College And Pro Scouts Look For Different Things
A college program may be in a position to highly recruit someone who can help them win quickly for example, a pitcher with good command and below-average velocity may pick up a bunch of innings early in his NCAA career simply because they need a guy to throw strikes.
However, in professional baseball, projection is the name of the game and for pitchers, that means a few things that you cant help and a few things you can . However, velocity is and remains the single most important thing when it comes to evaluating an amateur player. As former pro pitcher Matt McCarthy put it in Odd Man OutDerek Jeter is going to hit an 82 MPH fastball regardless of where it crosses the plate. You have to throw 90.
If you happen to be of average height , right-handed, and you throw 95 MPH, well, I promise that colleges and professional organizations will be talking to you at length. Even if you dont throw strikes, the arm strength alone shows them something serious. If you throw strikes at 95 MPH with even one single serviceable secondary pitch, expect a LOT of phone calls.
Still think velocity doesnt matter? Think control really does? I want you to look at this pitchers Perfect Game profile and note the round he was drafted in as well as his velocity.
Pretty rare velocity, Id say. Stetson Allie signed at the last minute for $2.25 million. Now look at his stats in pro ball:
Lets do this in reverse. Take a look at Jason Neighborgalls stats. Go ahead, Ill wait.
Baseball Scholarships College Baseball Recruiting
Athletes who are looking for college baseball scholarships need to fully understand the baseball recruiting process if they are to be successful and play college baseball. NCAA baseball recruiting starts earlier in your career than you think. If you want to play college baseball and land that elusive baseball scholarship then you must take baseball recruiting into your own hands dont wait for your high school coaches to help you get recruited.
Do Scouts Scout Out Different Teams
Scouts of one organization may be watching other teams outside of their own throughout a season. For example, a New York Yankees scout might exclusively attend competitor teams MLB or minor league games throughout the season. Having a scout follow a different team or teams can provide valuable information to your General Manager on what players can be a good compliment on your squad via a trade.
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Where Do Scouts Sit During A Ballgame
Typically speaking, you will find scouts directly behind home plate during a baseball game taking notes. Sometimes a scout sits with a notebook, while other times, they will have a radar gun or stopwatch recording metrics. However, sometimes scouts show up discretely to gather insight into players without drawing too much attention without any props.
Dedication For The Sport
At the end of the day, however, the five tools are not enough.
The journey to the Major League, after all, is not a walk in the park. Athletes commit to hours of practice every day and only get a day off once in a few weeks. Training is physically and mentally exhausting, and the young athlete must be dedicated enough to endure it.
What makes a player stand out from their peers is their work ethic. Professionalism alone couldnt trump ability, but if youre competing against equally skilled players for a spot in a collegiate team, your work ethic will set you apart.
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Baseball Recruiting And Scouting: What Matters At The Next Level
Those who know me also know that I have a fair number of contacts throughout college and professional baseball and have had jobs in both arenas. Through those experiences, plus my experiences as a coach/trainer for a number of high school players who are going through the college and professional scouting and recruiting process, Id like to talk a bit about the misconceptions, perceptions, and flat-out arrogant thoughts when it comes to playing beyond the high school level.
Top 10 Projectable Qualities Mlb Scouts Look For In Pitchers
Great 3X Velocity Camp this weekend! We had an MLB Scout attending the camp and I asked him if he could give me a list of the top 10 projectable qualities Major League Baseball scouts look for in a pitcher. He was happy to help and I decided to get this information to you in this article.
If you are looking to play this game at a professional level then you need to understand what the professional level expects of you. After you read this list below on the top 10 projectable qualities MLB scouts look for when drafting a pitcher you will learn that performance on the mound has very little to do with it. It makes perfect sense because all scouts are definitely not hoping that when they find that diamond in the ruff, that he has seen his best days. They want an open canvas, with tons of potential, that they can mold, create and tap into.
In this article, I will go over some of the major misconceptions of what Major League Baseball scouts are looking for in pitchers and then I will give you the top 10 list that was given to me by an MLB scout for a team I can not mention. Lets just say it starts with a B! You will also learn how the 3X programs where built to help develop most of these projectable qualities that scouts are looking for in a pitcher.
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Exceptional Pitching Skill And Attitude
According to SteveEllis.com, website of the former Chicago Cubs pitcher, college coaches look for high school pitchers with a desire to succeed and the ability to throw a fastball around 90 mph with a smooth delivery. College coaches also prefer injury-free pitchers who can throw strikes. Additional qualities preferred by scouts are mental toughness the ability to pitch to both sides of the plate movement on the fastballs a good two-strike, off-speed pitch and the ability to throw a good breaking ball when their team is behind in the count.
Pitching Qualities Scouts Ignore
Before we go into what are some of the key qualities of a highly projectable pitcher in this game lets go over some major misconceptions of what many believe scouts are looking for in a top prospect. First off scouts could care less how far you can throw a baseball, or how many innings that you have pitched this year, or how well you setup hitters with your 80mph fastball and how much movement you have on your 80mph fastball. They will also never be impressed with your curveball if your fastball is low 80s and just because you throw sidearm or from the left side doesnt mean that you do not have to throw hard. Power is the biggest commodity in this game and when trying to make yourself attractive to scouts with very little of it, is fighting a losing battle.
Many experienced scouts can take one look at you and almost determine your value in this game just by your appearance along. This doesnt mean that just because you do not look the part you will never make it. All you have to do is look at guys like Tim Linececum and Tim Collins. You can also watch the movie Money ball. It is about a General Manager who was more concerned with stats than what his scouts thought when it came to drafting talent. The lesson here is that if you can look the part and then you can back it up, you are almost guaranteed a chance in pro-ball.
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College And Professional Scouting Reports
I have been getting bombarded with questions lately in regards to what professional and collegiate level scouts are currently looking for in pitchers. Everyone thinks that scouts will not even bat an eye at a pitcher if he cant hit low 90s on the radar. Wrong! Many people also think scouts are looking for those pitchers who mature at a young age and have dominated since they were very young athletes along those lines pitchers think they need to be bigger to be able to throw faster. Those are also both myths.
What does a scout look for in a pitcher who can make it all the way to the show?
What about velocity? How hard does a pitcher have to throw to make it to a great college or professional level?
If you are ready to make it to the next level of Baseball, whatever that level may be dont worry about what you cant control. You cannot control what others think about you and how you pitch. Dont get caught up with numbers, how fast you throw or how much you weigh. Just focus one pitch at a time and you will be surprised at the end of the day how everything else works out in your favor. Dont sweat the small stuff! In fact, the small stuff doesnt even matter.
Calm Cool Collected Catchers
A catcher is the leader on the field, and a great catcher is worth his weight in gold. Catching is the most demanding position in baseball. Catchers must be able to manage a pitching staff, call pitches and calm frayed psyches. Catchers need to be exceptionally fit and durable enough to drop into a crouching position more than 100 times per game. College scouts look for high school catchers with soft hands, quick feet, an ability to block pitches in the dirt and a great throwing arm with a quick release.
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How To Become A Baseball Scout
In the past, the best way to become a baseball scout was to play baseball professionally, move into coaching after completing your career as a player, and move into scouting after coaching. And while this is still a viable means of becoming a baseball scout for college, minor league, and major league teams, its highly possible to become a baseball scout even with no experience playing baseball. Many scouts start their careers by earning a degree in sports management.
Most employers prefer that scouts have at least an associates degree in sports management. This education is ideal because it goes beyond simple knowledge of the game and its rules and into finance, business, accounting, management, and law coursework. This coursework is crucial because scouting is more than just identifying promising players. It requires reviewing and analyzing statistics, recognizing red-flag behavior patterns, and determining if players will work well with the existing team.
After graduating with a sports management degree, aspiring baseball scouts should look for entry-level or internship positions with college athletics departments or major/minor league baseball teams. These positions can put you into contact with decision-makers and influencers in the sport. By discussing your aspirations with these influencers and proving your dedication and talents, you may be able to work your way up into high-visibility scouting roles over time.
Your Grades And Test Scores Matter
This is a message that is hammered over, and over, and over again, yet student-athletes think they can just get a 3.0 GPA and cruise. Wrong. NCAA has come down hard on college baseball grades, so coaches are looking for any reason to discard marginal recruits and a big focus here are grades and test scores.
Want a baseline? Alright do you have a 3.75+ GPA and a 1900+ SAT score? You can skip this part.
The reality is that baseball scholarships are capped at 11.7 full rides for every program assuming that its fully-funded, of course. That means coaches and athletic directors have that many scholarships to give to ALL of their baseball recruits and current players, and oftentimes walk-ons earn scholarships by performing well on the current roster which means fewer scholarships for their recruits.
It should go without saying, then, that full scholarships to the school in question are exceedingly rare. And if you want to play for a Top 10 baseball school like Cal State Fullerton or Oregon State, why would they give you a full scholarship? Everyone already wants to play for those schools.
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Build Profiles On Recruiting Websites
Gone are the days of writing and mailing letters to athletic departments, hoping a scout will see you at a tournament. Technology has made it so easy to connect with coaches near and far, and recruiting websites like BeRecruited, RecruitTalk, NCSA, and SportsRecruits make student-athlete/coach connections their mission. Most profiles do come with a fee, but this small investment can go a long way if it helps land you a scholarship.
Show Off Your Skills With Video
When youre at a game or taking practice reps, film yourself or have someone film you. Coaches dont need to see super fancy videos, just a short highlight reel of your best plays. If youre not a computer wizard, dont worry there are tons of free or cheap video editing software and apps on the market that can help you stand out. If you need some guidance, check out how California High Schooler Ethan Wang creates Rapsodo recruiting videos. You dont have to have data overlay in your video, but if you have Rapsodo or other baseball/softball data technology available, its another layer that will help you stand out to coaches.
The Rapsodo app makes this extremely easy by allowing you to take videos on your iPad that will automatically come with data overlaid.
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Our Outstanding College Recruiting Staff:
Dan Mooney Executive Director of College Recruiting
One of the most sought-after, well-connected college experts in the country, Dan has helped lead Baseball Factory to place more kids in college baseball than anyone else in America. Dans knowledge and background with college programs and knowing what it takes to get the attention of a coach is truly unparalleled.
After being drafted by the Chicago Cubs following his senior year at Monsignor Donovan High School in Toms River, NJ, Dan decided to begin his collegiate career as a catcher at Brevard Junior College. He later transferred to the University of Florida where he redshirted for a season, before moving on to NC State University where he was a two-time All-Atlantic Coast Conference performer. Dan also played for the Harwich Mariners, in the highly-touted Cape Cod Collegiate Baseball League. After college, Dan played professionally in the Boston Red Sox organization for three seasons, where he reached Double-A with the organization. Dan has assisted hundreds of players in reaching their goal of playing collegiate baseball and has developed relationships with college coaches across the nation through his career as a player and during his time here at Baseball Factory.
Bernadette Bechta College Admissions Specialist
Matt Richter Director of College Recruiting
To become a Member and start your path to college baseball, find a tryout near you!
Richard and Anne Gorman
Where To Find Ncaa Baseball Colleges
Getting the recruiting process started is an intimidating task. If you are unsure of what programs to begin looking at, start by researching programs by region. Pick an area of the country and start by contacting those baseball programs. You can start your search small, going state by state, or look at any of these six recruiting regions.
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Write Down Your Target List Of Schools
You may have been dreaming of becoming an Oklahoma Sooner or Vanderbilt Commodore so put those schools and others on a target list! You might think those are your dream schools now, but there are other things to consider when it comes to picking a college such as location, majors offered, and cost so spend some time researching all your options as you make your list.
The Job Description Of A Sports Scout
Sports scouts are responsible for assessing both amateur and professional athletes for ability and ability in a certain sport. They frequently operate in sports such as American football, basketball, baseball, and hockey, and are utilized by both professional associations and universities or colleges which have amateur teams. Its frequently tough to break into this career profession, though candidates that have training or playing experience in the game they want to scout might have the ability to discover opportunities. Additionally, job growth is expected in the profession via 2018so people who are thinking about getting sports scouts should find entry-level positions as a seasoned scouts assistant.
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How To Use The Baseball Recruiting Guidelines
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.
What Are Baseball Scouts Looking For
When you’re watching a player defensively, what are you looking for, and what are some of the specific requirements for different positions?”You want a guy with a good first step toward the ball. They should be light on their feet and it doesn’t look like they’re wearing concrete shoes. Because you’ve got to go laterally to put yourself in position to field a ground ball. Some kids have got it and some kids don’t. Usually the shortstop’s got it, most of the time. If they’re a high school shortstop that can’t run and doesn’t have footwork, well, guess whatthey’re moving to third base or maybe become an offensive second baseman.”
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