Summer Choices

Easy call -- kid will play on 14u team (and he is loved there).  Sprinkle in hitting/strength/speed training.

I'd go with the highest level team where he still gets significant playing time. If that is the 14U team, so be it.  Just make sure that they are playing 60/90 tournaments.  You can also engage private training during summer ball too.

100% agree with BIGMAC.  It is nice to have options, but the bottom line is he needs to go where he can play, get reps to develop, and compete.  In my experience, 14U is the beginning of playing baseball with men.  You either eat or get eaten up. 

With the local travel teams I'm familiar with, there is a huge difference between 14U and 16U.  It is the difference between Varsity and JV.

Agree with the above advice, plus . . . feed the boy!

My son was about that size as a freshman. I don't have accurate recollections of his height each year, but I know he wrestled at 140 as a freshman, 160 as a sop, 189 as a junior and 215 as a senior. He gained a steady 2 pounds per month over his high school years with a consistent daily routine:

--Fill him up when he gets up with a hearty breakfast: eggs, breakfast meats, pancakes, burritos, frittatas, etc.

--Pack him 4 meat or PBJ sandwiches for snacks during the school day. 

--Give him lunch money. 

--Have a big home cooked dinner as soon as he gets home from practice/game.

--Fill him up at bedtime: Smoothie, PBJ's.

Most skinny athletic kids THINK they eat a lot because they devour a pizza or a Chipotle after practice, but that big gorge on junk food is mostly just backloading on the carbs at the end of a day that began with breakfast consisting of cold cereal, Pop Tarts or other sugary junk, a school lunch designed to keep sedentary non-athletes from getting fat, and a long afternoon and early evening fast until the end of sports activities.

If he gets bigger and stronger, he can catch up to his academic cohort.

Best wishes,

We went with the 16u option for the summer.   It has been clear so far that it was the right choice.  Son is seeing and competing at a much higher level than he would ever see on a 14u team.  Every step keeps amazing me at the the talent increase size and age brings.  Playing mostly 13u Majors last year, looking up at 14u, I always thought wow what a difference.  Today, watching good 14u teams compared to 16U there is no comparison.  Plus the 16U team is playing some 18U and has even pick up a couple games against local college summer league teams.  In the last two weeks he has faced two pitchers clock at the game throwing over 90mph.  That doesn't happen at 14u.  Played his fist game last night for his summer school team (HS JV level).  Hit his first BBCOR HR.  Said the kid pitching looked like BP practice after facing what he has seen on his travel team over the last few weeks.

So r u saying your 14 yr old played against college league team and did well?  U said in your post he would hardly play on a 16 u team.  Now he's playing against 18u and college level?  Just last yr he was on 13u.  A bit confusing, but sounds like your happy w decision. 

He's playing on school team, so two teams at once?  

Not sure where I said he did well.  But yes he did well considering he is a 14 yr old against college pitchers.  First two ab's he dug in and competed but struck out swinging.  Third Ab he grounded out.  Fourth he got a duck fart hit over third. Fifth he worked a walk.  All swinging wood.  Yes he is playing on two teams kind of.  Summer school ball just started so no more travel until mid July when school ball is over.  His travel team has an older showcase team that picks up local games mid week against teams in our areas collegiate Summer league. They invited a couple kids up from the16u team for these pick up games.  The team is 1 - 5 against the college teams with a couple very lopsided games.  I am not sure why the college teams play these games.  Our kids are getting a lot out of them.  Yes he would be a key player on most 14u teams but not on 16u teams.  

My son still has his original drivers license - 5'6", 115 lbs - as a sophomore. He was smaller and lighter as a freshman. He finished college at 6'1", 195 lbs. 

My point is he'll grow and fill out; how much is basically out of your control.

i believe that the time to really focus on individual skills - with no college recruiting downside - is the summer following freshman year.  You can also mix in physical training. For game experience, when S wanted, he found teams that needed a fill-in; the quality of play really didn't matter - what mattered was getting playing time which would allow him to use the individual skills he was focused upon.

Find great instructors within your budget.