College / Recruiting Advice

[cidgrad]

A classmate of mine from high school and college opened a business couple years ago.

Long story short - he was one of the better ball players to play at The Citadel (D-II school) and was an assistant coach on the baseball team after graduation for 15+ years I believe. Got passed over for head coach, so he left and started https://www.e4consultants.com/.

David obviously did a massive amount of recruiting as an assistant baseball coach and one of the biggest issues was kids not having paperwork, etc together. Also the families understanding the offers, etc.

It might not be a bad idea to reach out and see if they can help. David is probably one of the best people (as in just a good person) I know. Honest, trustworthy and he is really helping a lot of kids get set up for all the NCAA rules, the correct transcripts (sports have different requirements and not all schools are familiar), etc. It's not cheap, but if it helps secure a scholarship...

[SeaBass0112]

I'm a college baseball coach, and if your profile location is correct, I'm not too far away. Shoot me a PM if you wish. I'd be glad to answer/help in anyway I can. I won't even throw a recruiting pitch at you, unless you want it.

[Casslaw]

I used to play with Alex when he was 10 years old...neighborhood football with the kids. He was always the QB, always talked about the NFL, but what kid doesn’t. Somehow, the young man made it. One day he was a short skinny kid, the next he was 6’3 225!

His parents are awesome and made sure all of the kids played as many sports as they could afford. His younger brother is finishing up at FIU and has a chance to go the the NFL as well. That young man is special! He’s throwing to Randy Moss right now training. It’s mind blowing just to read his name and know it’s the same kid that I threw a football with when he was a kid, and his dad couldn’t be more proud of all his kids, it’s amazing!

Sounds like your boy wants to be an SEC player, love that! I’m sure there are 10,000 ways to do this, but scouts see talent and seek it out. The tapes don’t lie, your son just has to find the place where the coaching staff is wanting the skill set he has, the staff that can get the most out of him if he has real aspirations for playing ball beyond college.

We all know the numbers are against him, but if he has the talent I hope he gets a chance to chase his dreams!

I would want to know if he wants to use college as an IN to the MLB or does he also want a great education? I would hope the answer is both but it has been done both ways.

[Mizzou211]

If he can get into a good college program, that's what I'd focus on. Top tier school. He's big, and throws hard. Some of these schools could get him 2-5 MPH or more. He could go top first round.

I think what's getting him looks right now is his size more so than his ability. 6'4" 220lb 16 year olds aren't unheard of, but they're not all that common either. I'm going to take him to a mechanics guy this fall. Even though he throws fairly hard now, I'm pretty convinced there's another 5-7 mph in the tank right now. He needs more tilt and to stride a little longer with better hip and shoulder separation. But, he's been huge all his life and his "fast-fire" muscle control is just now coming on so we have a long ways to go. The thought of him getting drafted makes me giddy of course, but I also know it's a 1:100,000 shot. We're going to make sure his education is solid and if he gets drafted, so much the better.

[basscat21]

When he gets there.....Don't forget the Cape League in Summer! Some of college best players play here!

[grandbassslayer]

I'm a college baseball coach, and if your profile location is correct, I'm not too far away. Shoot me a PM if you wish. I'd be glad to answer/help in anyway I can. I won't even throw a recruiting pitch at you, unless you want it.

I heard on the radio the other day that virtually no one get a full ride, is that true? A guy was telling a story about Texas recruiting his son and they wanted a full ride, Texas told them "we didn't give Roger Clemens a full ride".

[smithlakebass]

I played 2 years junior college ball. Had a few d1 offers out of high school but went juco route since it was fully paid for. After 2 years had some d1 offers but i was done with ball. If your son is only 16 and is 6'4" and throwing 85 plus he has a very real chance of veing a draft prospect. Generally from sophmore year to senior year you will gain 3-7 mph on the fastball. Perfect game usa is a great showcase to go to. They even have wood bat leagues if that is an option. Recruiting companies are a scam imo. Get him in front of as many scouts as possible. In reality with his size and arm i would say regardless what you do someone will see him. He needs to make a list of schools that he is interested in and narrow them down. You only get X amount of visits to use so use them on the schools he interested in. Any SEC school except bama will be a good baseball school

[Duece22]

I heard on the radio the other day that virtually no one get a full ride, is that true? A guy was telling a story about Texas recruiting his son and they wanted a full ride, Texas told them "we didn't give Roger Clemens a full ride".

When you only have limited scholarships available, you dont give out full rides. Most get a portion from athletic and a portion from academics.

[smalljawguy]

Forget about the recruiting companies. Pray that coach Tim Corbin of Vanderbilt contacts you. For that matter any SEC school would be outstanding. Very few full ride scholarships are available in college baseball, many are 1/2 ride offers so they can offer the other 1/2 to another player.

+1 million on this. Tim Corbin is not just a great baseball coach, he's a great person and he teaches his players more than just baseball. As others have said, I'd not be paying a recruiting company to get looks. Sounds like he's already on some radars and with the coaches help he should be ok. If he really wants to play for Vandy, I'd start putting together some highlight tapes and send to the Vandy baseball team. At his size and age with good velocity and control it's very obvious he'll play at the next level.

[phoenix5252]

All I would recommend, and have seen it several times with friends of mine's kids, don't let him burn that arm up pitching all year and in the summer to. That's the best way to make sure he WONT'T get any major offers. Hopefully he will catch and play third some and get better as a fielder. Pitchers are so fragile, arms just weren't made for some of the stuff they do. Just a thought! good luck

[foolinbass]

As was stated above, let him use his talents to get the best education possible. Anything that happens after that is just gravy.....Also a word of advice: If he intends to play summer leagues, like in the valley league, just make sure he isn't overworked. It's a fine line, especially for a 16-18 year old to understand when they are throwing too much and know that things can change with how his arm feels in the drop of a hat. If he's throwing mostly 4 seamers and changeups, this won't be as stressful on his arm, but the slider and sinker can be detrimental. Ignore the recruiting companies, especially if his coach is involved and in the loop as you mention. Make sure you have a professionally put together highlight film before his senior year. If he's interested in going somewhere that hasn't contacted him, send it to them early so they can have time to scout him. Your coach should be able to make those connections. Make sure he presents himself with a respectful/positive attitude. I've seen golden opportunities thrown down the drain because of a helmet throw or argumentative attitude because of a call that wasn't liked. Most of all, enjoy this time and make sure he enjoys it. The next step just isn't as fun. It can be just as rewarding but there is something special about the HS game. Best of luck, hope to see him in the CWS in a few years!

[Mizzou211]

I'm a college baseball coach, and if your profile location is correct, I'm not too far away. Shoot me a PM if you wish. I'd be glad to answer/help in anyway I can. I won't even throw a recruiting pitch at you, unless you want it.

PM coming your way...and THANK YOU coach!

[bzbrent]

DI "full-ride" on a baseball scholarship is a pink unicorn. They have a 35-man roster and only 11.5 scholarships to spread around. DII and JUCO, on the other hand, have twice that amount. DI schools have the ability to make it up via academics, etc., but it's still a climb. My son has a 3.8 GPA and scored 22 on his practice ACT. Goal is 26, and he's been working hard to get there. First official test is Aug. 10.

My son is in the midst of the same scenario as a LHP. There are so many variables and, like you, it's hard to know which is the best way to go. We are blessed in that his showcase coach is a DII assistant coach and has been a tremendous asset. His advice, which has held true thus far, is to first draw a 5-hour radius around your hometown knowing that 99% of kids (and parents) won't be happy for long further away than that. Next find every single baseball school (DI, DII, and JUCO) inside that radius and send the HC an email stating who you are, what you do, and what you know about their program. Include a link to your 30-sec highlight video as well. This email needs to come from THE KID's account - not mom or dad. For us, there are roughly 40 schools inside the radius that my son would want to go to. We're hoping that come 9/1 we start getting some feedback beyond the 3-4 "canned" inquiries I'm getting each day now that are coming from his PBR profile.

It's a lot easier with a LH P.O. because all the camps and showcases are VERY straightforward. Either he can spot up or he can't - quick work either way.

Best of luck!

-b-

[LTZ25]

My son played two year at a junior college in Florida then sign with Gators and played last two years , he loved both places , you don’t need a recruiting service, they can find him if he fits what they need .

[Basser100]

In this day and age make sure he keeps his social media squeaky clean.

[Lanierspotman]

You are getting some great advice, here are a couple things from a parent that played D1 baseball as a walk-on and has a 18 year old freshman (he was an 86 mph 16 year old and sits at 91 today, poor grades by his choice) playing next year at the NAIA level as a pitcher:

You don’t need to spend money on a recruiting service, they are for profit companies and there isn’t enough athletic scholarship money in baseball to break even on you investment. If you have plenty of cash, spend money on those things but the ROI is negative. Spend whatever time and money you can helping your son with academic training, testing prep, etc. His skill with the best grades are what gets him into the better programs and the better programs have endowments that fill the tuition gap. That’s why Vandy (I know Coach Corbin from his Clemson days, great guy and coach) and Virginia have been so successful recently. They have huge academic money to help with just baseball.

Know your kid, pick good folks to help him train and don’t over throw him from the mound. Baseball pitchers should throw a lot but time on the mound, with full pitches being thrown should be limited. Winning games before college doesn’t matter to College Coaches. They can see arm talent and will pursue even if your kid doesn’t look seasoned or ready for college based on his “record”. Keep the pitch counts low and allow plenty of rest.

Lastly and most important from my experience, no flat bar work, limit weight on overhead lifts, and shut him down 2 months a year (no baseball). Good luck!

[Mizzou211]

As was stated above, let him use his talents to get the best education possible. Anything that happens after that is just gravy.....Also a word of advice: If he intends to play summer leagues, like in the valley league, just make sure he isn't overworked. It's a fine line, especially for a 16-18 year old to understand when they are throwing too much and know that things can change with how his arm feels in the drop of a hat. If he's throwing mostly 4 seamers and changeups, this won't be as stressful on his arm, but the slider and sinker can be detrimental. Ignore the recruiting companies, especially if his coach is involved and in the loop as you mention. Make sure you have a professionally put together highlight film before his senior year. If he's interested in going somewhere that hasn't contacted him, send it to them early so they can have time to scout him. Your coach should be able to make those connections. Make sure he presents himself with a respectful/positive attitude. I've seen golden opportunities thrown down the drain because of a helmet throw or argumentative attitude because of a call that wasn't liked. Most of all, enjoy this time and make sure he enjoys it. The next step just isn't as fun. It can be just as rewarding but there is something special about the HS game. Best of luck, hope to see him in the CWS in a few years!

All, I REALLY appreciate all the responses and especially the advice about arm protection. We have an advantage in that his H.S. coach is also his travel ball and showcase coach, and he protects Moose very well. He wouldn't even let him catch the other day in a game because Moose had thrown an 85 pitch seven inning shutout the day before. His coach told me "no way I'll let him throw runners out today after what he did yesterday". He is also VERY adamant with the boys about stretching, icing, running the next day and band work. They do band work and stretching every day and Moose is very good about icing after a game or bull pen. He always gets up early the next day and runs 2-3 miles to get his blood moving.

Again, I truly appreciate all the responses and advice fellas. What's most important to me is that he gets a quality education and is HAPPY. If he never throws a pitch in college or above, as long as he's educated, happy and a good man, then I'm satisfied. I have to admit though, it takes some getting used to when you're looking up at your 16 year old all the time...

[Brent11]

Keep us updated on this Mark. Wishing the best for your Son.

[hatcreek]

The part that jumped out at me...

...He has a 3.9 GPA so he might get an academic scholarship as well. He wants to be a Civil / Architectural engineer...

Continue to take care of that, and the rest will take care of itself.


Sounds like a good kid... Best of luck wherever the road takes him.

[basscat21]

I heard on the radio the other day that virtually no one get a full ride, is that true? A guy was telling a story about Texas recruiting his son and they wanted a full ride, Texas told them "we didn't give Roger Clemens a full ride".

Most sports are that way.....not to mention bring in 50 freshman to weed through on a practice team, to see which one fit. It's a business......don't forget it. The youth club club sports industry in a billion dollar industry feeding the system. All promising they can get you that scholarship.