Top 96 Showcase Coach One on One (Add On)

It is very odd to me (OK, a bit offensive, really) that they promote the fact that players will get two days worth of instruction directly from these college coaches but want you to pay extra for the feedback.  That said, if one of the primary objectives is to get feedback from those coaches, I guess you may as well add that to the bill.

A few suggestions, though...  If any of these schools are on son's target list, be sure he tries to contact them (specifically the coaches listed and RC's) before this event so that there is some dialog started and hopefully they will make note to take a look.  Then follow up after the event.  Just understand that they are being paid for attendance and therefore are not very likely to be brutally honest if there is no interest.  Same goes for the one-on-one feedback. 

More importantly, I would have son make a point to ask any coach that he spends any amount of time with to please be brutally honest and tell him where they see him fit (what level) and what things he needs to work on.  Don't wait for the eval, even if you pay for it.

My experience with this event is a bit dated (used to be Demarini Top 96 I believe) but then it was considered just OK as there were usually low level staff only in attendance and player level was just OK.  But if some of the targeted schools are there or you value the instruction or son needs an event to get comfortable with showcase formats or son needs and is able to push for honest eval then it can certainly be worth while.

My 2017 did a recent Top 96 event.

A couple of the schools that my son is particularly interested in were going to be in attendance, so it seemed to be a good event to attend.

He emailed the coaches to let them know that he would be there and was looking forward to getting a chance to meet them.  The listed coaches were there, and he actually did get to speak with them for a few minutes during the course of the event.

I don't know if it will work out the same for everyone, but this was how the one on one worked out for my kid...

His evaluator was a coach from a local NAIA school.  He introduced himself to my son on day one, and saw him go through the PFP work.  The next day my son pitched a couple of innings in a game, and didn't really look all that good.

After my son was done, the coach went and got him from the dugout and took him and a catcher out the bullpen.  They were probably out there for about 20 minutes.

Once they were done, my son and the coach came over and we talked for about 10 minutes.  He correctly diagnosed that my son was in the middle of some mechanical changes and made a couple of suggestions of things he thought should be worked on.

After discussing my son's performance, we talked about my son's future goals regarding baseball and education. The coach said he was impressed with my son's mound presence and willingness to listen to instruction.  He asked my son to come out to see him at the campus, and would like him to work with team at a couple of practices.  Son will be taking him up on the offer.

I can't say everyone will have a positive experience, because I think it really depends on the coach you get assigned to.

I will say that a school that was on my son's list got scratched off because of the coach that was there.  My son said the guy was a complete a-hole to the players, and wasn't much better to the other coaches.  

Buzzard: My son (2015) had much success with the Top96 showcases, he went to 2 (one the summer before his junior year and the second early summer before his senior year.) He had targeted schools in each where there was "mutual" interest. Coaches are very accessible- close to the players. From those we attended, son received feedback (with the parent) from a coach responsible for "following" the player during at end of showcase. Take the evaluation at face value (there was another thread on this).  I took a peek at their link and this still seems to be the case.  The "add on" you refer to, appears to be something electronic (high tech). I would spend $ elsewhere (such as video or towards another camp).

As some of the above posters indicated, make sure that your son has e-mailed coaches of schools he is interested in and are attending. Indicate something different about each school/program/curriculum in order to differentiate each e-mail. You don't like mass e-mails, they don't either. Good luck.

My 2015 son participated in two Top 96 events.  The feedback you will recieve on any evaluation, free or paid, will be fairly generic and based solely on performance in this one event.  The value in the event is not in the written feedback but in having coaches see your son play.  My son got D-2 interest out of the first Top 96 he attended (beginning of sophmore year) and three D-1 offers based on contact established at the second (junior year).  He did not end up signing with any of those three schols but it helped him learn about talking to the coaches and handling the recruiting process

Thanks for the replies....great advice!