How to Get Recruited for College Baseball
“If you are good enough, you will get recruited” it is a belief held by many baseball recruits, but unfortunately it is not the reality. College baseball coaches know what types of athletes they want, but their real problem, is where they can go to find them. And with thousands of high school baseball players, it is just not possible for coaches to find every athlete who might be a good fit for them.
The most competitive college baseball programs throughout Division 1 have the resources to recruit any player they want. But they are often looking for a very specific type of player. Coaches of smaller programs “and there are a lot more smaller programs than bigger ones”, do not have the resources to find every athlete that might fit on their team. The recruiting game for most baseball players will be about contacting the right schools to get offers you are happy with.
To get recruited for college softball you will likely need to promote yourself to the right coaches. Only 12 % of high school baseball players compete in college. But you can beat those odds, because the secret to winning the recruiting game is to know how the game is played.
Know how College Baseball Coaches Recruit their Team
Scholarship Limits for College Baseball
NCAA D1: 11.7 (equivalency)
NCAA D2: 9 (equivalency)
NCAA D3: Non-Scholarship
NAIA: 12 (equivalency) “NAIA has both its own D2 and D1”
When does recruiting start?
College baseball recruiting starts seriously when athletes are entering high school. The top men’s programs in Division 1 may look to identify talent between the ninth and tenth grade. They often do this through travel tournaments and talent showcases like high level camps.
Where do coaches recruit top talent?
The top events are normally held by organizations like the Travel Ball Select and Prospect Wire. Though they cannot contact these athletes directly, they can still make it clear in a few different ways that they are interested. These athletes will effectively set the standard for recruiting since they will normally be ranked as the top recruits.
How do coaches rank recruits?
After the top players have been identified, recruiting becomes a comparative analysis of who is the best player to recruit. Coaches will essentially look to see, who did you play against, and who did you beat to determine how good a recruit is. The more dominant a player has proven against their peers, the more coaches will be looking to recruit them.
How important is travel ball in recruiting?
High school baseball is a part of recruiting, but travel ball, particularly with major tournaments makes the process much easier for coaches. This is because they can see a lot of talented players in one place. If you are not being approached by coaches in a travel ball setting, you will likely need to reach out to them directly. You should start by gathering as much information as you can about your career to show coaches you have what it takes to help their team win.
KNOW THE GAME. WIN THE GAME.
Use my FREE recruitment guide to get templates, checklists, and answers to all of your recruiting questions.
KNOW WHICH COACH IS RIGHT FOR YOU!
Take my FREE quiz and know exactly which type of college coach will be able to offer you the best college experience!
Create a FREE account to get access to new content every week, preview how my coaching system can get you college offers, and get the “3 Keys to Recruiting” Video.
