What level? D1, D2, D3, NAIA, JC ??

I think doing this type of research would be a reality check to a lot of kids on high school rosters.

As in the example - even at a below .500 Div 2 school, the players were all HS studs.  Probably the best on their team - maybe even across an entire area. 

It's nice to dream about playing D1, but reality doesn't hold anybody's hand. 

Cabbagedad, thanks very much for this post and the research that went into it.  My rule of thumb with my '22 is to encourage him to pursue immediate or near term goals - improve his pop time, get a higher % of quality atbats, etc.  Then you can look at high school and goals like starting 3 or 4 years, making all-conference, etc.   Then regional - can he be the best catcher in his grad year in the city?  County?  Everything beyond that is just too theoretical now.  

One of the best things you can do to compare yourself (next to being truly honest) is to attend some local college games.  Most kids that go on to play college ball rarely see any games other then what is on ESPN.  In most every area there are multiple levels of college ball being played.  Take a look at how the team does historically and then head out to watch games.  Seeing how well the middle of the road D2's and D3's can be eye opening for some.  Seeing how bad some of the lower end D1s play can also be eye opening.

Of Course DII does have athletic scholarships.  So often they get the best kids that don't sign with DI schools. There are some DII programs that are extremely strong and some very talented players choose them over the DI offers they get. Also there are NAIA and Juco programs that offer athletic scholarships.

CABBAGEDAD:  thank you very much for this thread.  As a parent of a 2021, this is a great reminder.

One of the reasons we decided for my son to not play Fall Ball this year is to prioritize the High School team & experience.  We want him to hit the ground running with the academics without the distraction of multiple practices & games per week.   We also want him to rest his arm for 2 straight months so that when HS winter workouts start up he'll be ready to go.

It is easy to get caught up in the Showcase/Travel Team experience, and you are correct:  work on being a great high school player.

For my son, he is taking a multi-faceted approach:  there are tangible goals that he can control the pursuit of such as 60 times, Exit Velo, GPA and then there are things that he can prepare for but are more out of his control (which team he makes, playing time etc)

The main advice we have gotten from multiple sources (including here) is to work on getting Bigger/Faster/Stronger and to receive some quality instruction from a reputable pro (for my Kid as a position player that means hitting instruction).   That is the approach we are taking.

You are correct, even at our local JUCO, most of the roster is filled with HS All-Conference players and All-State players

The recruiting site we are members of have players states and videos.  I was checking out a camp email from a JC in our area.  The neat thing about this site is that ANY school you look on will show the athletes from this recruiting site that went there.  By clicking on the recruit you can see what they took in previous years.....Measurables....and even their videos.  This JC had a catcher who listed pop time as 1.97 (top) and 2.0 (avg).

First thing I thought was BS when I watched his video.  I broke out my coaches eye (after just using a stop watch) and this guy was a 2.3 to 2.4.  Point is...Don't assume if a kid says hes 1.9 pop or a 6.7 60 or 93mph.....Doesnt mean its right.  I think when stats are recorded by someone like PrepBaseball, then its legit.

But when I am bored I can see what level schools are taking as far as commits.  Gives you an interesting take on measurables.

Good stuff... Like Joe says above: go to some college games at varying levels and it won't take long to figure out the difference.  A big difference you'll see at the individual level is the bat.  The truly talented have great defense and really hit it hard.  And some of these kids play at Ivy D1, low D1, Juco, or a top D3 for varying reasons: searching for higher academics, engineering or premed requiring lab classes which are hard to attend if on the road a lot with baseball, or they were a late bloomer not getting the top D1 attention early in the recruiting cycle, or simply not being at the right place at the right time to be seen.  Top D1 teams have greater depths of talented position players and pitchers. 

Cabbagedad — this is really good stuff and very realistic of what to expect.  If I have the time — I’ll post the bios of a few kids that are going to D1s and D3s that played with my son in high school.

My only other advice to the 2020/21/22 parents out there — academics and grades are the keys to the kingdom.  I know a number of kids that didn’t put the work into the classroom in high school and basically frozen themselves out of a lot of D3 programs.  Good baseball players, but as you point out the bar is pretty high… and without the grades, you are going have fewer options.

MAM posted:

My only other advice to the 2020/21/22 parents out there — academics and grades are the keys to the kingdom.  I know a number of kids that didn’t put the work into the classroom in high school and basically frozen themselves out of a lot of D3 programs.  Good baseball players, but as you point out the bar is pretty high… and without the grades, you are going have fewer options.

Can never get reminded about that too much.

What is the general GPA range thresholds?  That is something I haven't been able to figure out.  3.75 or better for high academics?

Rob T posted:

I think doing this type of research would be a reality check to a lot of kids on high school rosters.

As in the example - even at a below .500 Div 2 school, the players were all HS studs.  Probably the best on their team - maybe even across an entire area. 

It's nice to dream about playing D1, but reality doesn't hold anybody's hand. 

It's nice to dream about playing D1, but reality doesn't hold anybody's hand.

Stealing this to say to my son. Haven't decided as to claim or give credit.

Great stuff Cabbagedad. This is a great illustration of how much talent it takes to play on what many would look down their nose at as a mediocre mid-level college baseball program. This would be great to show a HS Freshman player and/or Freshman parent as an eye opener of the type of player you have to beat out for any college roster spot.  12% of all HS baseball players play college baseball at any level generally because those are the ones who have the mental and physical skills to succeed at both. I am not one that believes any HS player can just find a spot at a low level D3 and play V innings. You may find a spot as a D3 JV player or as a glorified team manager.  My default position from multiple examples in my family is it is really hard to play sports after HS no matter the level. 

cabbagedad posted:

We have had several recent threads from younger (2020/2021) players and parents asking about what level they project to or should target, which is great.  Figuring out the lay of the land early is far better than late.

Part of the equation, I think, is understanding what kind of HS players land at the different college levels.  We know that the range is very wide.  That said, I thought it may be helpful to illustrate what "the middle" looks like.   So, I am listing the bio's (names protected) of the most recent recruiting class for a D2 school that plays in a good league but typically finishes below .500 most years.  Pretty darn "middle" in the college baseball world.

Player #1 - 2B, prepped at IMG, hit about .300 Sr year

Player #2 - C, helped HS win two state championships in his four years. During his senior season, was named the team captain and hit .367 from the cleanup spot. Was honored with .. outstanding senior baseball player award, All-State Team, All-Division Team, and Interscholastic All-Star. Was also a standout on the football field, winning four state championships and earning All-City and All-Division honors.

Player #3 - LHP, helped his team win the district championship, was a four-year scholar athlete and in 2017 received the "xxx" Award for his leadership and hard work.

Player #4 - 1B, was a three-time all-district, three-time all-county, first-team honors as a senior.  In his junior year, was named the County 5A Hitter of the Year following an impressive season that saw him hit .420 with 16 RBIs, two home runs, and eight doubles. As a senior, hit .416 with 28 RBIs, three home runs, and eight doubles.

Player #5 - Ut., JC transfer, JC sophomore year hit .444 and drove in 18 runs while smacking four doubles and four triples.

Player #6 - RHP, As a senior, posted a 0.48 ERA over 29.1 innings pitched while striking out 35.  7A All-District honors in 2016 and 2017, State Region All-High School Honorable Mention, First Team All-Conference, Senior All-Star Game, and Perfect Game All-Tournament Team on four occasions.

Player #7 - OF, Power 5 D1 drop down, played in 52 games in his two years with D1 team and hit .296 as a freshman. made the 2017 Conference All-Academic Team following his sophomore campaign. In HS, he was USA Today All-State First Team in 2014 and 2015 while hitting .423 as a senior.

Player #8 - 2B,  was his team's 2017 Offensive MVP and a two-time selection to the all-area team. Was also a three-year member of the basketball team.

Player #9 - RHP, compiled an impressive 17-3 record with a 1.88 ERA over three years at (HS). As a senior, he fanned 33 batters in 27.1 innings pitched while allowing only 11 hits. 

Player #10 -  C, was named to the All-League Team following his junior and senior seasons. He was a two-time recipient of the Coaches Award (2015, 2017) and named the team's Most Valuable Player in 2016.

Player #11 - UT, boasted a 0.66 ERA his senior year with 34 strikeouts while also posting a .302 batting average. Was a multi-sport athlete lettering in football, baseball, and soccer. He earned the MVP Award in baseball and was named to the all-state team in football.

Player #12 - RHP - During his senior season, hit .330 from the leadoff spot with 11 doubles and one home run. On the mound, finished the season with a 1.75 ERA over 12 innings while striking out 19.

Player #13 -  IF, JC transfer.  In his sophomore JC season, hit .270 with eight doubles, two home runs, 17 RBIs, and a team-leading five triples. In his freshman campaign, hit .289 with two home runs. In HS, he was a four-year letterman while being named team captain in 2014.

Remember, this is a below-average D2.  So, I think there are many conclusions that can be drawn from this small snapshot and can make for some good discussion.  

The biggest takeaway for me as it relates to the young 2020/2021 players is this...

  While this is just one of over 1,500 college baseball programs, it is quite typical in the sense that most of the players (particularly the ones that become starters) develop the skills, have the talent and put in the work to become very good and very accomplished HS players first.

Don't put the cart before the horse.  Yes, start educating yourself on what you want out of college and where you may want to go but work hard at being the best HS player (and student) you can be.  Yes, start figuring out the best resources to help you with both.  But, don't look past your HS experience.  Enjoy it to the fullest.  Most of the rest will start to become much more clear when the time comes.

 

 

Thanks for taking the time to do this. Copying to show my 2022. 

3and2Fastball posted:

Can never get reminded about that too much.

What is the general GPA range thresholds?  That is something I haven't been able to figure out.  3.75 or better for high academics?

It's hard to say really.  You have unweighted vs weighted, rigor of courses, reputation of high school - a lot of different factors. High academics usually don't just look at the numbers.

I think you can realistically say if you can't pull an unweighted 3.5 in honors or above level courses, that a high academic college would be challenging to both get into, and to be able to keep up.

Test scores are probably easier to pin down than GPA. Getting above a 30 ACT or 1300 SAT is probably a starting point.  A little higher for the really exclusive schools, but 30/1300 will start opening up a lot of opportunities.

Of course the schools frequently show some leniency for athletes.

Especially if you throw 90...

Elijah posted:

Rob T posted:

I think doing this type of research would be a reality check to a lot of kids on high school rosters.

As in the example - even at a below .500 Div 2 school, the players were all HS studs.  Probably the best on their team - maybe even across an entire area. 

It's nice to dream about playing D1, but reality doesn't hold anybody's hand. 

It's nice to dream about playing D1, but reality doesn't hold anybody's hand.

Stealing this to say to my son. Haven't decided as to claim or give credit.

I'll have my people send over a licensing agreement. 

A 30 ACT score is in the 95th percentile nationally.  That will open up most doors... other than the most exclusive of schools.. 

From what I was told 30 and above on ACT gets you into the academic schools.  Ivy league.  

25 and above gets you in with the regular schools.

Daughter's first attempt was a 24 and it didn't phase Div 2 and Div 3 and still has a dozen Div 1 she is considering.  (Swimming of course.  Not baseball)

Agree that ACT of 30 is the magic number for the high academic schools...a couple points over 30 really opens up the doors. What we learned along the way is the schools can be lenient but not as much as you would think. As one coach said to us "does not make sense for me to get a border line kid in and then have him struggle to stay eligible".

Since this discussion has veered toward academics, let me throw something out there for the other 90%...

For those not targeting the top academic schools, an overall 3.5 GPA seems to be a very common benchmark when it comes to getting significant academic $$, not to mention easier school acceptance and warmer coach embrace.

There's another carrot for all you 2020 - 2022's (and parents of..)      It's real and it works!

cabbagedad posted:

For those not targeting the top academic schools, an overall 3.5 GPA seems to be a very common benchmark when it comes to getting significant academic $$, not to mention easier school acceptance and warmer coach embrace.

There's another carrot for all you 2020 - 2022's (and parents of..)      It's real and it works!

Thanks!  That was actually going to be my next question.

As the Dad of a 2021 who is starting HS in literally a few weeks, the GPA is the big one to me.  Start out your high school Baseball career hitting .185 as a freshman with poor measureables and all of that can improved on tremendously.  If you throw 90+ or run a 6.5 sixty as a Junior or Senior nobody is going to ask how your freshman season of Baseball went... start out your Freshman year with a 2.5 GPA or worse and you have severely limited your future options

cabbagedad posted:

We have had several recent threads from younger (2020/2021) players and parents asking about what level they project to or should target, which is great.  Figuring out the lay of the land early is far better than late.

Part of the equation, I think, is understanding what kind of HS players land at the different college levels.  We know that the range is very wide.  That said, I thought it may be helpful to illustrate what "the middle" looks like.   So, I am listing the bio's (names protected) of the most recent recruiting class for a D2 school that plays in a good league but typically finishes below .500 most years.  Pretty darn "middle" in the college baseball world.

Player #1 - 2B, prepped at IMG, hit about .300 Sr year

Player #2 - C, helped HS win two state championships in his four years. During his senior season, was named the team captain and hit .367 from the cleanup spot. Was honored with .. outstanding senior baseball player award, All-State Team, All-Division Team, and Interscholastic All-Star. Was also a standout on the football field, winning four state championships and earning All-City and All-Division honors.

Player #3 - LHP, helped his team win the district championship, was a four-year scholar athlete and in 2017 received the "xxx" Award for his leadership and hard work.

Player #4 - 1B, was a three-time all-district, three-time all-county, first-team honors as a senior.  In his junior year, was named the County 5A Hitter of the Year following an impressive season that saw him hit .420 with 16 RBIs, two home runs, and eight doubles. As a senior, hit .416 with 28 RBIs, three home runs, and eight doubles.

Player #5 - Ut., JC transfer, JC sophomore year hit .444 and drove in 18 runs while smacking four doubles and four triples.

Player #6 - RHP, As a senior, posted a 0.48 ERA over 29.1 innings pitched while striking out 35.  7A All-District honors in 2016 and 2017, State Region All-High School Honorable Mention, First Team All-Conference, Senior All-Star Game, and Perfect Game All-Tournament Team on four occasions.

Player #7 - OF, Power 5 D1 drop down, played in 52 games in his two years with D1 team and hit .296 as a freshman. made the 2017 Conference All-Academic Team following his sophomore campaign. In HS, he was USA Today All-State First Team in 2014 and 2015 while hitting .423 as a senior.

Player #8 - 2B,  was his team's 2017 Offensive MVP and a two-time selection to the all-area team. Was also a three-year member of the basketball team.

Player #9 - RHP, compiled an impressive 17-3 record with a 1.88 ERA over three years at (HS). As a senior, he fanned 33 batters in 27.1 innings pitched while allowing only 11 hits. 

Player #10 -  C, was named to the All-League Team following his junior and senior seasons. He was a two-time recipient of the Coaches Award (2015, 2017) and named the team's Most Valuable Player in 2016.

Player #11 - UT, boasted a 0.66 ERA his senior year with 34 strikeouts while also posting a .302 batting average. Was a multi-sport athlete lettering in football, baseball, and soccer. He earned the MVP Award in baseball and was named to the all-state team in football.

Player #12 - RHP - During his senior season, hit .330 from the leadoff spot with 11 doubles and one home run. On the mound, finished the season with a 1.75 ERA over 12 innings while striking out 19.

Player #13 -  IF, JC transfer.  In his sophomore JC season, hit .270 with eight doubles, two home runs, 17 RBIs, and a team-leading five triples. In his freshman campaign, hit .289 with two home runs. In HS, he was a four-year letterman while being named team captain in 2014.

Remember, this is a below-average D2.  So, I think there are many conclusions that can be drawn from this small snapshot and can make for some good discussion.  

The biggest takeaway for me as it relates to the young 2020/2021 players is this...

  While this is just one of over 1,500 college baseball programs, it is quite typical in the sense that most of the players (particularly the ones that become starters) develop the skills, have the talent and put in the work to become very good and very accomplished HS players first.

Don't put the cart before the horse.  Yes, start educating yourself on what you want out of college and where you may want to go but work hard at being the best HS player (and student) you can be.  Yes, start figuring out the best resources to help you with both.  But, don't look past your HS experience.  Enjoy it to the fullest.  Most of the rest will start to become much more clear when the time comes.

 

 

It's a great idea to do some research on target schools, but I think it's hard to draw conclusions from bios. All-county in, say, Los Angles County (population >10,000,000) is very different than all-county in a small, rural county. Same is true with all-state in, say, Florida vs. all-state in a small state. Even in a big state there can be a world of difference between different classifications (e.g., Div 1 in CIF-SS is a world apart from Div 6 or Div 7). And needless to say, all-league teams are highly variable depending on the strength of the league.

However, looking at measurables and listed size on PBR and PG can give you a good idea of whether your son fits what that particular school looks for.

2019, you are absolutely correct on those differences and that is something to factor in when researching specific schools.  But my point was more general, just illustrating that the large majority of players recruited by colleges are very accomplished HS players, even to those colleges that are just somewhere in the middle of the college baseball landscape.  

So many young HS players either don't realize how competitive that landscape can be, get too far ahead of themselves too early, forget to enjoy the HS experience, forget to take care of academics first or some combination of ....

Others have done a great job in expanding on this thought.

But, to your point, you could similarly argue that desirable measurables and size don't always equate to the ability to play the game at a high level.

Sorry, let's try to stay on topic.

That was good cabbagedad thanks.

Two things I would like to contribute. Most D2 are private and very expensive. In some cases, cost factor comes into play, it may cost a parent less sending to a D2, than a D2.  I watched D2 baseball all last year. I didn't see any difference between them and mid tier D1 programs. 

One very important thing to keep in mind. Top prospects in their class get recruited early to top programs for a few reasons. A very big one is that they want a commitment before someone else gives it. This is happens often between power conferences.

Being realistic is key. Many years ago a parent posted that his player was being ignored by top D1 programs. I don't think that was the case, probably more because he just wasn't seen as a top D1 player.  You have to learn to be realistic. If not, you will be disappointed.

Most importantly, grades do matter,  so does earning a degree.

JMO

This is the bio of a young man with whom my son went to HS.  He is currently playing at a very well respected D1.  

Named a 201x Rawlings-Perfect Game Honorable Mention All-American…Also garnered Perfect Game Underclassmen All-American honors in 201x and 201x...Was selected to play with both the _________ and _________ scout teams in 201x…Hit .4xx with 45 home runs in four seasons at _____________ High School…Received all-district and all-city area three times.  Played in the 201x____________Area Baseball Coaches Association All-Star game.

Some of that information is correct, but he hit 0 home runs his senior year and 1 his junior year.  Considering he was on varsity for 3 years, I don't think he hit 44 homers his sophomore year.  My son was only on varsity for 2 years, but surely I would have heard about this kid averaging almost 2 HRs per game! I also know he only had one year as all-district.

What I'm saying is that I'm not sure how accurate the information is.  He's a good kid and I'm not sure who does the exaggerating, the school or the kid...maybe both.  

Another point I would like to make is that there are many reasons why a kid with great stats wouldn't be playing D1, one of which is his size.  He could be a 5'8" 145 lbs. kid who does not fit the D1 size profile.  My kid was 6'2" 155 lbs. his junior year in HS and certainly didn't look like any catchers we saw at the D1 level.  Sometimes parents need to see what is real instead of what they want to see.

Matty posted:

This is the bio of a young man with whom my son went to HS.  He is currently playing at a very well respected D1.  

Named a 201x Rawlings-Perfect Game Honorable Mention All-American…Also garnered Perfect Game Underclassmen All-American honors in 201x and 201x...Was selected to play with both the _________ and _________ scout teams in 201x…Hit .4xx with 45 home runs in four seasons at _____________ High School…Received all-district and all-city area three times.  Played in the 201x____________Area Baseball Coaches Association All-Star game.

Some of that information is correct, but he hit 0 home runs his senior year and 1 his junior year.  Considering he was on varsity for 3 years, I don't think he hit 44 homers his sophomore year.  My son was only on varsity for 2 years, but surely I would have heard about this kid averaging almost 2 HRs per game! I also know he only had one year as all-district.

What I'm saying is that I'm not sure how accurate the information is.  He's a good kid and I'm not sure who does the exaggerating, the school or the kid...maybe both.  

Another point I would like to make is that there are many reasons why a kid with great stats wouldn't be playing D1, one of which is his size.  He could be a 5'8" 145 lbs. kid who does not fit the D1 size profile.  My kid was 6'2" 155 lbs. his junior year in HS and certainly didn't look like any catchers we saw at the D1 level.  Sometimes parents need to see what is real instead of what they want to see.

Maybe the 45 homers included wiffle ball games in the back yard?

For those of you with kids in HS, or about to enter HS, check with your school to see if they provide access to Naviance.  Naviance provides data on your kids HS and their chances to get into specific school based on historical academic data and applications from your specific school.  It can be used to predict your chances of being accepted to specific schools.  There is a very helpful graphing feature which shows all the students (anonymously)  who applied to a specific school, their GPA, their ACT/SAT score and if they were accepted, rejected, or waitlisted.

Tremendous post, Cabbage! I've been off the grid for a bit, but trying to catch up now...it seems like a number of people have similar questions to my initial post about whether or not there was any hope--and a sincere thanks to all of you who responded to that thread!

So much to learn from this site, it's almost as overwhelming as the process itself. My son was a starter for JV as a freshman last year, and projects to be a varsity starter as a sophomore this year...sounds like the time to start getting the list of vetted colleges together, with the profiles of the mid-range school athletes you listed in mind. Time to grind the grades as well as the physical development, and if all goes well start looking to get some exposure. Seeing the bios you listed really helps in setting a realistic expectation--which helps with the list of colleges to target. Thanks for the post!

-42

Matty posted:

This is the bio of a young man with whom my son went to HS.  He is currently playing at a very well respected D1.  

Named a 201x Rawlings-Perfect Game Honorable Mention All-American…Also garnered Perfect Game Underclassmen All-American honors in 201x and 201x...Was selected to play with both the _________ and _________ scout teams in 201x…Hit .4xx with 45 home runs in four seasons at _____________ High School…Received all-district and all-city area three times.  Played in the 201x____________Area Baseball Coaches Association All-Star game.

Some of that information is correct, but he hit 0 home runs his senior year and 1 his junior year.  Considering he was on varsity for 3 years, I don't think he hit 44 homers his sophomore year.  My son was only on varsity for 2 years, but surely I would have heard about this kid averaging almost 2 HRs per game! I also know he only had one year as all-district.

What I'm saying is that I'm not sure how accurate the information is.  He's a good kid and I'm not sure who does the exaggerating, the school or the kid...maybe both.  

Another point I would like to make is that there are many reasons why a kid with great stats wouldn't be playing D1, one of which is his size.  He could be a 5'8" 145 lbs. kid who does not fit the D1 size profile.  My kid was 6'2" 155 lbs. his junior year in HS and certainly didn't look like any catchers we saw at the D1 level.  Sometimes parents need to see what is real instead of what they want to see.

Again, just to stay on point...   Yes, in many cases, the coaches ask the players for their bio info.  So, hypothetically, I suppose, it could be fabricated.  But... I know a lot of current college players.  A few will get silly with listing their interests and such.  But, very few would dare fabricate their accomplishments in their bio's, knowing how much crap they'd get from teammates, friends and family calling BS on them, let alone they would be lying to their new HC's.  When it comes to that part, I find it to be generally pretty darn accurate.  

With your guy, who knows.  If you are saying it is accurate except the HR's, maybe it was a typo and was just supposed to say 4.  Clearly, he is the type of player that could earn those accolades if he is at a very well respected D1.

So, I'll stand by my point that you can get a pretty good idea from these bio's of the general caliber of player that is being recruited.   

Totally agree with your last point.

3and2Fastball posted:

MAM posted:

My only other advice to the 2020/21/22 parents out there — academics and grades are the keys to the kingdom.  I know a number of kids that didn’t put the work into the classroom in high school and basically frozen themselves out of a lot of D3 programs.  Good baseball players, but as you point out the bar is pretty high… and without the grades, you are going have fewer options.

Can never get reminded about that too much.

What is the general GPA range thresholds?  That is something I haven't been able to figure out.  3.75 or better for high academics?

It's not just high-academics. All kinds of non-baseball financial aid available with good grades / ACT SAT scores. 

For example, in Texas you can get most or all the out of state tuition waived for Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma publics with (roughly) 3.5 unweighted GPA and a 25 ACT score. Lots of good baseball in those states. Lots of Texas kids on the rosters. 

I don't know the privates non baseball aid programs, but they're out there.

joes87 posted:

For those of you with kids in HS, or about to enter HS, check with your school to see if they provide access to Naviance.  Naviance provides data on your kids HS and their chances to get into specific school based on historical academic data and applications from your specific school.  It can be used to predict your chances of being accepted to specific schools.  There is a very helpful graphing feature which shows all the students (anonymously)  who applied to a specific school, their GPA, their ACT/SAT score and if they were accepted, rejected, or waitlisted.

My kids' school district mandates naviance use, however if your school doesn't have it you can create a free profile on collegedata.com and do the same thing.

also, depending upon where you go to school (rural vs metro area) don't get wrapped around the axle about being a 4-yr varsity guy (or even 3 year). My son's team had D1 commits sitting the bench a lot as Juniors, so sometimes it just isn't possible to crack the lineup as an Underclassman. That is where summer and fall baseball can play a big role. 

Also to parrot cabbagedad, take a look in person at the different levels of college play. Try to see a high ranked D1 take on a low/unranked D1, same for D2 and D3. Where does your son's skills match up? And talk to trusted coaches who will be honest with you about what level they see you at...if it doesn't match your goals, work your ass off.

Great stuff Cabbage! Here was my son's public bio (6 years ago) He was at the time considered a borderline D1 player (high academic) with a couple low % and walk on offers and one offer from an Ivy, but nothing that convinced him he would be part of a coaches plan. He ended up playing for a high academic DIII baseball powerhouse and had a nice "contributor" career with them.

At the time he was 6'4" 185, with a 2150 SAT, 4.3ish GPA. He had the advantage of being high academic as well as having a "baseball body" so when he walked on the field, coaches would at least look at him, and he still "struggled" to get attention. We both worked very hard and he went to a lot of very visible events in So Cal and the surrounding area. His HS was a Div II school, and he played against some powerhouse SoCal HS programs. 

Three year Varsity starter for Coach XXX at XXX high school in XX California. Selected two times as an all XXX League player. Led his high school team in batting all three years, and was the number one starting pitcher for two years. Batted 0.400 as a senior and had a 1.05 ERA, with opposing hitters batting 0.153 against him, and was starting outfielder when not pitching, in his Jr year had 15 OF assists.  Two-time California Area Code invitee. Was named as a Perfect Game underclass pre-season All American and Rawlings California Region All American as a senior. Picked up his first collegiate win as a High School Sophomore pitching in relief for the San Luis Rattlers in XXX. As a junior led his summer team to a 4^th place finish in the USA Baseball 16U Championships. 

BOF posted:

Great stuff Cabbage! Here was my son's public bio (6 years ago) He was at the time considered a borderline D1 player (high academic) with a couple low % and walk on offers and one offer from an Ivy, but nothing that convinced him he would be part of a coaches plan. He ended up playing for a high academic DIII baseball powerhouse and had a nice "contributor" career with them.

At the time he was 6'4" 185, with a 2150 SAT, 4.3ish GPA. He had the advantage of being high academic as well as having a "baseball body" so when he walked on the field, coaches would at least look at him, and he still "struggled" to get attention. We both worked very hard and he went to a lot of very visible events in So Cal and the surrounding area. His HS was a Div II school, and he played against some powerhouse SoCal HS programs. 

Three year Varsity starter for Coach XXX at XXX high school in XX California. Selected two times as an all XXX League player. Led his high school team in batting all three years, and was the number one starting pitcher for two years. Batted 0.400 as a senior and had a 1.05 ERA, with opposing hitters batting 0.153 against him, and was starting outfielder when not pitching, in his Jr year had 15 OF assists.  Two-time California Area Code invitee. Was named as a Perfect Game underclass pre-season All American and Rawlings California Region All American as a senior. Picked up his first collegiate win as a High School Sophomore pitching in relief for the San Luis Rattlers in XXX. As a junior led his summer team to a 4^th place finish in the USA Baseball 16U Championships. 

 

 

 

Pitcher? What was his velocity? 

RHP: 84-86, and in the fall of his Sr year he was up to 89 at the Arizona Fall Classic, sitting 86-87. As a note 6 years ago 90 was not hit very often in HS. I think we saw 2 pitchers in the 90's when he was a Sr. In college he was a 2 way.  

Great stuff here.  Besides "book" education there is a different type of education. My son played D1 ball, now plays professionally. I consider him to be a good athlete, not a great athlete.  What he lacked in physical attributes or natural talent, I believe the most important thing is that he UNDERSTANDS the game more than other players in high school, college, and pros. It isn't a 2-3 hour talk or lesson. The teachings have been ingrained in his brain for many years.  Much like a hitter relies on muscle memory, he uses both to give the best results. It's no accident parents, coaches and media have made comments like "he seems to be on a different level which stands out among his peers". They are referring not to his athleticism but to his approach to the game, his "plan".   Whether you are looking at D1,2,or3 understanding the game will give you an edge to produce and be noticed.  To clarify, I am not referring to knowing the rules either, though that helps!

When you go see college teams play go more than once. Even good D1 teams have bad days that could fool a kid into thinking he fits. 

It would have been interesting to see the size on the D2 recruits. Sometimes there's one thing that prevents a player from being D1 protectable (size, sixty time, throwing velocity, etc.). Sometimes one thing makes a player D1 projectable while most of us would mumble, "I don't see it."

i remember watching a Power 5 team thinking they had a lot of short players (5'9" to 5'11"). The coach was 5'9" and a former successful player there. On the flip side I know of a school any pitching recruit under 6'3" is an unlikely prospect. Look for nuances that make a difference. 

Many top high school players have confidence they can crack the starting 9 in D1 as a freshman. In reality very few actually do.  Typical reasons may be a combination of lack of talent, work ethics, attitude, personality clashes with coaches and teammates, coach philosophy freshmen are there to observe and learn from upper classmen, etc.  I've seen several high accolade players from hs, top 100 ranked PG, BA (who don't turn pro) never make it off the end of the bench during their freshman year (and sophomore and more).  Question the high school player must decide is can you mentally accept being a bench reserve in a D1 program vs a possible starter in a D2, or D2 to D3?  It will take work and effort but I tend to believe to look at all levels, show interest in  schools you like academically and see what kind of interest/offers you get from all levels.  If majority comes from D2 and few from D1 that probably dictates where you fit in.  Then the question above should be addressed.  Once you decide on the level look at each baseball program closely. Look at stats if freshmen are given an opportunity to play and contribute. See how many non senior players at your position (and their stats) are on the team that you will compete against. Count how many seniors and All-American Jrs that may/will be gone by the year you enter.  Every good high school player wants to go to a D1 program. I think you will have a more rewarding college experience if you love the school's academics and play at the level your ability dictates. 

Every good high school player wants to go to a D1 program.....actually not true. My son turned down D1 to attend a D3 school. I realize that is different than most but that is what fit his personal, baseball and academic goals best.

Freshman sit at D2 programs.  Of course it usually dependships on the program and conference.

Freshman are not usually starters in most programs.

When a top prospect freshman comes into a program, more than likely he will be a starter, or contribute in a variety of rolls,

The coach more than likely has penciled him in for 3 years.

I agree with you, Trust In Him.  Understanding the game is SO important, and I was shocked at how many of the kids my son played with through the years knew very little about the game.

It is an eye opening experience following local players over the years and seeing how things played out for them.  About 5 years ago I watched a high school catcher hitting laser beams all season long.   Looked like a man among boys.  Went D1.   5 years later I looked up his stats as his college career came to an end and he went undrafted.   He hit about .275 in college but got maybe 120 At-Bats total over his entire college career.  And this from one of the best local high school hitters I've seen in a long long time.  He was All-State in high school, but he was a backup in college.

I talked to him last week and he said his college experience was awesome, he wouldn't change a thing.   He said he worked his tail off, stayed healthy, but in the end there were just players on the roster better than him.   He said that he thought the amount of playing time he received was completely "fair" and that he was just happy to contribute.   Kid got his degree and has a job already in the "real world"