When to become a PO

I think this leans to being a personal decision.  My 2019 Ss/RHP has gotten interest from some schools as a SS. Other schools as a PO and then a couple as a 2 way player. We've talked about what he would be willing to give up based on which school he picked. He still likes doing both, so I told him to keep doing both all the way thru HS. Not everyone's situation is the same. Personally I would keep doing both as long as he has the desire to.

Coach told us that when you get to the point that you could not hit your own pitching, then hang up the bat. Makes sincevto me. My son is a 2019 and currently still hits and pitches in school and travel. I will say that he had picked up as a PO and enjoyed that role as well. 

Biggest reason to become a PO is to be able to focus 100 percent on pitching if that is his passion. If he doesn't truly love to pitch and be on the mound then he should continue to work on all aspects of his game. 

Fall of Junior year was when my son and his travel coach made the move to PO. Its been a great Fall, and he hasn't looked back. Going PO has reduced a lot of the time stresses in his baseball life. He now is completely focused on pitching workouts, he shows up only to pitch his game on the weekend, and is better able to manage homework and being a kid. Fastball velocity has jumped this Fall due to the focused workouts... This was totally the right time for us to make this decision. A year earlier he wasn't ready to make it.

I have a 2020 and to be blunt, he gets to decide what to do about his baseball.  I have veto power on not buying a $600 glove, but he gets to choose which team he is on and if he's a PO.  They will be in college in 2 years, it's time to let him own his baseball.  Ask him if he's sure, talk about his reasons with him, but ultimately it should be up to him.

My son was asked to be a PO for his travel team and he said no.  Coach offered him SOME time in the outfield, but a majority on the mound for a really good team.  He agreed.  This fall he went after the ball with a vengeance and by the end of the fall the coach agreed, you aren't a PO.

If he doesn't want to be anything but a pitcher then he won't be, you can't make him. All of this baseball stuff HAS to come from him.

CaCO3Girl posted:

I have a 2020 and to be blunt, he gets to decide what to do about his baseball.  I have veto power on not buying a $600 glove, but he gets to choose which team he is on and if he's a PO.  They will be in college in 2 years, it's time to let him own his baseball.  Ask him if he's sure, talk about his reasons with him, but ultimately it should be up to him.

My son was asked to be a PO for his travel team and he said no.  Coach offered him SOME time in the outfield, but a majority on the mound for a really good team.  He agreed.  This fall he went after the ball with a vengeance and by the end of the fall the coach agreed, you aren't a PO.

If he doesn't want to be anything but a pitcher then he won't be, you can't make him. All of this baseball stuff HAS to come from him.

I agree.  But I do feel like I need to help my son think through the puts and takes here.  It's his decision and I have told him so; but I will tell him what I think.  (If he goes against my advice, it won't be the first time--and certainly not the last...)  My concern isn't just about his baseball development, but that he will end up disappointed next summer that he only plays one baseball game a week and spends practices doing band workouts on the sideline.  [And any time not spent on baseball in summer will mostly be wasted on video games anyhow.]

Chico Escuela posted:

CaCO3Girl posted:

I have a 2020 and to be blunt, he gets to decide what to do about his baseball.  I have veto power on not buying a $600 glove, but he gets to choose which team he is on and if he's a PO.  They will be in college in 2 years, it's time to let him own his baseball.  Ask him if he's sure, talk about his reasons with him, but ultimately it should be up to him.

My son was asked to be a PO for his travel team and he said no.  Coach offered him SOME time in the outfield, but a majority on the mound for a really good team.  He agreed.  This fall he went after the ball with a vengeance and by the end of the fall the coach agreed, you aren't a PO.

If he doesn't want to be anything but a pitcher then he won't be, you can't make him. All of this baseball stuff HAS to come from him.

I agree.  But I do feel like I need to help my son think through the puts and takes here.  It's his decision and I have told him so; but I will tell him what I think.  (If he goes against my advice, it won't be the first time--and certainly not the last...)  My concern isn't just about his baseball development, but that he will end up disappointed next summer that he only plays one baseball game a week and spends practices doing band workouts on the sideline.  [And any time not spent on baseball in summer will mostly be wasted on video games anyhow.]

If he's not convinced he can hit, or he's tired of putting in the work, it's going to be an exercise in futility to disagree with him. My little almost PO is convinced he can hit Kershaw and strike out Trout.  That passion has to come from within them.

He told me a story yesterday about basketball practice, they were running the 400m as part of conditioning week.  The coach went out of his way to commend my son because lots of kids just gave up and jogged, or weren't taking it seriously. He just looked at me and said "they just don't want the ball"...that's been our phrase from day one in sports.  "You have GOT to want the ball, if you don't want the ball, if you don't care if you get the ball, what's the point in playing?"

I agree with Caco3girl that to a large degree it's the kids' decision, but even more important, it's the coaches decision. Coach has to say here's how I want to use you, kid has to say he's willing or not to go along with that decision. When coach says you're a PO, my guess is, that's what you'll be and until then, you play where the coach puts you.

I have a 2021 who is a 2 way player. If Chico Jr is leaning towards PO, coming to this conclusion based upon his own thoughts & experience, I say go for it.

If he has been told his best shot is on the mound & he wants to play at the next level, coupled with the struggles at the plate, this makes sense.

The advantages to the move are several. More focus in one direction. He can work on being quicker to the plate, varying moves to first,  holding runners, slide step, secondary pitches, fastball command, gaining velo. He now has more time to devote here without worrying about being overmatched at the plate. He can also structure weight training in line with his throwing without worrying about playing in the field at random. When you are continually failing & overmatched as a hitter, it erodes confidence in your overall game.

Yes, he could do all of the above & still be a 2 way player but if he is leaning away from it this tells you all you really need to know. If he takes the extra time & plays X-Box then he has virtually no shot anyway so it really does not matter either way.

Haven't read all the replies yet but I took over as the head coach of a program this year and we have 1 p.o. that is a sr.  In the last year he has grown a ton and gotten a lot stronger.  At the same time I know of 2 OF that are no longer with the program for whatever reason who would be starting.  So now I have a Sr. that is very strong but hasn't swung a bat in 2 years. He has also gotten a lot faster but hasn't gotten reads off the bat for 2 year either.  All this to say he would most likely be in my starting line up but I will now be playing a Sophomore that isn't ready but is closer than the Sr.  Also I've never heard a college coach say they only want a P.O. from high school.  My advice is let the college coaches decide to make P.O.  There aren't enough coaches to have a separate P.O. coach in most high schools.  As far as travel ball goes if he is good enough to pitch and be a P.O. most of the time they are athletic enough to play another position if its a team they regularly play for.  

..."I've never heard a college coach say they only want a P.O. from high school. My advice is let the college coaches decide to make P.O.  There aren't enough coaches to have a separate P.O. coach in most high schools.  As far as travel ball goes if he is good enough to pitch and be a P.O. most of the time they are athletic enough to play another position if its a team they regularly play for.  

Sound wisdom, FHOBB, imo. Son was recruited for College as a 2-way player, converted to PO by Coach Jones @ Tulane in response to team need that particular year & moving forward. He was drafted as hitter out of HS, but Scout changed it to P. Drafted out of College as P, and is now a free agent, closer.

I really think, strongly, that a 16-17-18 yr old kid is selling himself short & not prepared mentally or physically to make this kind of important decision. A College Coach or pro scout is much more qualified to actually SEE what or where a kids potential/projection/ability, etc lies.  It's not a game of "instant gratification" anyway you cut it. This game requires kids become a "student of the game!" There is so much to learn! Especially the mental aspects! Sometimes our "perception" can be deceiving...Let your player give HIMSELF a chance to better learn the game within the game...Leave the "positioning" to those better qualified. 

JMO

Chico Escuela posted:

I have seen several threads that give the advice that "the game will let you know when it's time to become a pitcher-only."  That makes sense.  But could I get some thoughts on when might be too soon to make that call?

Son is a 2020.  Prior to 2017 (when he was a freshman playing JV and then on a pretty good travel team for summer and fall) he had always been a middle of the order bat and a starter at corner infield, in addition to a RHP.  In 2017 he has pitched well, but has really struggled at the plate--and has seen a lot less playing time in the field as a result.

Son has always insisted he didn't want to be a PO, although his coaches have told him it was going to be his role eventually if he wanted to play in college.  (As a pitcher he consistently gets evaluated by his coaches as having D1 potential.)  Today my son surprised me by telling me he has thought about it and decided he wants to be a PO starting with the coming spring season. 

I'm concerned he is just discouraged, but this is my son's decision to make, of course.  His HS coach may want him to play in the field and hit some regardless (small school, big kid).  But what should my son be thinking about as he goes through travel team try outs in the next couple of weeks?  Does he tell teams he wants to be a PO or does he tryout as a two-way player and let the teams evaluating him decide?  My son has always loved the game.  To me it seems too soon to decide to pitch in one game a week and just sit and watch the rest of them.  If that's the only role he can win, then so be it; but should he choose that path for himself as a HS sophomore?

Not sure if I have all the details right but to summarize...

Your sophomore son's travel coaches have identified that his future potential is as a P, possibly D1.

During travel this past summer, he did well on the bump but struggled at the plate.

He has, at least for the moment, bought into the direction of PO, stating that he would like to start this spring.

His HS, being small, may still want/need his stick and glove on the field as a position player as well.

To me, this sounds like things are aligning quite well for him.  He can start focusing more on pitching, giving him a better chance to realize his full potential in his area of strength.  The only concern is that he is not taking into consideration what his HS team may need from him.  I would remind him of that and encourage him that it is fine to turn his future focus toward pitching but to be open to contributing to his HS team by also playing a position and just having fun with it.   

Regarding the travel team tryout the next few weeks, this is where it gets a bit unclear.  Is it the same travel organization?  If so, they have already identified him as having D1 potential as a P, so I assume they have interest in keeping him in the program at least as a P.  Does he definitively have to try out as a PO or a 2-way?  Or are you overthinking this?  I guess if there is any doubt of not making the team, the safe route would be PO.  If he is going to make the team, it really doesn't matter.  The coaches will dictate.  If he knows the coaches, he can ask them.

He will likely be in a different place a year from now.  He will likely know more definitively where his focus should be.  If he continues to hit in HS, this will probably help him figure out whether he was just struggling for a spell, as all hitters do, or if it is the right decision to focus on pitching with travel and with training efforts toward post-HS opportunities.

I'm not in disagreement with any of the above, however, the fact of the matter is this: The player himself has stated that he has thought about it & want's to focus on just pitching. So, are we suggesting that the parent or the coach should now force him to be a 2 way player? Um, this makes no sense to me.

My kid is the best basketball player in his class (2021). I would LOVE him to continue to play basketball for several reasons. He has told me he is done. I have talked to the varsity Coach about the reasons why. He has spoken with my son & asked him to come out & just give it a look. The answer is no. That's it. What am I going to do, force him to lace them up & go out there?

This a tough one, Chico. For some kids, it's the right choice, and around your son's age. For others, remaining as a two-way preserves some optionality. Everyone seems to assume that kids become POs because they can't hit at their current level, but I have also seen it happen because it is so obvious -- like, visible from outer space -- that the kid's future is on the mound. Sounds like that might be your kid.

The feedback my son is getting from every single school who is interested in him is that they like he's a legitimate two-way player. I don't believe he would be as attractive to all of them without that.  But that's just his situation. 

Steve A. I'm not saying that all.  What I am saying is that as a Fr. or So. a bad summer at the plate and a coach saying you need to be a P.O. may be all they need to say that they are now a P.O.  I'm saying we should encourage them to not limit themselves because of one season or summer or a coach for that matter. If a pitcher had a bad summer and wasn't successful would we encourage him to only hit? or if he's had success up to that point look and see if his mechanics have gotten out of whack and we could fix them?  I guess what I'm saying is until you have your education paid for and the coach/school paying for it says we want you to do this or that then don't limit yourself or your kids.  If their heart is set on being a P.O. then I'm ok with that I've just seen a lot of kids get to Jr. and Sr. year and wish they wouldn't have missed so many reps over the years.

There are far more qualified posters on this site to answer your question, but here's my $.02.

Went through the same situation with my 2020 two years ago. Proposed the same question here on the HSBW and a majority of the responses were:

" His coach will tell him when he's a pitcher only or the game will".

This is good advice.

The real reason he wanted to be a PO was that he was not having the same success with the stick as he was on the bump. Fast forward two years, his bat has come alive and you would have to drag him off third. He loves it! He starts at third when not pitching.

We didn't force him to play a position, it became expected when he got to high school. He's glad it was.

Now we know that he is not going to get far after high school as a position player. His path to playing post high school will be as a PO and his training is tilted this way, without neglecting hitting and fielding.

fhobbs013 posted:

Steve A. I'm not saying that all.  What I am saying is that as a Fr. or So. a bad summer at the plate and a coach saying you need to be a P.O. may be all they need to say that they are now a P.O.  I'm saying we should encourage them to not limit themselves because of one season or summer or a coach for that matter. If a pitcher had a bad summer and wasn't successful would we encourage him to only hit? or if he's had success up to that point look and see if his mechanics have gotten out of whack and we could fix them?  I guess what I'm saying is until you have your education paid for and the coach/school paying for it says we want you to do this or that then don't limit yourself or your kids.  If their heart is set on being a P.O. then I'm ok with that I've just seen a lot of kids get to Jr. and Sr. year and wish they wouldn't have missed so many reps over the years.

Totally agree! I guess the truth is that we don't really know exactly how he came to the "conclusion," so it is all speculation by us. No question that being able to play both ways is ideal for the player & the program.

But ultimately, if the desire is not there, success is not going to follow. You know this if you coach.

That is why I mentioned my own kid's basketball issue . Not only is the ability there, it is a high level ability. The desire to play, given the circumstances, is lacking & I am in no position to force it. I have discussed with him, the coach has discussed it with him, at length, & the answer is still no.

So if Chico Jr's mind is "made up," then Chico Sr or the coach or you or I will not move the needle. At least that is the way my kid operates.

Steve A. posted:

I'm not in disagreement with any of the above, however, the fact of the matter is this: The player himself has stated that he has thought about it & want's to focus on just pitching. So, are we suggesting that the parent or the coach should now force him to be a 2 way player? Um, this makes no sense to me.

My kid is the best basketball player in his class (2021). I would LOVE him to continue to play basketball for several reasons. He has told me he is done. I have talked to the varsity Coach about the reasons why. He has spoken with my son & asked him to come out & just give it a look. The answer is no. That's it. What am I going to do, force him to lace them up & go out there?

 

Yeah, Steve, I think the question is (and OP also mentioned this)...  is he just discouraged from the recent bad spell or is he making a decision based on what he now actually wants to do with the rest of his baseball playing days.  

Chico is probably the only one here close enough to try and make that determination.  We can only give relational stories and try to help him find a way to recognize which is which.  I, like FHOBBS and LUVMYKIDS have certainly witnessed kids going through rough patches and make statements out of frustration that they are ready to quit, etc. but in hindsight, come to find that it was much more frustration due to recent failure than actual desire or preference.

That's partially why I suggested to have him consider (not force him) continuing as a position player in HS and just have fun with it.  It sounds like your son has clear direction.  I'm not sure that's the case with Chico's son, but I could be wrong. 

I do think you touch on something when you mention that YOU would love for him to continue playing basketball.  It can also be difficult for us as parents to see our kids start letting go of sports/activities that we enjoyed seeing them do and took pride in their efforts and accomplishments.  We have to try hard not to let that affect our parental guidance when they are faced with these forks in the road.

PS - Ha, typing same time as your post.

I will also add... it still strikes me as odd that a sophomore baseball player would have no desire to be able to hit and field, given the opportunity to do so as a starter for his HS.  That has me leaning toward the notion that the root is largely more frustration than clear thought process for Chico's son.

I will add this: No doubt every effort should be made to discuss the future as it relates to going PO. You are going to get bigger & stronger & improve. Don't worry about these struggles etc at the plate. You may regret not continuing 2 way as you will be a huge asset in the following years. Think about it & re-evaluate in the Spring & on & on, but ultimately, the player has to want to do it.

The game is extremely difficult. We all know & recognize this. I played at a high level & I can tell you that consistent failure can cause a demoralization that is hard to comprehend. You start to value yourself based upon these results. If Chico Jr is tired of striking out 50% of his AB's & pitching makes him happy, then so be it. Let the kid chart his own course, enjoy HIS choice & live with the consequences. 

Chico Escuela posted:

I have seen several threads that give the advice that "the game will let you know when it's time to become a pitcher-only."  That makes sense.  But could I get some thoughts on when might be too soon to make that call?

If he is playing for a mediocre travel team or Legion team and he is still one of the better players then he doesn't need to be a PO.   It is a function of the baseball talent funnel and the various levels in baseball.

In almost all cases baseball is about specialization and college coaches are looking for specific  skills that seperate one player from another.   This topic comes up every now and again on HSBBWeb.  The tried and true advice of "the game will let you know when it is time to become a PO" is golden.   Every kid on my son's national travel eam was recruited D1 and thought they were going to be a two-way D1 player when they got to college because they were in high school and some on his travel team.   Fast forward a few months later when they got to college, they quickly figured out that two-way player situation was not something they needed to be concerned with and they better focus hard at being a competitive and competent one-way player. 

JMO. 

But, I read OP's post as "due to lack of success at plate, he's being influenced to go PO." Consider physical growth vs. mental growth...his lack of confidence at the plate may be due to physical aspects & not quite getting his co-ordination firing on all cylinders...sometimes their bodies & minds (muscle memory) don't grow at the same rate.   It's not unusual that "Timing" has to catch up with physical development...All that to say, it can be frustrating to be out of sync, but with a little patience & practice & maturity over the next couple years, it will all come together.  Something to consider...

BASEBALLMOM is spot on.

Been there, done that and can totally relate to the debate.  My name is "Backstop" because when I came on this board, my 2017 was a Catcher and did very little pitching.  He caught all the way through HS and pitched a little for his HS and travel ball team.  Now he is a PO in a solid college baseball program based on an excellent showing he had as a pitcher in a showcase and then at the school's camp.  Who knew?  But really it is the coach, and especially the college coach, who chooses at the end of the day when a kid is a two-way player through HS.  However, if the kid himself decides to be PO, he has one path to college and one hope that he makes it that way.

At a Stanford camp that my son attended, he asked this very question to Rusty Filter, who was then Stanford's pitching coach (and who recruited and coached Strasburg at SD State).  His answer was basically: "keep every option to play college baseball open to you when you are in high school, and then you let the coach of your college of choice decide if you are a position player or pitcher only."  He also added a point that I had not thought much about--if you convert to a PO in high school, your arm may have more wear and tear from pitching going into college than it may if you balance it out as a two-way player.  I hope this bears true for my son, who has very little pitching mileage on his arm as he is just now beginning his life as PO.

Good luck with the decision--they are never easy and your son has to fully support it or it won't work.

Didn’t read the responses so forgive me is this has been said already. 

Why not ask him again after hitting in high school this upcoming season. If he hits well, his confidence may come back. If he struggles to hit, you may have your answer. 

Backstop22 posted:

Been there, done that and can totally relate to the debate.  My name is "Backstop" because when I came on this board, my 2017 was a Catcher and did very little pitching.  He caught all the way through HS and pitched a little for his HS and travel ball team.  Now he is a PO in a solid college baseball program based on an excellent showing he had as a pitcher in a showcase and then at the school's camp.  Who knew?  But really it is the coach, and especially the college coach, who chooses at the end of the day when a kid is a two-way player through HS.  However, if the kid himself decides to be PO, he has one path to college and one hope that he makes it that way.

At a Stanford camp that my son attended, he asked this very question to Rusty Filter, who was then Stanford's pitching coach (and who recruited and coached Strasburg at SD State).  His answer was basically: "keep every option to play college baseball open to you when you are in high school, and then you let the coach of your college of choice decide if you are a position player or pitcher only."  He also added a point that I had not thought much about--if you convert to a PO in high school, your arm may have more wear and tear from pitching going into college than it may if you balance it out as a two-way player.  I hope this bears true for my son, who has very little pitching mileage on his arm as he is just now beginning his life as PO.

Good luck with the decision--they are never easy and your son has to fully support it or it won't work.

Backstop (and Rusty Filter - great name) offer good advice.  If it is your son's desire to go the way of a PO, fine, but otherwise keep those options open.  My 2019 is a two way player who had more success on the mound then at bat his freshman year (on varsity) but improved offensively last year.  Despite playing two ways, his AAU coach was marketing him to colleges as a PO which turned out to be a bad decision because my son's FB may very well be maxed out at 86 (sitting 82-84) while his 60 yd is consistently sub 7.0 and his exit velo is consistently north of 90. He ended up getting recruited as an OF who can possibly pitch.  Had he elected to go the PO route, I believe far fewer doors would have opened.      

Hey we all wish him the best! Sounds like he has some good options & guidance.

Wish him and you the best sounds like y'all have thought it out a good bit and he realizes pros and cons of both.

Chico,

But the game ought to be fun, not just about training for some future goal. 

Son said something similar to me a couple days ago.

So true.

Good Luck!

LuvMyKids posted:

Chico,

But the game ought to be fun, not just about training for some future goal. 

Son said something similar to me a couple days ago.

So true.

Good Luck!

Totally agree and there needs to be a whole thread with this as the topic.  Personally, i feel that the pendulum is currently too far to the point where everyone wants to look at each level as a training ground for the next level more so than for the pure enjoyment of the game and of competing on that day.

My 2cents...

A 2020.......Remember when he was 13 and what seemed fast to him was nothing more than an adjustment to the level of play. The same applies to the high school level, where 80-90 seems very fast and there is a period of adjustment. The more you see, the more comfortable you get. 

Yes, there is timing, rhythm and pitch recognition. Being on time is probably the most common adjustment followed by what they are actually "hunting" or an approach, in which some really don't figure out until the college level.

My 2018 went through the same thing Sophomore year. Toss up a 90FB and instantly he's a PO, in travel coaches eyes and reduction in AB's soon followed with an occasional AB late in games, off the bench, which further destroyed his confidence and seal the coaches case. I taped his AB's and waited for him to ask for help and he did.

Development is only achieved through opportunity. After I explained the "Why" and identified what he was/wasn't doing, he was anxious to get to work. He needed a couple adjustments and explanations and he was off to raking!  He had a plus .600 BA and 12 HR's last summer and similar results in HS ball with 3HR's. Confidence is also achieved through opportunity.

Great advice posted already. I would just recommend that you continue to share your thoughts and advice with him...especially at his current age. I think it is important to listen to your son and respect his comments/concerns. However, I also think it is important for parents to understand that a teenager's brain is still developing. The part of the brain that handles reasoning and allows him to think long-term, is last part of brain to develop in teenagers/young adults. As a HS teacher/coach, I get to witness this on a daily basis. There are definitely exceptions but as a general rule, teenagers are focused on how they feel right now and what they will be doing this weekend. Their ability to reason and understand the long-term stuff is going to be a challenge. If a teenage athlete is having success in one area of their life but struggling in another, the tendency for them is to avoid whatever is creating the struggle and focus on the feel good things in life. As parents, coaches, teachers, I think it is our job to help them think further then this weekend. Keep as many options on the table as possible and don't walk away from something because it is not providing immediate satisfaction. There are many that don't understand this and I think it is ridiculous that any coach would recommend a frosh/soph in HS give up on hitting and become a PO. Playing a position is going to contribute to overall athleticism. I know several college coaches told either son or myself that they really liked his athleticism as a RHP. This is because he still plays OF, hits, runs the bases, and is finishing up his 10th or 11th year playing football My son is a committed 2018 RHP/OF who has been riding the roller coaster at the plate since he was young. He is definitely committed to pitching (will be PO in college) and knows where most of his time needs to be spent but he will still be playing a position this spring so will also make time to take hacks and work on his swing. If the coach decides to take the bat out of his hand this year, my son will understand but that decision will be left up to his coach.

Best of luck to you and your son!

As mentioned before the game will tell him and frankly, his goals will will too. If he wants to play Power 5 baseball, he will figure out where his best shot is and focus on that. If he wants to be a 2 way player, then i would think less about Power 5 schools than more..unless he is that good, although i know there are many in that level. Talk about Unicorns! If he wants to have fun and see where the game takes him and not worry about all this pressure then let him play and see where he ends up. As mentioned on here ad nauseam, there's lots of places to play college baseball other than the Power 5s and D1s.

Keep hitting until the very second that nobody will let you hit anymore, unless you don't like hitting!

Follow your passion(s).  Some people live for being on the mound....

I've told this story before.  There is a kid I know who is a 2018.  Great kid, super bright, just a wonderful person with a fantastic future.  Wouldn't surprise me to see him be a Senator or Doctor or CEO of a major corporation someday...  Straight A honors, very personable, etc...

anyways, he could always hit, played some great 3B/2B... He threw 80 at the end of his rising Freshman summer (i.e. the summer after 8th grade) and got selected for one of the top travel teams in the Midwest, where they made him a PO... The program hyped up the parents on SEC interest etc... Fast forward 3.5 years and he's throwing 82 despite years of velocity programs etc..it just wasn't in the cards genetically for him to throw much harder. He missed out on 3 full summers of hitting...  Because of his grades he has a shot at playing for an Ivy, but still what he said to me last week really resonated with me:

"what I really regret is missing out on the fun of hitting all those summers.  I could have had a lot more fun hitting and playing a position as well as pitching, and would've still ended up in the same spot I am right now."

Here's what I noticed in my son's college and conference in terms of 2-way players vs PO. Hitters who can pitch are the 2-way players. Pitchers who can hit become POs. .

3and2Fastball posted:

Keep hitting until the very second that nobody will let you hit anymore, unless you don't like hitting!

Follow your passion(s).  Some people live for being on the mound....

I think the issue becomes not a matter of enjoying hitting, but finding the time a lot of pitchers need to practice hitting, fielding, AND pitching.  Most of these kids striving to play at the next level become perfectionists by age 15 or 16.  In my son's case, he became frustrated with the not enough time in the day he felt he needed to devote to hitting, fielding, pitching, school studies, and even his second sport, basketball.  

He felt that if he could not give 110% to working on hitting, fielding, pitching, basketball, school, then some thing, or things, had to go.  At least as far as "next level" aspirations.  By 16 son decided that for college recruitment he'd become a PO.  He still bats #3 or #4 for his HS team and plays IF.  

In the end he chose PO and basketball and dropped hitting and fielding.  Pitches from March thru August, plays basketball  September thru February.  He's been much happier and less stressed also.  He was not a freak athlete who could just pick up a bat and mash.  Always had to put the work in.  And when he felt he could not put the prep time in for summer exposure events so as not to embarrass himself in batter's box, and hurt his team, it was time to go PO.

Excellent analysis & insight from Backstop, Backpick25 & especially CoachLD. We are all parents of a "once upon a time 16 yr old ballplayer" & tho circumstances may be somewhat varied,  the experience of all we parents is pretty similar.  Teen boys think "in the moment"...Kid's  often make decisions based on outside influences, as opposed to what they truly think/visualize/want/expect from themselves... I remember my sons' "dilemma" with listening to a fall coach hoping to convert him into a catcher...and, then there was "quarterback coach"...Lots of voices when a kid shows athleticism...so, yes, talk. Ask a few tough questions...Where does he see himself in 3 yrs, 5 yrs?  His specific goals & willingness to learn, or put in the time, or "know" himself? What does his gut tell him?

Chico, I hope you will show this thread to your son...and continue to think thru the pros & cons...Sounds like you are still a little concerned...

Backstop22 posted:

Been there, done that and can totally relate to the debate.  My name is "Backstop" because when I came on this board, my 2017 was a Catcher and did very little pitching.  He caught all the way through HS and pitched a little for his HS and travel ball team.  Now he is a PO in a solid college baseball program based on an excellent showing he had as a pitcher in a showcase and then at the school's camp.  Who knew?  But really it is the coach, and especially the college coach, who chooses at the end of the day when a kid is a two-way player through HS.  However, if the kid himself decides to be PO, he has one path to college and one hope that he makes it that way.

At a Stanford camp that my son attended, he asked this very question to Rusty Filter, who was then Stanford's pitching coach (and who recruited and coached Strasburg at SD State).  His answer was basically: "keep every option to play college baseball open to you when you are in high school, and then you let the coach of your college of choice decide if you are a position player or pitcher only."  He also added a point that I had not thought much about--if you convert to a PO in high school, your arm may have more wear and tear from pitching going into college than it may if you balance it out as a two-way player.  I hope this bears true for my son, who has very little pitching mileage on his arm as he is just now beginning his life as PO.

Good luck with the decision--they are never easy and your son has to fully support it or it won't work.

I normally would agree w Coach Filter on the “keep all doors open” mantra but boy that pitcher door is just so BIG.