Stats needed?

When you go to showcases and camps coaches will be looking at your mechanics, instincts, speed, strength, bat speed, throwing and hitting ability. They are more likely to ask your GPA and SAT scores than your batting average. Batting averages may vary significantly based on the level of competition. Don't shoot for a batting average. Do what's needed in each at bat to help your team win. Coaches like players who are multi-sport athletes. But they like guys who excel at baseball more.

Thank you that actually helped me a lot, i was invited to one last year but couldnt go to it because of family problems, is that a good sign? also do you think they will ask again?

tchristian1661:

Welcome to the High School Baseball Web! ...and congratulations for having made all-league!

Assuming that playing baseball in college is your goal, here are a few "quick hits" to supplement the good advice you've already been given by RJM:

(1) Don't let a day go by that you don't do something to advance your game and your performance in the classroom. Those two dimensions will have much more to do with your reaching your goal than anything else.
(2) Put yourself in position to play the best competition available by selecting a summer/fall team that's appropriate to your recruiting process.
(2) Invest time and effort in figuring out what sort of college appeals most to you and what level of baseball program best suits your playing ability. Read and talk to credible resources about the differences among colleges of interest. Solicit evaluations of your playing ability from highly knowledgeable, credible baseball people in your area.
(3) Once you've begun to build a list of pertinent schools/programs, find out where they evaluate prospects. Which showcases do they attend regularly? Do they recruit from their camps?
(4) Let pertinent programs' coaches know of your interest. Email a fact sheet and summer/fall schedule to them. Let them know when you'll appear in a showcase or tournament that you think they'll attend.

To your specific question: Only the organizers of the showcase that invited you can give you a meaningful answer to your question; but, it certainly wouldn't hurt to email them, tell them that an unavoidable conflict prevented you from attending, and tell them how very interested you'd be in attending another of their showcases in the future.

This should get you headed farther down the path. Stay close to this site for additional insight and advice; taking advantage of pages like the Recruiting Timeline.

Best of luck to you!

tchristian 1661,

I second Prepster's remarks and add that you need to start contacting the schools you are interested in attending. Prioritize them after rating academics and sports programs. Talk to your HS coach to see if he is willing to recommend you to a schoold that you are interested in attending.

When you start talking to the school's baseball recruiting coordinator ask about camps they hold or attend.

Your good grades can open a lot of doors and your talent will drive what level you are able to play.

Good luck!

Thanks guys for your advice it truly is helpful

tchristian
Let me tell you about three kids that just graduated from our HS program...

Player #1. League co-pitcher of the year in a decent league with multiple college-bound arms and one high draft pick P. Pitching stats were very impressive. First team all-league, first team all-county. Played well in a good high exposure fall scout league. Good grades, good character kid. Very limited interest from colleges.

Player #2. Started V as freshman, 3-time all-league, 2-time all-county, best season hit over .400, top 3 in league in all major offensive categories, team offensive MVP 2 yrs, excellent defensive OF. Played well in a good high exposure fall scout league. Good grades, good character kid. Very limited interest from colleges.

Player #3. C with strong arm, good pop time, serious bat speed and big athletic projectible body. First team all-league. Good grades, good character kid. Very limited interest from colleges.

My point...

-HS stats and recognition does not necessarily translate to colleges being interested. Don't focus on the stats.

-very good HS players are not always good college prospects

-as others suggest, have a good plan for your college search, make sure you are communicating and following up. Some of these guys didn't.

-keep focusing on doing the very best you can with grades. Some of these guys didn't and it took away the ability to get good academic $$ from D3's thus taking them out of the equation.

-keep working hard on being the best player you can be.

If you follow these guidelines, there will be no regrets.

cabbagedad, it would probably be helpful to tchristian and others if you could comment on why these three players received very limited interest from colleges. Did they not market themselves well? Did the coach not help promote them? Lack of size? Not a live fastball?

It seems from your comment that your HS is in a quality league if they had multiple college-bound arms. It's my belief that players like these from decent programs facing good competition can find a place to play if they have the desire to market themselves and don't limit themselves geographically.

Just my opinion. I'm interested in your comments because I realize you have a huge baseball population there in California. Thanks!

Hi Rick,
Yeah, as you know, there are always many factors that go into these things. I didn't want to muddy the message to tchristian with all of the surrounding circumstances. I just wanted to highlight that he should not focus on stats, have a good school search plan and follow thru, and keep working hard on academics and his game.
If you, tchristian or others still want me to elaborate, I certainly can.

I will address some of your specific comments regarding our league and area. We are in a mid-level league that had a particularly strong cycle of pitching this year. We are part of the Southern Section in California which includes the high-density Southern California area. However, we are up the coast at the northern-most boundary of the Section in an area where population is quite sparse compared to SoCal, so exposure is not quite what you would think.

BTW, all three of these boys will have the opportunity to play college ball starting this fall. But they had far fewer options than they may otherwise have had if they followed all of the guidelines prescribed here on HSBBW and started the process in a timely fashion.

cabbagedad -- i'm interested too in a little more on why these boys had limited interest. aside from geography, what do you point to?