Scouting Services

Baseball is very much a "people business", no pun intended. College coaches are much more likely to trust a high school or summer coach they know or a pro scout or booster they are close to, about the ability of a prospect; much more than a service who's only criteria for representation is the ability to open one's checkbook. Too many companies who will promote a kid for a fee will do it without much discrimination with regard to ability, other than financial ability. Better to have your son get a recommendation from someone a college coach knows and trusts, and who has seen your son perform...that doesn't cost anything. Just to clarify, what I am referring to is marketing services. I think scouting services such as what Perfect Game does are very good and many college coaches refer to PG for leads on players and evaluations of their abilities. What I shy away from are the services that solicit anybody they can get, and will promote your kid for a fee. Most people see through that type of thing pretty quickly, I think.

This has been a frequent discussion on the HSBBW.

Larger programs pay their coaches nice money to recruit, and have it in their budgets to do so. I am not sure if these services serve their purposes.

This might be a more common practice (relying on such services) for smaller programs with smaller budgets who do not have the funds for coaches to travel.

I do have a friend who asked me if she should pay a particular individual, starting up a scouting service, to find her son a place to play. This person, whose son acquired a good scholarship, was now going to pass his knowledge and "contacts" to others for a large fee. I didn't see a need and always suggest do your homework before you give anyone any money.

I thought it was only the NCAA that lumped "scouting services" and "recruiting services" together.

There is a world of difference between the two. When a top program is looking for a certain position to fill. They contact us because we can't afford to give out bad information. In fact, just yesterday I was contacted by one of the top recruiters in the nation (one that TPM knows very well, asking for a list of possible shortstops who might still be available. This was in case the SS they signed ends up going in the draft.

Please don't confuse scouting service with recruiting service. Scouting services provide info on who they believe the best players are... There are no clients!

Recruiting services work for their clients only.

This is not to say all recruiting services are bad, there are some that do a very good job. It's just that we're not into that. We don't have any kids to sell. We just provide information.

Forget the big bucks for a recruiting service. Instead, spend it on going to a PG event or two. Better results and more fun for the player.

PGStaff
I definitely apologize. I used the improper terminology. I meant to say recruiting services. My bad

We never did the too much showcase stuff with my son, although we had discussed it greatly. Being from up north and talking with other guys who's sons had attended some, we didn't really think the investment would pay off in our case.

I'm just curious, and I'm not trying to be a wise guy here. Do the PG guys keep any kind of records of how much scholarship money their events generate for the athletes?

quote:

Originally posted by spinedoc:
PGStaff
I definitely apologize. I used the improper terminology. I meant to say recruiting services. My bad

me too, followed Spinedoc's lead.

PG says:
"I was contacted by one of the top recruiters in the nation (one that TPM knows very well, asking for a list of possible shortstops who might still be available. This was in case the SS they signed ends up going in the draft."

That guy never stops does he PG?!

Me three! I didn't even think of the terminology as I knew what he was inquiring about, or at least thought I did. Funny that you mention the difference between scouting and recruiting, as I was uncomfortable writing that specifically because some might view PG as part of this thread due to the term scouting.

Well said PG.

I think parents put way too weight into some peoples rating system

A few years ago Brian Rupe listed accurate scouting reports on players and parents were upset someone was truthful.

Alot of players read someone scouting report and base their college choices based on that.
Base it on where you can actually play and what colleges are calling you. No divison 1 calling you, you are likley not div 1 talent.

Never used a recruting service, their fees would probably eat up most monetary gains from most Baseball Scholarships. Did have many mail my son and I. But you can do for yourself most of what they do... Write the college coach. (email is great also and most addresses are here on this site) Let them know you are interested and how/where they can see you play. Again, most college coaches want to see you (or at least thier assistants) play.

If you think you have talent, find a way to be seen. Play in a Connie Mack or legion league. Ask your HS coach, he should know about local leagues. Go to your favorite college camp and experience the campus while you're there. Find a team that goes to some high visiblity tournaments, WWBA for example... Do go to a Showcase or two.. (assuming you are already a HS varsity player) It was from a PG event that my son got contacted to play for an elite summer team. I don't believe you need to go to more than 2 or 3. But I'd recommend do make one a PG event. You may also consider at least one in a different area of the country. (near your school of interest if you'd consider away from home)

IMHO biggest thing is communicate to coaches and tell them where they can see you play.