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PeachFuzz
76 Posts |
 Posted - 03/28/2012 : 14:29:47
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I have a 2014 corner infielder. He is doing the (5A) HS baseball thing and will be playing majors level travel this summer. His team is scheduled to hit several showcase tourneys and a couple PG tourneys.
He's a big kid with soft hands and a very good bat...he's hitting .428 so far this season and is leading in extra base hits. If he continues to progress, I'd like to think that he may have a shot at some level of college ball.
My concern/question is this. Everyone has told me that at the PG's and showcases, that recruiters are looking "up the middle" (catchers/pitchers/CF/MIF). If that is the case (and I do believe that it is), I would think that a quality 1B/3B could get easily overlooked.
This makes me think that the individual showcases (where players are timed, evaluated at their position, and play scrimmages), may be a valuable option for getting a non-"up the middle" player noticed.
The announcements for these events tend to list the college coaches that will be attending. I've heard that some of these events are good..some are glorified fund raisers. How do you determine if these events are worthwhile? I'm willing to invest the $$ for him to attend, but I don't want to blindly flush $250-$300 down the drain for someone's fundraiser.
Bottom line, are these events worth it?
Any input would be greatly appreciated.
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peashooter
297 Posts |
Posted - 03/28/2012 : 14:42:36
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| Based on my experience, the best thing you can do is go attend summer camps at the schools you want to go to. That is how I got my full ride to Stanford. I went out there for a summer camp. |
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rippit
667 Posts |
Posted - 03/28/2012 : 14:43:10
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| Peach: Great questions and I also am interested in some responses. What I hope not to hear is that these recruiters plan on taking MIF and CF only knowing they can turn some into corner IF/OF bc in my opinion, the corners have the big bats. |
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christheump
351 Posts |
Posted - 03/28/2012 : 16:53:48
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From what I know, the scouts at these PG and Showcases are looking for raw talent, unless pitcher specific...
I have a friend whose son(Tyler Austin) was signed by the Yankees out of High School. He was drafted as a catcher and was immediately moved to 3rd and has progressed from the Gulf Coast League, to the Staten Island Yankee in the NYP League, and will be mostly likely starting this year for the Charleston RiverDogs as a RF. The kid just has natural talent and one of the smoothest bats I have personally seen. |
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a1prog
164 Posts |
Posted - 03/28/2012 : 18:35:13
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I am sure that others will respond and you may get some disagreement with some of my thoughts but having been thru this with my kid and watching his summer teammates (all of whom are going on to play in college) as well here is what i can tell you;
1. as a 2014 grad your son is 16 and will be a rising junior. this is the correct time to be asking these questions- if maybe not a year late.
2. the pg events can be hit and miss. it just depends who you play for (big difference between a major team and an elite level team), who you play against and where you will be. if you get games at ecb or 643 you will most likely be seen because college guys tend to go to these places in bulk. if you play a top notch team (at your age level or above) you stand a better chance of being seen. as has been noted before by my friend bballman at 643 and at ecb during pg there were plenty of college guys around- d1, d2, d3.
3. there are showcase type events at certain schools but we found those to be more fundraising than anything over the years.
4. i never heard that scouts "look up the middle" though that naturally will attract attention. but- they also look at kids who can hit. so a good power showing at the plate will get you a look if the right people are there. this is how one of the ways our 3b made an impression this summer and ended up committing to uga.
5. your son needs to determine what colleges he might have an interest in and go to their late summer/fall camps. in signing up for those camps make sure that it is instructional with staff coaches there. some of these are just money trains so you need to know who's running them.
6. here are some of the better camps that i know of based on personal experience and/or input from friends- young harris (the august session), furman (fall), the lagrange college camp in the fall, lee university (fall edition), berry college (fall edition), app state. please know that these will typically have coaches from multiple colleges attend so you can be seen by lots of potential folks. also- if your son is a good student the ecb patriots academic showcase in june is said to be worthwhile.
7. if your son has an inkling about what he might want to do then reaching out to college coaches via email to let them know of the interest can be a great way to get seen. half the time you never hear back. but it only takes thats one guy. remember- if he's a corner guy then he needs to be seen by a program looking for that.
8. your summer coach is very important. the right guys have great connections. maybe your h-s coach can help as well. but the right summer coaches know folks and will work hard to make sure that every kid they have who wants to play in college gets a shot.
one last item- even as a corner guy speed is very important to college coaches. having a solid 60 time (even thought i think its b-s measure) is a big deal.
i hope this helps. best wishes to you on your journey. |
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bballman
1432 Posts |
Posted - 03/28/2012 : 21:09:25
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All great points made by A1. Another one that's good is the Georgia Dugout Club Top 100. If you try out for that and make the top 100, there are probably over 100 scouts that will attend the top 100 games. The other showcase I was pretty impressed with was the North Gwinnett High School showcase in the fall. It is definetely a fundraiser for the high school, but it was attended by around 15 different schools. It is well run and does all the things they do at a PG showcase.
No question it is important to play on a high profile team, or a team that will compete against high profile teams in the summer. You also should let schools you are interested in know that you are interested in them. There are just so many kids out there competing to play at the next level, that you really can't just rely on someone just happening to see you. A 60 time is important, but if you can really hit, there will be a certain amount of latitude with that. You can't be dog slow, but you won't have to run a 6.8 60 either.
Bottom line is, the showcases are important, but don't just take a blind shotgun approach. Direct your efforts in an organized way that will give you a shot at the schools you are interested in and that are a good fit academically and athletically. |
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injunchief2
76 Posts |
Posted - 03/29/2012 : 07:40:53
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Peach,
Glad to see you're doing this at the right time !!
The recruiting landscape is changing yearly ... so here's my advice.
#1. Don't get wrapped up in the D1, D2 stuff. In the real world, there's SEC, ACC and all others.
#2. Find a team where the coach knows how to get you looked at. Check the websites out ... look for a site that extolls the placement of players, not the meaningless victories.
#3. 50% of the success is on your son ! He has to be prepared to market himself properly ... which requires work the HE HAS TO DO !We have about a 90% placement rate and the most successful players are the ones that work the hardest at this.
#4. Communication is key ... understand all the restrictions involved.
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bkball
173 Posts |
Posted - 03/29/2012 : 08:49:04
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I agree with most of the above posts.
PG is a good way to go. They are not leaning toward any position. They lean toward running speed and arm. Players get plenty of opportunities to scrimmage against other players and stand out. It is well worth the money IMHO. |
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sthrneagle
6 Posts |
Posted - 03/29/2012 : 09:12:51
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| You also need to make sure your son keeps his grades up. If he comes in with a low GPA, the better schools won't give him a second look. |
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EastsideBB
44 Posts |
Posted - 03/29/2012 : 09:46:07
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Very good advice from everyone. You asked about $$$. Some events can cost up to $600 and another $350 if you want a longer video. I heard of some events as much as $1,000. I am of the opinnion you should attend at least one. Make sure your son is well prepared and ready to give his best. There may be around 300 other players there and they run through the skill drills very quickly. And he will be placed on a team for a couple of scrimmage games according to his position. Hopefully he does well and he can get a good rating. One of the benefits is, you will able to have potential college coaches visit the web site and view your son for skill drills only.
You should also place your son on a good quality team that play in college showcases during the summer. At the 16U/17U age group it would be good to attend at least four of these college showcases. He can them be evaluated at least by the coaching staff at the college hosting the showcase.
However, I have also learned (very recently) as peashooter have stated. One of the best thing you can do is to go to a summer/fall camp of schools you may want to attend. Most are cheaper than the big national showcases and the number of players that attend are much smaller. Most camp limit participation to 50 - 100. At these camps college coaches get a chance to work with your son one on one and although you may do the skill drills they will also provide some instructions. You will know right away if the college has an interest in your son. If they ask him to run again or take additional batting practice - it gives you some indication that they are taking a closer look at your son. |
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PeachFuzz
76 Posts |
Posted - 03/29/2012 : 10:37:25
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The feedback is very much appreciated!! Maybe I'm just too new at this, but I'm really not focusing too much on D1 vs D2, D3 NAIA, etc....I try to keep him focused on performing right here/right now...and the future will take care of itself. As far as grades go, he is an honors/AP student with a 3.85 GPA.
I do realize that he cannot just sit back, play good ball and expect everything to fall into place. I know that there are things that have to be done to ensure he is seen...which is what brought about this topic in the first place.
Along with the responses here, I also got a couple of private message responses regarding this post. The advice that makes the most sense to me is to begin narrowing our search for colleges. Hit camps at those schools (or camps those college coaches will be attending). Have my son email the coaches and let them know about his interest. He is already on a majors level travel roster for the summer. He'll get the opportunity to play in two PG tourneys and several college showcase tourneys. The organization he's with has a great reputation for getting a large percentage of their players to the next level.
I looked through PG's website, but I could not find a price for the PG showcases. I get the impression that a two day showcase runs in the $500-$600 range. I'll probably send him to the one at ECB in August. I'll also send him to the camps hosted by the colleges he is interested in. Beyond these steps, I'm not really sure what else there is to do...other than drop several hundred or thousands into recruiting services (which I am absolutely not inclined to do).
To be frank, I want the kid to enjoy playing the game. I keep him in the here & now by occasionally reminding him that (in this environment) no one is guaranteed a spot on the HS roster. That helps to keep his feet firmly planted in reality.
If he gets the opportunity to play in college (at whatever level), qualifies for HOPE...and baseball will pick up a significant part of the remaining tab, I'll be a happy camper!! |
Edited by - PeachFuzz on 03/29/2012 13:01:23 |
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Newbie BB Mom
141 Posts |
Posted - 03/30/2012 : 09:27:32
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| Good luck to your son, PeachFuzz! And please post again and fill us in on how it goes and which things seemed most beneficial for him! As a parent of a 9U player, this thread is both fascinating and a little daunting. |
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bballman
1432 Posts |
Posted - 03/30/2012 : 10:57:11
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Peach, yes PG showcases run, I believe, $550 or $595. I forget now. The faster your son is and the harder he throws, the higher his grade will be. They do a skills assessment as well and if he hits well in the BP and then in the games, he can get a higher grade. They also base a lot on projection. In other words, if he is a taller kid, they see that as more projectable. It's not just PG, but just about the whole baseball world thinks in those terms. Not to say if he is not tall, he can't play at the next level, but it helps.
I know you want to keep the game fun for him, but by end of sophomore year, if he wants to play at the next level, it really becomes more of a job. That's not to say you can't love your job, but make no mistake, it is a job. The kids will need to work hard, make sacrifices and take things very seriously. Like I said earlier, there are TONS of kids out there who want to play baseball at the next level. Not nearly all of them will be able to. It is very, very competitive.
Also keep in mind that very, very few baseball players get a full ride on baseball money. Coaches also mix and match baseball money with academic money. Often times, the more academic money someone gets, the less baseball money they get. The reason is simple. There really is not enough baseball money to go around. D1 schools carry a 35 man roster and only have 11.7 scholarships to offer. D2 carry between 28 and 35 and have 9 scholarships to offer. D3 do not offer any baseball money. Therefore, if a coach thinks you are worth a 50% ride, and you can get 50% of school paid for on academic money, he may not give any baseball money. That is more money to be spent on someone else who maybe can't get academic money. Don't get too discouraged, there is money out there. I am just saying that there is a lot to think about and things are very competitive. Make sure your son keeps up the good work in the classroom and works hard at his baseball skills. Make sure he gets in front of the right coaches and puts a lot of effort into these things the next couple of years. It may wind up paying off. |
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jongamefan
218 Posts |
Posted - 08/14/2012 : 11:36:31
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Well lets take a different turn on this thread :
What is everyones experience and opinions on the Fall Prospect Camps that lot of the colleges are doing now through end of year
Some are pricey but then some are only 90 - 100 bucks .
Some invite limit of 50 kids some bring over 100
Lot of them say next years class is aleredy full : they want rising Juniors now
So gotta ask specially bout the 100 + attending camps : are these disguised fundraisers like the summer ahowcase tournaments were ; or are they indeed looking only at handpicked invitees ?? |
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AllStar
762 Posts |
Posted - 08/14/2012 : 12:01:32
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quote:
Originally posted by jongamefan
Well lets take a different turn on this thread :
What is everyones experience and opinions on the Fall Prospect Camps that lot of the colleges are doing now through end of year
Some are pricey but then some are only 90 - 100 bucks .
Some invite limit of 50 kids some bring over 100
Lot of them say next years class is aleredy full : they want rising Juniors now
So gotta ask specially bout the 100 + attending camps : are these disguised fundraisers like the summer ahowcase tournaments were ; or are they indeed looking only at handpicked invitees ??
My son went to Georgia State's. I didn't stay and watch, but when they talked to him at the end of the day it was obvious that they had paid attention to what he did during the scrimmages. There wasn't any instruction per se, but there was feedback.
He enjoyed it, but it did seem pricey to me. Don't know what, if anything, will come of it. He had a blast. |
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neverquit
128 Posts |
Posted - 08/14/2012 : 13:29:28
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Good advice. Both my kids go to the college of their choice camp every yr. and have ben doing so since 12. I dont need PG. If we dont get an offer we will walk on. The school is more important.
quote:
Originally posted by peashooter
Based on my experience, the best thing you can do is go attend summer camps at the schools you want to go to. That is how I got my full ride to Stanford. I went out there for a summer camp.
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barehandit
19 Posts |
Posted - 08/14/2012 : 19:03:34
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Ditto that! My son goes to 4-5 college camps throughout the year, since he was 12, to the different colleges of his choice. Can't put all your eggs in one basket. College comes first, walk on 2nd. Little school big money, not other way around. We are in the market for smaller or bigger, but the degree comes 1st.
This year he's gotten great feedback from the 2 he's done. "We'll be watching you through XYZ." He's physically more baseball looking this year. The fundamentals have been there, but now he's getting muscles and physique of a baller. He plays for a developmental program, not the winningest teams. He has another camp Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.
[quote]Originally posted by neverquit
Good advice. Both my kids go to the college of their choice camp every yr. and have ben doing so since 12. I dont need PG. If we dont get an offer we will walk on. The school is more important.
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whits23
596 Posts |
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ec1
40 Posts |
Posted - 08/16/2012 : 16:54:22
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good points by bballman...another overlooked event is the Georgia Dugout CLub Team Georgia Junior Sunbelt held in Oklahoma in June.It was reported 25-35 scouts attended including the UGA staff-- as well as the major schools from all the states represented. Your HS coach needs to nominate you and the GDC selects the team. As a large portion of the team has already verbally commited, excellent opportunity to get on the radar in an event where the scouts only have 2 fields to view.
All great points made by A1. Another one that's good is the Georgia Dugout Club Top 100. If you try out for that and make the top 100, there are probably over 100 scouts that will attend the top 100 games. The other showcase I was pretty impressed with was the North Gwinnett High School showcase in the fall. It is definetely a fundraiser for the high school, but it was attended by around 15 different schools. It is well run and does all the things they do at a PG showcase.
No question it is important to play on a high profile team, or a team that will compete against high profile teams in the summer. You also should let schools you are interested in know that you are interested in them. There are just so many kids out there competing to play at the next level, that you really can't just rely on someone just happening to see you. A 60 time is important, but if you can really hit, there will be a certain amount of latitude with that. You can't be dog slow, but you won't have to run a 6.8 60 either.
Bottom line is, the showcases are important, but don't just take a blind shotgun approach. Direct your efforts in an organized way that will give you a shot at the schools you are interested in and that are a good fit academically and athletically.
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Individual Showcases
