Monday, March 25, 2024

Am I Good Enough To Play College Baseball

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Chances Are That Baseball Wont Pay For College

How Good Do You Have To Be To Play College Football?

And heres the problem.

Almost 80% of D3 colleges with baseball programs are private. This means that youre going to have to pay a lot more money in tuition because D3 does not give athletic scholarships.

At the D2 level, a little more than half of the schools are private which may offer more possibilities of scholarships. But there arent nearly as many D2 colleges as there are D3. Furthermore, D2 college baseball programs are only allowed nine scholarships and many are not fully funded.

Now many private colleges offer substantial academic scholarships, often referred to as merit aid. But how many of these baseball players are in the position to qualify for such money at the beginning of their senior year?

Its usually too late to do anything about grades at this point. There is a chance to raise your SAT or ACT score.

The sad part is that because there arent athletic scholarships involved, D3 baseball programs are often recruiting right up to the time the player accepts or rejects the college. So players still have a pretty good chance of finding a college team to play on but they may not be able to afford it.

Consider Less Games And More Training

Summer baseball has exploded in the last 10 years. While this has created more opportunity for players, there are a lot of drawbacks as well.

For some reason the thought process has become to play at the college level you have to play as many games as possible until you graduate. I think this is a flawed way of thinking.

The sophomore in high school that weighs 162 Lbs and throws 67 MPH is better off spending his summer training than playing 45 summer games.

Game experience is great, but going back to #1.. ability talks.

Bigger, stronger and faster is always an advantage.

If you feel like there isnt a huge upside to more training then sure, get out there and play.

In the ideal world you can do both!

The problem is with most summer schedules, there is very little time for anything outside of games. High intensity training paired with the maximum number of games is just asking for overuse injuries.

You have to be smart when deciding how to balance training and games.

Are You Good Enough

Theres one question on the mind of every college baseball recruit: Am I good enough to play college baseball?

The more important question is whether you are willing to work hard enough to play college baseball?

College baseball features over 1600 different programs scattered from coast-to-coast. If you can dream it up, theres likely a program out there that matches your description. From top-tier D1 teams featuring multiple MLB draft picks to enrollment-driven programs with large JV rosters, there are college baseball programs out there for players of all different skill levels and abilities . The kicker? Getting there takes a lot of hard work and dedication. Corona Virus-related changes have made the process of getting to college baseball more competitive than ever.

With between 11-12% of high school baseball players moving on to play in college across all levels, the recruiting process weeds out those who arent willing to work hard, be persistent, or pursue options away from home. There is simply too much competition for players who want to squeak by or are just hoping to get lucky. Getting to college baseball takes planning and hard work, and you can expect to find even more of the same when you get to campus as a first year player. College baseball is a life-changing opportunity, but the hard work to get there and be successful at the college level is not for everyone.

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What Age Do Scouts Look At Baseball Players

Coaches are going to begin looking at prospects as soon as they are physically developed enough to give a reliable estimation of how they will project as an 18- to 21-year-old player. What makes that difficult for many recruits is that some coaches are willing to project earlier than others and athletes develop on different timelines. Prospects looking to get recruited cant control when they develop or what coaches think of them. Regardless of your age, prospects should focus on getting better and putting themselves in the right position against the best competition available. Find out more about AAU baseball teams and tournaments.

Division 1

  • Club experience: 34 years of high-level travel baseball
  • Awards and accolades: multiple-time All-Conference, All-Area, All-State honors
  • Seasons as varsity starter: 34

Division 2

  • Club experience: 23 years of high-level travel baseball
  • Awards and accolades: multiple time All-Conference, All-Area, potential All-State honors
  • Seasons as varsity starter: 23

Division 3 and NAIA

  • Club experience: 23 years playing travel baseball
  • Awards and accolades: multiple time All-Conference, All-Area honors
  • Seasons as varsity starter: 12
  • Power Numbers: 2+ HR, 25+ RBI
  • Weight: 170 lbs.
  • Power Numbers: 2+ HR, 20+ RBI

Aside from measurables, what else do D1 college coaches look for in a third base recruit? Check out the video below to hear third basemen recruiting advice from Nelson Gord, former D1 baseball athlete and NJCAA coach.

Views Of Sport Being Not Good Enough Or Almost Good Enough

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IN my tenure as a college baseball coach, I dealt with hundreds of ballplayers. And never, at any time in my coaching experience, has a young man ever said to me, ”Coach, I’m really not that interested in playing pro ball.”

Each year, I sat down with my squad and read off the numbers of the chances of getting a pro contract, explaining very carefully that the odds are so staggering, so astronomically stacked against any of them ever making it to the major leagues, that they should try to realize that their dream of someday making it in the pros is just that – a dream.

I told them that no matter how good they may be, there are so many obstacles to overcome, so much competition out there, that it’s better to put everything into perspective even before they start the season.

Yet no matter what I said, no matter if I told them that only one in 40,000 ballplayers ever gets signed , and that only 3 percent of all the current minor league players ever reached the big leagues , it made no difference. Each player secretly promises himself that if he works hard enough and gets a couple of breaks along the way, he’ll be that special one who makes it.

”Just give me a shot at it, Coach, that’s all I want,” they said with genuine enthusiasm. But, hey, I was no different when I was playing ball. I had the same dream. So it’s not up to me to tell a young ballplayer that he’s not going to be one of the lucky ones. He’ll find out for himself in his own way.

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Most College Athletes Dont Receive Athletic Scholarships

And heres the first point about playing specifically college baseball, if youre spending all that money on teams, traveling, lessons to get a scholarship, it would probably be better spent on SAT prep. The reality is that Division I schools are allowed 11.7 baseball scholarships while Division 2 get 9. One website takes that information and announces that means 5,423 scholarships in the NCAA alone!

But dont sign up for their recruiting service just yet.

Stop and think a little about the 11.7 number. How many players does an average college team carry? Thats not 11.7 scholarships per year but for the entire team. Some teams carry more than 11 pitchers alone.

Coaches arent handing out full scholarships, they are giving 25%, 40%, or maybe if youre really good, 50% scholarships. Unless youre a left-handed pitcher with a 90 mph fastball, baseball isnt going to provide your son with a full ride to college.

Are You Good Enough To Play D1 Baseball Heres How To Know

College Recruiting/Scouting, Popular Posts, Recruiting Most Popular, W: Recruiting

Just about every serious high school baseball player wants to play Division I baseball. The reality is that most of them wont. My former college coach, Tracy Smith , likes to say, Every serious high school baseball player who wants to play in college can. Its just about finding the right level and program that fits him as a player. Thats great, but the question still remains Are you D1 material or should you look at D2, D3, NAIA, or Juco options?

In this article, I outline 7 different things you can do to find out if you are D1 material. Youve heard the phrase, Dont put all your eggs in one basket. Well, dont let one source discourage you from pursuing your dream of playing D1 baseball. Too many times players stop short of that dream because of a negative parent, teammate, or coach.

Take into consideration the input of at least 4-5 different sources to determine what a realistic level of college baseball is for you. Dont put too much weight on any one source. Instead, put them all together, step back, and decide which level to pursue.

On the flip side, many players think too highly of their baseball abilities. I have players tell me all the time that they want to play at South Carolina, Florida, UCLA, or Vanderbilt. Guess what? Everybody does! Im not saying that you arent good enough to play there.

1. Ask your coaches.

2. Go watch your local D1 team.

5. Send out videos.

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What Star Level Recruit Are You

There are a couple of ways you can identify where you stand: you can research college rosters, or be evaluated by a third-party.

If youre interested in a colleges program, go to the schools athletic website and take a look at the roster. Do your key stats fall in line with the other players in your position? Do you have similar achievements as everyone on the team? If you have comparable measurements, then you probably qualify for that level of competition. If you arent quite there yet, take a look at a lower division level until you find a good fit where your skills fall in line with the rest of the team.

College coaches evaluate more than just your athleticism and academics. They also pay attention to your character and coach ability, too. Demonstrating your coachability to college coaches can help set yourself apart from other recruits.

How To Use The Baseball Recruiting Guidelines

Why Isn’t Your Son Good Enough to Play Short?

College baseball scouts evaluate players by arm strength, fielding range, speed, and hitting for power and average. Recruiting guidelines offer a good benchmark for student-athletes to compare themselves with athletes competing at the college level. What are college baseball scouts generally looking for at each position? What skill sets should individual position players have? This section breaks down divisional recruiting guidelines to give recruits and their families a better understanding of what will be expected of them at each position. Keep in mind:

  • Recruiting guidelines are just that: guidelines. These are an indication of what coaches generally look for, but there will be exceptions. Coaches are looking for the best fits for their team.
  • Travel ball experience is a key source for coaches to find recruits, especially at the Division 1 level.
  • Getting evaluated by a trusted third-party or a current coach will provide an objective assessment of how a recruit measures up against scholarship-level athletes in relation to these guidelines. Recruits and parents can call our team at 866-495-5172 to gauge and improve their status in the recruiting process.

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Are You Being Realistic Or Just Dreaming About Playing College Baseball

Every kid that dons a uniform has dreams of putting balls in the seats at Safeco Field, or striking out Jose Altuve to win the game. For 98% of all of those kids, the step before the big time is college baseball, are you being Realistic about getting there?

Once I began recruiting at the College Baseball/NCAA level 6 years ago, I soon realized that more and more players these days are making their decisions based on unrealistic expectations for their baseball career path.

The recruiting process is an unfamiliar and stressful one for parents and their player that are new to it. The important thing to remember is to stay grounded and realistic about what you really want. Here are a few tips to help families through these stressful times, and help them remain realistic about where they fit into the next level.

Attend College Camps And Showcases

You can get a ton of traction without ever spending a dime or having to travel all over the country.

Eventually, however, you are going to have to get on campus and in front of coaches. This is where the camps and showcases come in.

Unless you have an unlimited budget you wont be able to attend every single camp. This is where you need to be strategic and make connections. If there are coaches that have seen to play, find out if they would ever have an interest in you as a recruit.

How do you find out? Just ask!

If there is some interest there then maybe its worth investing in one of their camps throughout the year.

Just showing up without a plan and just hoping they notice you never really works out.

You have more power than you think during this process.

The next thing you need to do is be on the lookout for showcases where there will be a lot of coaches in one place.

For example, the organization Prospect Dugout hosts showcases across the country and there will typically be anywhere from 20-40 schools represented.

The cost is usually under $200 which is awesome.

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Are You Good Enough To Play College Sports

Its easy for high school athletes to picture themselves at their dream school, competing at a prestigious university and playing against the best of the best. But its harder to grasp some of the gritty details, such as rigorous training programs, winter breaks spent on campus and little-to-no free time.

Pay Attention To The Numbers

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Make sure you visit the NCAAs page on the Probability of competing in athletics beyond high school. It has a great table showing the different sports and the numbers of players at each level. It shows 36,011 NCAA baseball players for those 5,423 scholarships. Of course, the players include Division III players who receive no scholarships. But the scholarships include Division I and II schools that do not always fully fund all of their baseball scholarships. So chances are that there is significantly less than 5,423 scholarships available.

Some more food for thought about baseball funding your college education. The other numbers to look at are the percentage of players moving to the next level. The NCAA lists 7.3% of high school seniors as playing at the NCAA level.

Think about it this way, during a game only one to two players from the combined 9 starters for the two teams will be playing at the next level. Once you take into account extenuating factors such as that not all players will even try to go to the next level or the quality of the teams players, the actual number may increase to 3 or 4 for that specific game.

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This Information Is Collected From Many Neutral Sources And Is Very Comprehensive Players Considering College Baseball Should Understand Everything About It Before Pursuing It

College Baseball Recruiting Info & Scholarship Rules/Physical & Academic Requirements

Review all Criteria/Rules at NCAA.org

NCAA.com contains college athletic teams by division.

NJCAA.org – Junior college website

NJCAAregion3.org – DIII NY Junior College league/divisions

College Baseball Matrix – All these factors have to be considered/understood

There are 1654 Colleges that offer Varsity baseball

Many large 4yr Colleges offer Club level baseball

FIRST: Grades get you into the school not baseball!

You must be accepted before you can even play even if recruited hard.

Only 12% of all High School Varsity baseball players will play college baseball.

When a player feels mature and strong enough, he should make a skills video, post it to YouTube, and forward a link in tailored interest emails to college coaches . Then attend reputible showcase events that have college coaches present and college prospect camps at the colleges you are interested in. Players need to have a narrow list of colleges of interest to focus on don’t just attend everything and mass mail and hope for the best. Communicate as best you can to get a coach’s attention-and include links to your online skills video and info. Ask them if they will be at certain events and go where they will be. Don’t send coaches video cds.

College coaches focus on SIZE, FOOT SPEED, THROWING VELOCITY, BAT SPEED, and BALL EXIT SPEED – Skill and trave/HS stats are secondary to these.

NCAA Level

Will Recruiting Services Help You To Play College Baseball

So what do you have to do? The easiest approach would seem to be to hire a service to take over the process for youthis is for people who have a couple of thousand dollars to spend.

But be aware of what the service provides and what youll still have to do. Depending on the service, theyll put together a recruiting video from video you provide and send it to a bunch of college coaches. If youre lucky, theyll have more insight into what positions/players the college is looking for than you and target them appropriately.

The player will still have to call the coach himself.

The player will still have to provide the film.

The player will still have to take the SAT/ACT.

For a lot of families, its useful to have someone other than the parent telling the kid that you have to pick up the phone and make the call or that you need to practice for the SAT. There are plenty of people who use such services just for the college admissions process. Its worth it to them so that the parent isnt the one who has to do the nagging. But dont think that you cant do this yourself.

There are plenty of books and websites with information on how to do it yourself.

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