 1B before moving to the OF....and my son pitched and DH'd for 3 years...then got some time at 1B his senior year. The other 2 all played nothing but OF during their time there.
@Buckeye 2015 posted:Agree about the IF's ending up OF's
My son's freshman class at a mid-major (based on HS position):
7 guys.....all HS infielders....6 shortstops and a 1B. My son and the 1B were both HS pitchers also.
Of the 7...only 4 spent time in the IF. One started 4 years at 2B......one of the played some 3B, the 1B played a couple games at 1B before moving to the OF....and my son pitched and DH'd for 3 years...then got some time at 1B his senior year. The other 2 all played nothing but OF during their time there.
In HS for all 4 years son played MI. During recruitment his D1 coach told him/us "if you can hit we will find a home for you to play every day". Son played every game (aside from a few weeks due to injury) all 3 years he was there as an OF. A few extra inning games he was moved to MI. If needed he probably could have played every position except pitcher (by choice). Be prepared and flexible to play wherever you can, travel ball and HS position may have less influence.
@MNBaseballGuy posted:As much as I agree with the "unicorn" statement, you have to look at the team and coaches. Last year the gophers had 2 players that were 2-ways. One was a first round draft pick and one was a freshman. It is a different era now with COVID and expanded rosters, but the coaches have a history of having 2-ways. But they better be a stud at both.
Good luck to your guy, looks like a stud.
MNBBG
Yes but they also added a “challenging major” let’s face it, that isn’t exactly standard for your normal 2 way power 5 guy.
@old_school posted:It is almost like a unicorn to be a P5, 2 way with a tough major...I can't even imagine overcoming all the challenges with that.
One PAC-12 team's closer was also the leading hitter (BA) on the team. His undergraduate major was harder.
. He was a grad student. He played some 1B /DH.
