What is a D1 Player?

I know that there are many D1 schools.

But, for the most part, I believe that "D1" translates to the top 50 D1 schools across the country.

The reality is that there are about 1,500 spots on those "D1" rosters and far more talented ballplayers.

Only about twice as many spots as there are in MLB.

Only about 500 across the country are in the top 10.

The odds are staggering to reach those spots.

Not only do you have to have the work ethic and talent, but you have to be in the right place at the right time when the sun, moon, and stars are in complete alignment and know the right people as well.

To be in that top 10 you have to stand out amongst your other 34 teammates to get playing time and accel against the competition when you are given the chance to perform.

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To be in that top 10 you have to stand out amongst your other 34 teammates to get playing time and accel against the competition when you are given the chance to perform.

I agree with this FO - a two part test if you will. You first need to establish a reputation in practice over time with your teammates and coaches. That usually will earn a shot somewhere during the coach's choosing. When getting a chance:

Pitchers ought to remember they have some of the best defensive players in the country behind them. There is no defense for a walk and any team player will laud his pitcher for throwing strikes and they'll deal with the consequences (of throwing strikes) as a team.

Hitters need to learn to do their job - no more, no less. If called upon to bunt, get the bunt down. If called upon to move a runner, then learn to do it. If called upon to drive in a run, focus on driving that run in. Sometimes kids try and hit a 5 run homer or squeeze the (saw dust) out of the bat. Relax and do your job when you get a chance.

The starting 9 = VERY GOOD ! usually 3-4 of the incoming recruited class are draftees !

Pretty sure Son's team is not the only one who has to run individually and as a team if placement drills result in failure.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by ClevelandDad:
What does it take to actually be a D1 player?

In one word, talent OK maybe a few more words!!! like natural ability and a lot of hard work and good health. O yea, and GOOD GRADES.

Are you a D1 player if 10 D1 coaches call you on the phone? If three of those make you an offer?

Not yet, This gets you the offer and chance to be a D1 player

Are you a D1 player when you sign an NLI or agree to be a recruited walk-on?

NOT YET, you are not a player until you earn a spot on the field.

Does a high showcase ranking make you a D1 player?

No, but it should get you some looks from D1 coaches.

Does it take actual playing time to make yourself a D1 player? If so, what are the ingredients it takes to get into the lineup?

Yes, at this point you are a D1 player. Up to this point you have worked your *ss off to EARN the time and prove youself to be a D1 player.

Will crafty righties who throw mid 80's get into the lineup or do they need to be throwing harder than that? Do they have to have unbelievable off-speed stuff? Do lefties get a discount on velocity and if so, what is it?

IMHO, the mark is moving up above mid-80's for D1 pitchers to get the offer and thereby the chance to be a D1 player, more so for righties than lefties. Geting the chance to be a "starter" and becoming the Friday or Saturday guy has as much to do with command and offspeed stuff as it does with velocity. They will have some that throw slower, but they may have something special like a sub-marine pitch, or some other surprise that works for a couple of innings to get to the closer. And finally, yes I believe lefties get a little break on peak velocity by 4 to 5 mph (95 R - 90 L), but the gap is closing

What are the size, speed, strength, and skill requirements that will get a position player into the lineup? Does it depend on the coach's style? Do fall ball stats have much to do with it?

Not sure on many of these, my son is a pitcher, but from what I have seen speed and skill are the two most important. Is luck involved? MOST LIKELY!! Are politics involved? Probably sometimes, but most likely for those walk-on spots?

What is the best advice you would give someone to not only be the 35th kid on the roster but one of the top 10 kids on the roster. What does it take?

Talent, hard work, self motivation, good health and a little luck to pull it all off. O yea, one more thing; GOOD GRADES

Everyone that makes a D-1 roster is a D-1 player that year. Now will they be a D-1 player the next season? Who know only time will tell. Different programs put emphasis on different things and every program looks for certain things. Ive seen kids I didnt think were D-1 players in HS and they have gone on to do quite well at that level. Ive seen kids I thought were D-1 players that didnt make it at that level. Ive been right more times than not though.

For many it comes down to being able to balance the academics and the baseball. Some can and some can not. For even more it comes down to the ability to compete. Many that end up at this level have never had to compete for playing time muchless a spot on the team. Some flourish in this type of competitive environment and some fold. Injuries , bad fits , you name it there are all kinds of reasons some kids dont make it. They may have had the talent but there are alot of factors outside of talent that will come into play,

Some kids put alot of pressure on themselves to perform up to a particular level. When they struggle they put even more pressure on themselves. Its a snow ball effect that some can never recover from. It does not mean that they didnt have the talent to get it done they didnt have the make up to get it done.

Sometimes it can come down to just being in the right place at the right time. And sometimes it can come down to being at the wrong place at the wrong time. But regardless things can turn in a hurry at this level. Ive seen guys come in as freshman and look like the next hot item on the menu. And then the next year they flop on their face and are out of the program. And Ive see guys come in and struggle but battle and emerge as major contributers before their career is over.

You make the best decision you can make based on the information you have at hand. Then you go out and make the best of your opportunity. What else can you ask from a kid?

CD,
Good question but I am not sure how to answer your questions.
Divison 1 baseball covers a lot of territory. You can be a D1 player at one school and not be considered a player at another school. It depends on the program, conference, competition your coach schedules against. The 35th player at one program can be the #1 player at another program.

First that D1 player has to indentify at what level of D1 he is able to achieve his best results (not always where YOU want to play). Attending a good showcase is where one can find that out, playing against good competition. You can determine where you fall definetly by who is calling you on the phone. If you want to play at UNC and only getting calls from smaller programs, then you have to be willing to accept that is where you fall in the D1 scheme of things.

I also beleive that sometimes you have no way of knowing what the coach has in his plans for you. A coach may be calling you because you fit in as the #1 pitcher or you fit as the #15 pitcher.

What determines where you will fall in that program or lineup is determined by you once you get to where you have been signed. How many players walk into any program and say, "piece of cake"? Not one. Reality check, motivation, hard work, determination will determine where you will fit in among the 35. Sometimes you work harder than anyone on the team and you don't get that position. You are just not ready for it as far as the coach is concerned.

I beleive that lady luck plays a big role in your role. You are brought into be the back up for the second baseman, you think you will see the bench most of the season. The ss gets hurt, 2B has to move to ss and there ya go, you got the job. The starting pitcher throws out his arm, as a reliever you now become the weekend guy. The RF sprains his foot, you were his relief, now you get the job, he heals but you have done such a great job he now has to prove that he is the man. It happens all of the time and at every program and often that is very often HOW it happens. You have to prepare yourself everyday, to go into the game everyday, even though you don't get to play everyday.

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What determines where you will fall in that program or lineup is determined by you once you get to where you have been signed. How many players walk into any program and say, "piece of cake"? Not one. Reality check, motivation, hard work, determination will determine where you will fit in among the 35. Sometimes you work harder than anyone on the team and you don't get that position. You are just not ready for it as far as the coach is concerned.

I beleive that lady luck plays a big role in your role. You are brought into be the back up for the second baseman, you think you will see the bench most of the season. The ss gets hurt, 2B has to move to ss and there ya go, you got the job. The starting pitcher throws out his arm, as a reliever you now become the weekend guy. The RF sprains his foot, you were his relief, now you get the job, he heals but you have done such a great job he now has to prove that he is the man. It happens all of the time and at every program and often that is very often HOW it happens. You have to prepare yourself everyday, to go into the game everyday, even though you don't get to play everyday.

Wise words, TPM!

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For even more it comes down to the ability to compete. Many that end up at this level have never had to compete for playing time muchless a spot on the team. Some flourish in this type of competitive environment and some fold.

This is a great point and perhaps the hardest thing to deal with. Words can not do justice to preparing a kid for the competition part of it. They have to experience this for themselves and learn to beat several other kids out who want it just as badly sometimes.

A D1 player can go from playing in front of relatives and the girlfriend(s) one spring, to the next spring routinely playing in front of 2,000, 3,000 or more folks, signing for the kids and answering lots of questions from strangers. That player not only needs to be comfortable, but enjoy and thrive on the big stage. The game is the same. It's just wrapped a little differently. Its not unusual to go from high school games with 100 fans to fall scrimmages with 1,000 fans or more.

Maybe the question should also be what variances are there in D1 schools. Many D1 schools could be beaten by NAIA,D2,D3 and jucos. The major conferences are most likely to have the strongest teams up and down.Of course as we say, on any given day any team can be beaten but if there was a series of games the major conference schools would most likely win out.Yes, there are some exceptions but they are not the rule.Your skills from one D1 school may not suffice for another. Your best bet is to ascertain what your skills are and what schools you can realistically play for,not what division.

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Originally posted by Dad04:
A D1 player can go from playing in front of relatives and the girlfriend(s) one spring, to the next spring routinely playing in front of 2,000, 3,000 or more folks, signing for the kids and answering lots of questions from strangers. That player not only needs to be comfortable, but enjoy and thrive on the big stage. The game is the same. It's just wrapped a little differently. Its not unusual to go from high school games with 100 fans to fall scrimmages with 1,000 fans or more.

Dad04 brings up a very good point.
Ok, so your son has always wanted to play at one of the bigger programs, but as a player doesn't fit into their program. What's the next best thing, looking for the smaller program that plays against the bigger programs.
Any player can feel comfortable and do well in front of a small audiences. However, no matter his ability, he has to learn to adjust to the larger stage, no matter where it is, if he wants to play beyond teh college game. I have seen many really good players with good stuff (top D1 guys) fall apart in front of a packed stadium. I have seen average players thrive and do their best on the larger stage. Makeup plays a very important role in your success and for you to go further, not always about how good you are, make sure that this is right for you. Believe it or not, this can very much determine your success as a D1 player, no matter which program you attend.

To me it is not about the team you play for but the teams you have played against with success. Making a roster spot on a top team is great and I know several players who have done that.
To me from a pitcher's perspective it is performance against guality hitters. They exist in all levels of teams not just top 50. Some teams have more than others. Some have only 1 but the draft ed players are spread out amoung all colleges.
A good ball player feed off the crowd. The bigger the better.

CD, what a great question!! It seems so obvious but I don't think has ever been asked directly on this site.
I have, it seems, different views from some of those expressed thus far on "What is a DI Player."

In approaching this, there are two statements that seem relevent:

1.) "The harder I work, the luckier I get."
2.) "Victory(success) happens when 1000 hours of preparation meet one moment of opportunity."

Using those as background, my view is that a player performs at a DI level(whether they are with a DI team or not) based on the results of a number of factors.
The first is talent. In order to play and perform, there isn't a substitute for starting with some baseline of talent/skills that are either well developed or that a coach can recognize can be further developed in the college environment.
The second factor is coaching. As I have commented before, I don't think coaching at the DI level necessarily correlates with being successful in developing DI players. From what I have read, Coach Gilmore at Coastal has a reputation as a coach who knows what it takes and can coach players to get to the level. I think Coach Horton, Coach Fox, Coach Gariddo and many, many others, can do the same. I still contend, however, there are some who are coaches at the DI level who do not "coach" at that level.
The third aspect is preparation. This is the part we as parents/fans rarely see. In my view, a DI player is the first at practice, the last to leave, is there at other times, and practices everyday at game speed, recognizing that tomorrow, he needs to be better than today. When he shows up tomorrow, he practices and strives to practice at a higher level than yesterday. He works with new techniques/adjustments and incorporates those that work. Based on what happened yesterday, he is making adjustments for tomorrow.
Finally, I think their is the component/aspect of being competitive. While this can overlap with preparation, it is different. For some, it is the fear of failure. For others, it is the burning desire to be better tomorrow than yesterday. I am sure there are other ways being competitive is perceived. But, in my view, the "DI Player" is competitive in a much different way than most. They make sacrifices other just don't. In a sense, they compete with how they did yesterday as a player, and they also compete against others, in striving to get better.
When you combine these basics, you end up with a player who has the skills to execute and produce in a college game that is noticeably faster. In fact, with good coaching and proper preparation, I personally feel the "DI Player" actually feels the game goes slower, when it is truly going faster. Based on their preparation/talent/skills, they are ahead of the speed and quickness of the college game, rather than struggling to adapt.
When you summarize, I agree with FO. There are far more roster spots than there are "DI Players."
While there are some exceptions, most don't show up in college as a "DI Player." For some, they do need a break along the way. But in general, I tend to think "DI Players" have a different physical and mental make up than most. It is that mental make up which combines with solid coaching and solid practice preparation that allows them to succeed and produce when the umpire says "Play Ball."

IFD,
I agree with your statment that coaching is a big factor in success of the team and his players. There are many D1 coaches who do NOT coach at that level. Not so much in the bigger programs as the smaller programs. The smaller D1 coach who coaches with success with the bigger coach mentality is hard to find, but it does exist as in your example using CC.

All the responses in this thread have been excellent thus far. I was not trying to be elitist or snobbish by framing the question in terms of D1 it just seems to me we have spent so (too) much time on this site wondering what happens to the 35th best kid on the roster in view of the new rules. The realities of the situation have not changed - to claim one of the starting spots, and frankly that is an uphill task at any level of baseball.

infielddad's post was excellent because he framed it in terms of attitude, talent, and desire that transcend the level someone plays at. Thus, I believe that the label on a player does not define the player or his ability.

Another question we could have asked is if one goes out and performs well against other D1 players in an elite summer wood bat league (or other setting), does that qualify the player as a D1 player? My answer to that question would be yes.

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to claim one of the starting spots, and frankly that is an uphill task at any level of baseball.

As a light hitting, thick ankled, left-handed catcher, I'll second that motion.

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This is the part we as parents/fans rarely see.

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In my view, a DI player is the first at practice, the last to leave, is there at other times, and practices everyday at game speed, recognizing that tomorrow, he needs to be better than today. When he shows up tomorrow, he practices and strives to practice at a higher level than yesterday. He works with new techniques/adjustments and incorporates those that work. Based on what happened yesterday, he is making adjustments for tomorrow.
Finally, I think their is the component/aspect of being competitive. While this can overlap with preparation, it is different. For some, it is the fear of failure. For others, it is the burning desire to be better tomorrow than yesterday. I am sure there are other ways being competitive is perceived. But, in my view, the "DI Player" is competitive in a much different way than most. They make sacrifices other just don't. In a sense, they compete with how they did yesterday as a player, and they also compete against others, in striving to get better.

I was fortunate that my son played three years in a Big 12 conference school and competed against some of the best teams and players in the country.

As I read through infielddad's eloquent post, players from the past three years and some from the past summer started floating through my mind.

Roger Kieschnick will play his third year at Texas Tech this spring. When I got through reading infielddad's post, I still had him pictured in my mind.

I think three years of watching D1 players day in and day out changes the perspective that you have when you leave the high school years and start as a freshmen in college.

Roger is a talented player and his only competition is how he how he did yesterday as a player. And, yet I see him doing all of the things in infielddad's post.

Roger is more than a D1 player, though. I think seeing players like Roger help you define what a D1 player is.

The transition from a very good high school player to a high performing D1 player is very fascinating to observe.

All of these posts reminded me of that process.

I'll never forget hearing my son's first Big 12 AB against the Univeristy of Texas three years ago with more than 10,000 fans in the stands.

He was put in to PH in the top of the ninth with two outs down a run or two.

He looked at a high strike three for the third out of the game.

Turned around and looked at the ump who said to him "Sit down son, that's been a strike all day."

My sister is relating this to me on the cell phone while I am flying down the road to get to Austin.

I though I might as well turn back.

My son might not be a D1 player.

But, then the next day another PH opportunity with a two-run base hit in the seventh inning and got to stay in the game for another AB, with another base hit and an RBI.

All this after sitting a couple of weeks because there were some little things he was missing.

Then the next week at Waco and the annoucer comes one with the lineup.

"MATT SMITH hitting clean up for the Red Raiders"

Do you have the guts to give it a shot?

I wouldn't have.

Baseball America listed the top 25 today. If you have a subscription (not sure if you need it) might want to read some of the capsules, this basically gives a snapshot of some of the players from teams and their accomplishments and why they are playing where they are in starting roles (though much of this is speculation before season).

Just thought that it might go with this discussion.