On another site, a very knowledgeable and respected coach posted in response to questions and observations about why some highly recruited high school prospects make it in college/minor league ball and many,seemingly with similar physical skills in high school, do not. I was using 3 players from the 2001 freshman class at Stanford in discussing the distinction. The 3 players were 5'8", 5'10" and 6' so it was not like they overwhelmed anyone with their physical presence. But each started pretty much every game from day one, led Stanford to Omaha 3 of 4 years and each has done very well since the 2004 draft. In responding to what was different so they could not only contribute from day 1 in a top DI college program, the coach noted the following about the player he knew from age 15:
"I can only speak about ********** as I've known him since he was 15. The common denominator is that these guys (as a rule) are incredibly single-minded. They block all obstacles out and let nothing get in the way of their success. They are constantly working to get better. These guys are wired differently. They thrive on competition. When you meet them or coach them you can tell immediately these guys are different. you talk about watching the minor-league spring training workouts (which I personally love to do as well) and you can tell the learning curve. The physical abilities are very similar but the approach is what separates. It's subtle but huge. The guys that think like a big-leaguer in their approach (more professional) are usually the guys that become big-leaguers"
The more I think about this coaches views and observations, the more they make sense. While I am not sure you can coach the types of mind set being discussed, I do think it could be nurtured and fostered if a player was so inclined.
I thought I would seek input here on the view that the mental approach and singular focus is what makes the signficant difference when players of seemingly equal ability pass out of high school and encounter that next world of baseball, whether in college or the minor leagues.
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