Should a "young" junior play 16U or 18U?

Beepers

If you son thinks this player can help the the team then have him recommend him--I have found that some of the strongesat and most unsung players came from recommendations from players on out team

We had an opportunity to get a RHP last fall for the Ft Myers event --I spoke with one our best players and his answer was simple "Coach if you can get him--get him !!!"--the RHP was a key element for us in Ft Myers

Go for it !!!!

I'm a believer in playing up whenever possible. It worked for me those eons ago in sports, and it has helped my son.

If he can play with the 18U team, go for it.

Texan

I fully agree and if there is someone, especially a player, who can get you thru the door--go for it !!! All you can do is fail and that is part of the game but if you do not try you do not know

If he can reasonably expect to get playing time on the 18u team he should tryout. The kids who are young for their grade need to do everything they can to play at the level of their HS competition.

My son , who last year was a sophomore, was pitching a good game against one of the better teams,was noticed by the manager of a 18U summer team. He called us that evening and asked if my son would be interested in playing for his team next summer. I informed him that he was only a sophomore. His reply was that if he can pitch like that he did't care how old he was. Talking to my son about the offer, I told him he could be the #1 pitcher for his colt team or he could chalenge himself on the older team. My son wanted the chalenge. It turned out that my son worked his way to become the #2 pitcher on the 18U team. By the way that team went all the way and won the NABF World Series in the Senior Div. What happened after that was all kind of oppertunities opened up for him.He was invited on a fall showcase team , invited to showcases and a few pro tryouts. WOW ! He has received intrest letters from 20 colleges, 15 of them D 1 s . Would all of this have happened if he would of played colt , I don't know, but it showed us both that he's not afraid of chalenge.It seemed like he got a years head start on the recruitng process.

hoov15

You make a great point about the aspect of being seen--- even though a player is young, say a soph, playing with juniors and seniors, he will be seen by the same scouts there to see the players who are ready to head off to college or be drafted,

It is all positive as long as the boy knows the challenge for playing time that is ahead of him.

If you can play you can play. If you can play up then play up. The whole point is to play at the highest level you are capable of playing at. My youngest son is a Freshman 15 years old. He has been invited to play on a 16-18 year old team this summer. He has always played up. When he was in the 7th grade he caught in a High School summer league. He caught our senior that year that threw low 90's that was drafted in the second round. When he was playing AAU he played up almost every year. He has been practicing with my High School players since he was in the 6th grade. It has made him a much better player at a younger age. Now if he played 16 under this summer he might be the star or one of them. But that is not what it is about. Its about challenging yourself and facing the best competition that you can. That is what I believe makes you a better player. He will start this year behind the plate as a Freshman on varsity because he has prepared himself to step in. Not by playing down but by playing up every chance he got.

Coach May

I see playing up as a key element in a players development---there is lot to be said for it if all the aspects are positive.

I still rememeber at the age of 13 when I played in an 18 under league--My coach picked me up for all the games in his white Cadillac convertible--talk about a positive aspect !!!!

They had Caddy's back then?

Just kidding Tom

Yes they did but it was pulled by two oxen