So there was a blurb in the local paper last week noting that the an MLB team was holding an open tryout in our area for players 15-23 years-old.
My son is a 15 year old RHP entering his sophomore year in high school. He is 5'11", 185 lb.
After reading as much as I could find on this website and elsewhere about open tryouts, I mentioned it to my son, who absolutely wanted to go. I thought it could do no harm to let him see what he is up against and perhaps help him see where he needs to improve. In addition, the tryout would give him a taste of what to expect when he goes to the PG Northeast Underclass Showcase next week(his first).
Approximately 100 players attended, of whom 21 were pitchers. Most were older teens, 18-19, with some collge players also in attendance. Well, much to his surprise, the team did not sign him on the spot. But I was amazed at how well he handled the situation. He saw lots of guys much older than him throwing not much faster (82-84)than him(81) which gave him a lot of confidence that he will gain more miles per hour over the next couple years. The pitchers who stayed through the afternoon were throwing 87+
I also really like the price: free.
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