[FanofThegame12]

I saw in the football forum about how that dad wanted to know how to get his son ready for college or in the future go to college. My son is a sophomore, and I think he is a good talent he just had to sit as a freshman because of the talent infront of him. He pitched in a couple varsity district games and other small games and did well, I actually have those games recorded from beginning to end. He's a standout on the JV team and I look for him to get quite a few starts on the field and have a solid spot in the rotation this year, any ideas or advice you guys can give will be well appreciated on how to help him grow as a player?
He's told me that he wants to play college ball and thats what he wants.

[FanofThegame12]

He aslo has the grades. (3.9 GPA)

[Aldric Perfidus]

Number one thing is grades. Take this example...

Player A and B are very similar talents. A has a 3.5 gpa with a 22 ACT. B has a 2.7 with a 16 ACT. Who do you think the school is going to take?

Next is Summer Ball. This is probably if not certainly the most important thing you can do to get to the next level. Playing in the Summer against good competition will get you noticed twice as fast as High School ball. The competition is harder, and college coaches are no longer occupied with their own season.

With that being said, your High School experience is very important aswell (though not as much as the summer). If you High School is playing top notch competition your more out to get noticed or heard about than if your school is playing scrubs every other night. Your High School coach plays a big role aswell. The Coach should have a good idea as to honestly what level the kid will be best fitted for (D1,2,3,NAIA, or JUCO). Once that is established around about the Junior year (Sometimes earlier sometimes later) the High School coach can start to send word out to schools that are a good fit for the player and potentially set up workouts with them.

Showcases are also important. In order for these to work though the player must have the right mind frame. Most of the players who will be at these showcases are going to be good ballplayers, so its going to be hard to stand out. As a player do something to make yourself standout among everyone else.

Obviously you have to have a head screwed on your shoulders. If the player is always in trouble with the law or the school they are definately less likely to get a chance to play ball.

Very few High School baseball players get the blessing to play college ball, even fewer get full rides. Be sure that come college decision time the child still wants to do that.

Hope this helps and goodluck to your family and any other wishing to pursue this dream.

[Bob Seger]

Number one thing is grades. Take this example...

Player A and B are very similar talents. A has a 3.5 gpa with a 22 ACT. B has a 2.7 with a 16 ACT. Who do you think the school is going to take?

Next is Summer Ball. This is probably if not certainly the most important thing you can do to get to the next level. Playing in the Summer against good competition will get you noticed twice as fast as High School ball. The competition is harder, and college coaches are no longer occupied with their own season.

With that being said, your High School experience is very important aswell (though not as much as the summer). If you High School is playing top notch competition your more out to get noticed or heard about than if your school is playing scrubs every other night. Your High School coach plays a big role aswell. The Coach should have a good idea as to honestly what level the kid will be best fitted for (D1,2,3,NAIA, or JUCO). Once that is established around about the Junior year (Sometimes earlier sometimes later) the High School coach can start to send word out to schools that are a good fit for the player and potentially set up workouts with them.

Showcases are also important. In order for these to work though the player must have the right mind frame. Most of the players who will be at these showcases are going to be good ballplayers, so its going to be hard to stand out. As a player do something to make yourself standout among everyone else.

Obviously you have to have a head screwed on your shoulders. If the player is always in trouble with the law or the school they are definately less likely to get a chance to play ball.

Very few High School baseball players get the blessing to play college ball, even fewer get full rides. Be sure that come college decision time the child still wants to do that.

Hope this helps and goodluck to your family and any other wishing to pursue this dream.

A major misconception. That is an unheard of thing. You might get a package deal that includes academic scholarship money and some sort of financial aide, coupled with some athletic money, that might add up to be a full ride, but a scholarship that is based on 100% on available baseball money, is not going to happen. With only 11.7 scholarships to divide among 40+ players on the roster, in baseball, a full ride is non existant.

[FanofThegame12]

He played for some solid travel teams when he was 12 and 13 towards northern and western Ky. Like I posted in the "Interest thread for baseball forum", travel team info would be great if anybody has any. He's a kid that's a go getter if that makes any sense, so I think if he pursues something and puts his mind to it he can be the best he wants to be.

I have a question, since it's gonna be his sophomore year, would this upcoming summer be critical for him to play summer ball and showcases so he can get his name out there come time when college coaches start contacting him? I always ask him if it's something he wants to go through with and he always tells me yes, but I know how quick a 16 year old can change their mind.

Any travel team information would be greatly appreciated. On another note he did get invited to play in Italy this summer, I'm pretty sure there was a thread on it somewhere.

[Bob Seger]

He played for some solid travel teams when he was 12 and 13 towards northern and western Ky. Like I posted in the "Interest thread for baseball forum", travel team info would be great if anybody has any. He's a kid that's a go getter if that makes any sense, so I think if he pursues something and puts his mind to it he can be the best he wants to be.

I have a question, since it's gonna be his sophomore year, would this upcoming summer be critical for him to play summer ball and showcases so he can get his name out there come time when college coaches start contacting him? I always ask him if it's something he wants to go through with and he always tells me yes, but I know how quick a 16 year old can change their mind.

Any travel team information would be greatly appreciated. On another note he did get invited to play in Italy this summer, I'm pretty sure there was a thread on it somewhere.

Is he a pitcher or a position player?

[FanofThegame12]

He mainly pitches but you could classify him as a utility player.

[Aldric Perfidus]

A major misconception. That is an unheard of thing. You might get a package deal that includes academic scholarship money and some sort of financial aide, coupled with some athletic money, that might add up to be a full ride, but a scholarship that is based on 100% on available baseball money, is not going to happen. With only 11.7 scholarships to divide among 40+ players on the roster, in baseball, a full ride is non existant.

I agree!:Thumbs: My post was in reference to Baseball money solely though.:rockon:

[Bob Seger]

He mainly pitches but you could classify him as a utility player.

OK then. Here's a few things that will be evaluated.

Pitcher: Is he a RHP or a LHP? What is his velocity? Can he locate? Does he have a live arm? How tall is he? What is his pitch repitore? In a game situation, emotionally, how does he react when he gets in a jam?


Position player........First and most important thing is his 60 time and what is his velocity throwing across the diamond or from the outfield in. If those are not favorable then you can forget the rest. They are not interested...period

[Stardust]

^ D1 yes, all other schools - NO!

[FanofThegame12]

Is the 60 important even if he goes to college as a pitcher? He has a good 60 time IMO.

[Bob Seger]

^ D1 yes, all other schools - NO!

Well, we'll just put it this way. To all of the good baseball schools that take it serious...YES, if's that's where you are intent on wanting to play. Try out for even some of the good NAIA schools in Kentucky such as Cumberland, Union, or Campbellsville and see if they recruit you to play somewhere up the middle if you can't run at least a sub 6.9-7.0. Granted, behind the plate or on the corners they are more lenient, especially if you can field and hit, but it's even more important now than it was before, due to the new bats and the revitalization of having to play small ball. I dont think anyone, at any postion, would be a serious candidate if you can't run at least a 7.2 60 though, unless possibly you are being recruited as strictly a power hitting DH who will in turn be pinch run for.

One son signed with a pretigeous DIII school who was also the defending (and 5 time) National Champion and he went through the same scrutiny as the other son who originally committed to play D1. They took that stuff pretty dang serious there. Granted hitting 90 was not as important in DIII as it was for the other one to play in the SEC, but velocity was still heavily considered, as well as the other criteria (arm strength, foot speed) that I mentioned for a position player. He was a pitcher/position player (although not D1 caliber) and I know what he went through and was critiqued on during the recruiting process.

I have seen some very bad NAIA, DII, and DIII schools that would have a lot of trouble with even some average high school teams, so, I guess there is a place for many to play, if they look hard enough. Perhaps I was too quick in not considering the different levels of play as I should have been, so there is truth to what you said..

[Bob Seger]

Is the 60 important even if he goes to college as a pitcher? He has a good 60 time IMO.

No, not really, but he does need to know how to field his position defensively. If he has a good 60 time right now, he'll probably be fine. However, chances are that he'll never pick up a bat again, if he pitches in college.

[OldSkool46]

This is a great post one of the best I have seen on here

[Jumper Football Dad]

Exposer, Exposer, Exposer!
Its important to get your son in a quality summer program that plays quality competition.
Surrounding yourself around top notch players is also a plus. If your team has a top recruit that draws coaches/scouts out, it helps everyone.
Again coaches/scouts come out in mass numbers during the summer.
I recommend that he start thinking about what he would like to study in college and try to go to a school that will enhance those interests.
Have him start writing a list of schools of interest and start contacting the recruiting coordinators.
As for showcases...I have mixed feelings about these. If you can play, they'll find you. Unless you have a +talent, showcases can hurt you as much as help you. If your a +(plus) talent i.e., plus speed, plus arm and/or plus power~ showcases will really enhance your opportunities. Remember showcases are also major fundraisers for the programs.

With all the above said, grades are the most important. Right now the magic ACT number for a 100% full ride is 28. Its very rare to get 100% baseball money. The higher your test scores, the more money, schools will be able to provide for you from various angles.
With less than 12 full scholarships, its a win win for them to get a quality player for free.

There's so much more that I could cover here...if you want to talk more offline, feel free to drop me your contact info. I also assist in helping kids get into schools.

[FanofThegame12]

These posts are great guys, I appreciate all of you pitching in to give your two cents on the matter. And yea that would be nice but I'll be off for awhile for a couple days due to work.