My son is a 2021 rising sophomore. He’s one of the younger kids in his class at 14 years old. He won’t turn 15 until late August. He’s a tall lanky right-handed pitcher. Currently 6 foot 2 in socks and growing.
In his email introductions to coaches, is the fact that he is young for his class something he should mention, or no? Not sure if this is viewed as a positive, negative, or neither.
Thanks.
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I would. Allows coach to get better read on physical projectablility. At least you are doing it the right way. Unlike these 19 and 5 month old seniors...
Has the pediatrician given you a projected size? If he’s projected to grow to 6’4 to 6’6” it’s part of the young in his class story.
Just give grad year, age in year and months, height, weight. They can figure it out.
My 13yo son wants to employ that tact when he showcases as he is a Nov. born 2022. I told it may not be efective if you go with your 6'1/180lb Spring 2005 born teammate. I also told him in order to go to those showcases you must meet the dad's wallet pre-showcase criteria, a 7 sec 60, 85 mph EV and 80 mph arm velo, pop time plus consistent accuracy
2022NYC posted:I also told him in order to go to those showcases you must meet the dad's wallet pre-showcase criteria, a 7 sec 60, 85 mph EV and 80 mph arm velo, pop time plus consistent accuracy
Our pre-showcase criteria was slightly different. My 2018's first showcase was after his freshman year of HS, cost $100 and delivered his first college coach saying "your best baseball is in front of you." He was sold and wanted to sign up for travel teams, showcases, etc. etc. and so on.
At that point we sat him down and explained that we would pay for showcases and lessons and travel teams if he delivered on the intangibles. He had to get himself to the weight room, he had to put in the extra effort in the off season and during the season as well. Basically, we would match his personal commitment to the sport with our financial commitment to his recruitment.
It's been a good trade. He worked his fanny off, we spent more money than we should have, and he's going P5 next year. We all earned it.
I may be in the minority, but I wouldn't mention it. I've seen 14 year-olds who are already through puberty and growing bears, so "young in your class" doesn't necessarily mean anything to a coach. If you want to show them that there's more to come, I would include a short video that makes that obvious. Coaches know what their looking at. If he has a PG profile you should include a link to that anyway, and it will have his current age front and center.
MidAtlanticDad posted:I may be in the minority, but I wouldn't mention it. I've seen 14 year-olds who are already through puberty and growing bears, so "young in your class" doesn't necessarily mean anything to a coach. If you want to show them that there's more to come, I would include a short video that makes that obvious. Coaches know what their looking at. If he has a PG profile you should include a link to that anyway, and it will have his current age front and center.
Where can I grow a bear? 😂
I wouldn't worry too much about it. My son also has an August birthday, didn't turn 18 till just before he headed off to college and he's had a great career, college and pro. College coaches don't care about age, pro scouts do. The younger the better. If he can compete with others in his graduation year he'll be fine.
I would think listing the birth date would be on his baseball "resume" would take care of it.
TPM posted:Just give grad year, age in year and months, height, weight. They can figure it out.
Yup - our older son was in this situation. Every coach had no problem figuring that out on their own - and using it as a positive in their pitch.
We have found that some people mention it and some don't. PBR didn't but High School coach has pointed out that he is 15, he has a baby face. I think 15 year old throwing mid 80's sounds better than 2020 throwing mid-80's, but maybe that's just me.
Coaches go by grad year, scouts are more inclined to go by birthdate and the baby face.
This is an absolute no-no for a player or parent.
Actually, there is no place for parents EVER to be engaged in these conversations. So I appreciate that the OP posited this in the context of e-mails the player would be writing. The rest of my comments pertain only to player communications, because we already know that the parents aren't supposed to be speaking to coaches at all (unless and until it comes down to talking money).
As to player communications, here's the reality: Your son is in the class of 2021. He has to compete against players in that class, and beat them out, if he wants to get recruited to any particular school. I don't care if he's 12 or 17, his class dictates who he has to beat out. If you think he's at a disadvantage, you can consider reclassifying him, but as long as he's a 2021, that's all that matters as far as he is to be concerned.
Whenever a player (or parent) mentions this, it comes across like "loser's limp," i.e., an excuse for not performing up to par. Thus, you should never, ever do this, as it makes you sound like excuse makers, and it carries the implication that the player pretty much never performs on par vis a vis his classmates.
Also, the tendency to do this is a holdover from youth ball (pre-HS travel teams) and is a sign that there may be a lack of maturity or a failure to appreciate that you're in a different situation now. Meaning, if you want to be treated like someone who could survive and thrive in a collegiate environment, act like it.
If there is a time and place for someone to discuss the extent to which your son is projectable, then his HS or travel coaches may want to raise his age within the context of whether or not he may have a lot of growth left in him. However, this is often more a function of things like how big his parents are, the age at which his siblings topped out, etc., than when his birthday falls. There are kids who peak early and kids who peak late. But the key here is, a third party (the HS or travel coach) is in a position to speak about such things without blow back. Your son is not.
These are the reasons, but the rule is simple. Your son NEVER mentions his age.
P.S.
You seem to think your son's late August birthday is unusual. It is not. Probably 20-30% of those competing against him in his class were born not more than a month earlier than he was. Moreover, many of his opponents will actually have some 2022's on the roster. These are other reasons why focusing on his age is counterproductive. The only relevant question is whether he can compete with the other guys on the field ... or not.
Thanks for all the reply’s. The wealth of information availible on this site is so valuable, glad I asked the question here. We’ll go with the consensus opinion of just not mentioning it. Thanks again.
Delmon Young was 14, when he played in the Area Code games. I was against it, but the LA Pro scouts insisted. He was 15, when he played in the Goodwill Series/Australia.
Coaches and Scouts are very good evaluators and observers. Age is only a number. When you bat the pitcher does not consider your age.
Bob
Our 2019 just turned 17, will head to college at 18. My observations with college coaches is that they don't consider age, only how the player can fill their specific team's needs, and whether he can be admitted. There is such a Gaussian curve on maturation that age is probably not as good an indicator on "projectability" as how physically mature a boy is. A baby face chunky kid could be 14 or 18, and eventually will be physically mature. This is way beyond the bandwidth of most coaches, IMO, unless it is a lanky pitcher. Focus on what you can control. Our son wanted to reclassify but we thought it was not important. Not sure yet where he will end up but his focus has been on conditioning, baseball, and studying for tests, and not on his age.
