What am I missing?

I see you're from Katy, Tx. What is your son's travel team? Often the coach can be instrumental in assisting you with this process.

What's the rest of the story?  He hit 91 but where does he sit?  How is his secondary stuff?  Control?  Did he get any exposure via HS or good club team?  What were the assessment comments from the showcase?  If you had to guess one or two reasons why schools are not giving him more attention, what would they be?  What kind of success/accolades did he have in HS?  Did he play at a large school?  What are neutral experts telling you about what level he belongs?  What are they telling you his strengths and weaknesses are?  Does he have a conventional throwing motion?  Is he a high-effort thrower or smooth?  Are there any off-field issues? Was he a late bloomer?  How would you rate his athleticism?

It's very late for a 2015 with big D1s. What are the level of colleges you targeted?

The best way to answer the question in this thread's subject line is to give your son an opportunity to be evaluated by someone who makes his living from baseball and who has nothing to gain financially in the future from the evaluation.

 

Make sure that they have a good reputation in your area's baseball community. Candidates would include professional scouts, college coaches (subject to their sanctioning bodies' restrictions concerning single-player evaluations), owners of baseball development centers, and the very best travel team/high school coaches.

 

Not only are they capable of giving you the practiced, objective assessment that a college recruiter might give, but they're invariably well-connected with the college baseball coaching community. They should be able to size up your son's playing level and speak with you and college coaches realistically and credibly about which colleges would be most appropriate for him. 

 

At times, they'll be in touch sufficiently with college coaches that they'll know where there's a specific need for a player with your son's playing attributes. As college recruiting classes comprised of 2015 graduates continue to fill, this sort of insight could be very valuable.

 

Best wishes for his success!

Team Zona....I think the big issue here is that this question should probably have been posted this time last fall.....or at least this past spring.  A kid that size with those kind of numbers would have been a big add for a lot of D1 schools.  The problem now is that most of the D1's are finished (or at least close to finished) with their 2015 class.  I'm sure there is someone that would have something left....but you may have to work a little bit to find it....and possibly expand your search area.  How far is your son willing to go?  I know D1's here in the midwest aren't all finished with their 2015's...and a kid throwing 91 would definitely garner some interest if they still have any scholly money available.

If he keeps hitting 91 he will be fine.  

Make sure son is open to all opportunities, and not just D1.

what schools is he interested in attending, esp for academics?  Find ways to get yourself in front of those coaches. If there is a camp/showcase go and email coaches before u get there w info/short video. 

Son could be late bloomer. Needs to narrow focus and really hit the schools he's interested in hard. Baseball aside he needs to be getting applications in to colleges esp since baseball offers little money and will prob need academic money if he qualifies. My non sport daughter had answers back from colleges by Christmas of Sr. Yr. 

good luck keep  us posted on how it's going

Sounds like a guy who wasn't properly exposed in time or a late bloomer. Hits 91? Seems like a natural choice would be a top JC program for a year. If he can continue to show that he hits that velocity, D-1's would then have plenty of time to evaluate. Of course, he also sounds like a good student and a JC even for a year might not be an academic fit.

Thanks for the replies.  A little clarification – he has had some interest from some schools but not in any areas that he would like to go to.  He wants to play in the West.  We have made a list of schools that he would like to play for and those are the schools that we sent letters to and have been contacting.  We have had some response as mentioned but mainly silence.   As they have not said no I have taken the silence as there might still be some interest.  Has anyone ever got a no from the coach?  Or is the silence after repeated attempts a no?  I believe it is but would like to think there is still a chance.

Answers in order:

RedFish Fool:  Travel Team is the Banditos – he did very well at the WWBA this year in Georgia and his coach has been great in getting him in contact with some schools. 

 

Cabbagedad:  Pitching – sits at 85 -87, secondary pitches are 72-74, good control, good club team.  Showcase assessment was good athlete, solid fielding, strong arm, good power.  Reasons for non-attention:  7.2 60, was from Texas at a California showcase.  High school is a large school in a very competitive district so very good competition.  Evals have been that could play at D1 but still needs to develop.  Needs work on curve ball (sharper break and faster).  No off field issues.  Not a late bloomer

 

Shoveit 4Ks:  He is looking at D2 and JC as well, has been in contact with a couple but they are not really offering anything, just apply to the school and see what financial aid is available

 

Prepster:  Has had a few local (Houston area) instructors evaluate (pitching and hitting coaches) and same as above, potential to play D1 but needs to continue to work

Buckeye 2015:  So far is only interested in playing in the West, that may change as the year goes on

 

Throw’n bb’s:  Thanks – he is working with a pitching coach to get up to sitting at  89-91

 

Playball2011: we are trying to contact the coaches we are interested in, just get silence back from most, trying to figure out if that is just a no, or are they waiting to see what happens with the people they have

 

Roothog66:  exposure has not been as wide outside of the Houston area , will be looking at JC’s\

Thanks for the input

Sounds like you have a pretty good handle on where he is at this point in time.  It's a tough combination.  You have a player who has been evaluated as "borderline" D1 but he is targeting schools in the region that has the biggest surplus of D1 prospects.  The Calif. schools have so many of these kids to choose from in their own back yard (who they can see play somewhat regularly), there is little need to look out of state unless the player is an absolute stud.  The other levels benefit from the surplus, picking up many who don't get recruited by the D1's.  LOTS of very good Calif. players have to go out of state to find opportunity. There is also the fact that out-of-state kids pay higher tuition at many of the schools.  And I don't think Texas is on the "neighboring state" list.  As others have said, it is also late in the process for D1's. 

 

If you are referring to Arizona as "west", only two D1's in the whole state.  Same for Nevada.  Lots of good players coming out of the Phoenix, Vegas and Reno regions...  and those four schools have no fewer than nine Calif players on each roster.

 

To answer your question honestly, the silence may not mean "no" but I think it certainly tells you the interest is not high.  Not saying your son may not find the right fit where he is trying to find it.  Just trying to give you all the info so you continue making any necessary adjustments.

I agree with cabbagedad and I think you are see ings things correctly.
We didn't look "West" but from what I read, Ca is flush with good players, as are several other states, including Tx
Since you play for the Banditos, Ray can/has help with the colleges but he may be more familiar with Southern ones.

A couple of points. Sitting 85-87 is where he is at, not 91. If he was consistently throwing 91 someone would have found him. Frankly I have never seen a kid sit 85-87 hit 90 very often if at all. (unless it was coming off the bat ) When mine was in HS and was at 85-87 he had a snowballs chance in He ll to touch 90. He is likely not going to be throwing 89-91 no matter what type of instructor he has, it is late in the process and if he does not have a number of programs following him then you need to broaden the search.

 

There are a lot of very competitive DIII programs not too far from Houston that you should look into. Trinity, TLU, Concordia, UTTyler, then a little further Millsaps, Hendrix, Birmingham Southern all have very very competitive baseball programs that your son could contribute to and get an excellent education. In a couple of those programs he would likely not get many innings as a freshmen but could grow into a big contributor if he works hard and develops. 

 

 

Based upon the reality of what you've shared, you and your son have some choices to make.   The current strategy isn't getting the desired results and you are seeking alternative strategies.  Folks have suggested you move beyond your current geography.  Others have suggested considering different college baseball levels.   Both are sound suggestions and should be considered IMHO because trying something different may yield different (positive) results   Recruiting is a marketplace of buyers and sellers with specific timelines.  Understanding these market places (CA is low supply/high demand) is extremely important as well as the timelines with each level.  National 2015 D1 recruiting with a few minor exceptions is pretty much done unless a recruit falls through the administrative process.  Yes, it happens but it isn't something you can count on.

 

BOF has given you some excellent suggestions to research.   This is the marketplace and timeframe for many of these schools he listed.  Good luck.