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1 College Baseball Recruiting 101 For Players & Parents by Randy Carlson Collegelevelsports.com 1

2 This guide is intended to give you a high-level view of the college baseball recruiting process and basic steps you can follow to get started. It is not the only resource you will need and is not intended to be the only resource you will use. Following this guide is not guaranteed to get you recruited to play college baseball. It will help you position yourself to be recruited by college baseball coaches. The rest is up to you. Before beginning this process write down your priorities. Consider finances, locations, playing time, program prestige, and the value of your degree. This will help you take an organized and realistic approach to finding the baseball program and college that is right for you. Your highest level of success will come from reading this guide, the content on the Baseball Homepage, and the College Entrance Game Plan co-authored by Dan Bisig, a college admissions and funding expert. The coupon code below is worth $11 off the published price. You ll find a link to purchase the book on their page in our member section. Enter the code as one word all lower case. Coupon Code: clsbaseball 2

3 A. Introduction The Numbers B. The Prospects NCAA NAIA NJCAA (JUCO) C. The Coaches Anatomy of a Coaching Staff CONTENTS Communicating with the Coach Red Flags D. The Player Making the Commitment Get Better, Bigger, and Stronger Succeed Academically Elevate Your Baseball Profile Be Seen E. 11 Steps to Get You Started Create a Unique Address Gather Important Information Create a Prospect List Fill Out Recruiting Questionnaires Create a Highlight Video Register at the Eligibility Centers Correspond With Your Prospect List Send Your Team Schedules to Prospect List Attend College High School Prospect Camps Attend Showcase Camps Adjust Your Approach F. Summary 3

4 A. Introduction According to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) of the nearly 140,000 high school seniors playing baseball each year about 8,000 will play Division I baseball or 6.1%. When you include NCAA Division II and III, National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), and the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) the number is 14,000+ or 10%. Section B identifies prospective baseball programs in the three largest college athletic associations; the NCAA, NAIA, and NJCAA. This section discusses their eligibility and recruiting rules and guides you to their published resources. Section C explains the structure of a college coaching staff, the ways they communicate, and the red flags they watch for when evaluating recruits. The athletes at the college level may be amateurs but the coaches are pros. This section must be read by every high school athlete who wants to play baseball in college. Section D lists the things to do to put yourself in a position to be recruited. This includes taking your baseball skills to the next level, being academically attractive, and elevating your baseball profile. It also discusses how you go about being seen. Section E lists 11 steps you can start today. Follow them in order and start today. Adjust your approach based on the feedback you receive, stay organized, and keep moving forward. Section F is the summary and special challenge to every prospective high school player who wants to play baseball at the college level. The best time to start using the steps in this guide is the spring of your sophomore year, however, it is never too late. So, make the commitment, learn the process, and get started today. Good Luck! 4

5 B. The Prospects The three largest collegiate athletic associates in the U.S. are the NCAA, NAIA, and NJCAA. Together they have 1,400+ member schools with baseball programs. These programs offer excellent opportunities for athletes who want to play college level baseball. NCAA Division I, II, and III The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has more than 900 member schools with baseball programs and they are separated into Division I, Division II, and Division III. The member schools determine which division they will compete in based on their athletic program funding. All three divisions offer excellent baseball opportunities. There are 300 NCAA Division I schools with baseball programs. Their rosters are limited to 35 players and no more than 27 can receive athletic scholarships. D1 programs are permitted to offer up to 11.7 athletic scholarships which can be full or partial to support more players. A partial scholarship must be at least 25%. If you are offered an academic and athletic scholarship you may have to choose one or the other. There are 250 NCAA Division II schools with baseball programs. These schools are typically smaller than D1 schools. D2 programs are permitted to offer 9 scholarships which can be full or partial to support more players. D2 schools may make you choose between athletic and academic scholarships. There are 400 NCAA Division III schools with baseball programs. D3 schools are typically smaller universities and colleges and are not permitted to offer athletic scholarships. However, many offer grants, academic scholarships, and financial aid to draw talented players to their programs. D3 schools place an emphasis on academics and are among the top academic institutions in the country. 5

6 NCAA Eligibility Center The NCAA requires all prospective Division I and II athletes to register at the NCAA Eligibility Center. This is where the NCAA collects your academic transcripts and determines if you are eligible to play. Division III schools are individually responsible for this but unless you know you re going D3 register at the Eligibility Center to keep all your options open. You will find a link to the NCAA Eligibility Center in the Members Section at Collegelevelsports.com. NCAA Recruiting Rules The NCAA Recruiting Rules for Division I, II, and III baseball are listed in the NCAA Guide for College-Bound Student Athletes. The rules apply to sophomores, juniors and seniors and govern phone and contacts, face to face contacts, and official campus visits. These rules must be followed by coaches and recruits. You will find a link to this guide in the Members Section at Collegelevelsports.com. While the rules limit when and how often a Division I or II coach can call you they do not limit when and how often you can call them. Got that? You can call a D1 or D2 coach at any age and during any time of year. There are no contact restrictions in D3 for you or the coach. So, pick up the phone and start calling! An Official Visit to a Division I, II, and III campus is a visit where some or all the cost is covered by the school. These visits are regulated by the NCAA. However, you can make an unlimited number of unofficial visits in which you cover your own expenses. Take advantage of this except during Dead Periods which are explained below. There are periods during the calendar year when the NCAA restricts face to face contact between you and a D1 or D2 coach. During a Contact Period face to face contact is allowed, during a Quiet Period it is limited, and during a Dead Period it is forbidden. If you plan an unofficial visit to a prospect school make sure you schedule it during a Contact or Quiet 6

7 Period. You ll find a link to the NCAA Calendar in the Members Section at Collegelevelsports.com. Verbal Offers and Commitments A college coach can make a verbal offer to a high school recruit at any age. If the player accepts he has made a verbal commitment. Verbal offers and verbal commitments are NOT binding. Only when a written offer has been delivered to a high school recruit in the fall or spring of his senior year has he received a formal offer. If accepted the player has made a formal commitment and entered into a binding agreement. National Letter of Intent When a college-bound student athlete signs a National Letter of Intent on National Signing Day he has agreed to attend a D1 or D2 school to play sports and receive financial assistance for one year. The National Letter of Intent is a voluntary program so not all schools participate. You ll find a link to the NLI in the Members Section at Collegelevelsports.com. NCAA Division I, II, and III baseball is very competitive and offers excellent opportunities for graduating high school seniors. The divisions rank their programs throughout the season and host tournaments to crown a national champion. NAIA The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) was formed in 1937 and has over 60,000 student athletes participating in college level sports. The NAIA has a rich tradition of balancing athletics and the college educational experience and should not be overlooked by college bound athletes who want to play baseball. The NAIA has over 180 member schools with baseball programs. NAIA schools are broken into 23 conferences and each school is limited to 12 baseball scholarships per year. These scholarships can be offered as partial scholarships to cover more players. 7

8 NAIA Eligibility Center The NAIA requires prospective athletes to register at the NAIA Eligibility Center where they will collect your academic information and determine your eligibility. To keep your baseball options open register at the NAIA Eligibility Center by using the link in the Members Section at Collegelevelsports.com. NAIA Recruiting Rules The NAIA publishes a recruiting guide for prospective student athletes. You ll find a link to the NAIA Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete in the Members Section at collegelevelsports.com. NAIA recruiting rules are less restrictive on contact between coaches and high school athletes. Phone calls, , and face to face contact can happen at any time and at any age. The website PlayNAIA.org allows you to create a sports resume which you can send to any NAIA school. This is a tremendous, free resource so use it to your advantage! You ll find a link to this site in the Members Section at Collegelevelsports.com. The NAIA does not have a letter of intent program but each school is free to draft their own non-binding letter and present it to an athlete. The letter may outline scholarship and academic funds being offered and must be recognized by other NAIA schools. The NAIA hosts conference tournaments to crown a national champion. You can follow all 23 conferences including rankings and post season play at 8

9 NJCAA Division I, II, and III The National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA), commonly referred as JUCO, is an association of two-year junior college and community college athletic programs. The NJCAA has over 390 member schools with baseball programs divided into Division I, II, and III. NJCAA schools offer impressive baseball opportunities for high school players who need time to improve their academics and/or baseball skills. Many successful NCAA D1 players started their college careers in JUCO. If you re being nudged in this direction keep an open mind and educate yourself on the advantages. There are 188 NJCAA Division I schools with baseball teams. Member schools can offer up to 24 full scholarships to cover all college expenses. Partial scholarships are allowed. There are 130 NJCAA Division II schools with baseball teams. Member schools can offer up to 24 scholarships towards tuition only. Partial scholarships are not allowed. There are 79 NJCAA Division III schools with baseball teams. Member schools are restricted from offering athletic scholarships but may offer grants and other scholarships to players who excel at baseball and academics. NJCAA Eligibility Center Prospective student athletes are not required to register at the NJCAA Eligibility Corner website but there are rules you must follow to be eligible to play. You ll find a link to the NJCAA Eligibility Corner and The Eligibility Rules of the National Junior College Athletic Association in the Members Section at Collegelevelsports.com. 9

10 NJCAA Recruiting Rules High school baseball players who are interested in an NJCAA school should be proactive about contacting the coaching staff and expressing an interest. Recruiting funds are limited so if you want to play JUCO baseball, or are nudged in that direction by a high school or select ball coach, initiate the contact. NJCAA Letter of Intent Players who are offered a scholarship to play baseball for an NJCAA school must sign an NJCAA Letter of Intent. The letter of Intent is binding for one year and will spell out exactly what you are receiving to play baseball. Recruiting and transfer rules for NJCAA athletics can be complex so you should consult a prospective JUCO coach for guidance. NJCAA Division I, II, and III baseball is very competitive. The three divisions host conference tournaments to crown a national champion. You can follow these teams at njcaa.org. Summary The NCAA, NAIA, and NJCAA offer excellent opportunities for high school athletes who want to play college level baseball. Keep an open mind when building your prospect list. Between these three associations there are baseball programs actively recruiting high school sophomore, junior, and senior athletes. Find the right one for you! 10

11 C. The Coaches One important thing to remember about the college coaches you will be interacting with is they make their living coaching baseball. Coaching is their profession and how they provide for themselves and their families. Unlike most of the coaches you ve had in the past typically these coaches don t teach classes and don t have other day jobs. These men are paid to coach baseball ten to twelve months a year. Anatomy of a Coaching Staff College coaching staffs have various titles including Head Coach, Assistant Head Coach, Associate Head Coach, Assistant Coach, Recruiting Coach, Recruiting Coordinator, Volunteer Assistant Coach, and Student Assistant Coach. Except for the volunteer and student coaches everyone is an employee of the college or university and is getting paid. College coaching staffs are busy year-round. In the spring, they compete in a 40+ game season and post season and in the summer and fall they shuffle rosters, supervise player development, host camps and recruit high school and junior college players. The Head Coach is responsible for a budget, staff, athletes, facilities, equipment, and the integrity of the program. A Head Coach will not jeopardize his reputation or profession for an individual player or recruit. He will protect his program and his livelihood so never forget this. Communicating with the Coach You will communicate with college coaches via , text message, phone calls, and face to face. When ing use proper grammar and be timely with your reply. Personalize your response by addressing the coach by his name, i.e. Coach Johnson, and always follow up by phone to make sure the response was received. 11

12 When speaking to a coach on the phone be respectful and carry on a conversation. This is an excellent opportunity for you to bond with the coach and for him to gauge you as a recruit. Do you listen? Follow directions? Are you confident? Are you mature enough to handle college life and athletics? Is your personality compatible with the coaches, players, and program? Remember, you have something in common baseball! So, talk about it! Red Flags College coaches sort through hundreds of candidates every year looking for the right high school athletes to recruit. Time is short so they can t chase the wrong prospect. Therefore, coaches look for red flags early to eliminate candidates. An easy place to start is online! Coaches will search you online for anything that raises flags about your character. They ll look at Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook and Twitter and take note of pictures or posts related to alcohol and drugs, inappropriate comments, content, and language. Any and all of these, even if misinterpreted, can get you dropped as a prospect. A college coach will not risk his reputation or the program s integrity on a recruit with questionable character. Already short on time and long on candidates they will move on to the next prospect. Summary College baseball coaches are paid professionals who work year-round to improve their programs. They will communicate with you in a variety of ways so be respectful, use good grammar, and bond with them so they feel comfortable recruiting you. And remember that everything you do online will be seen so use good judgment! 12

13 D. The Player Competition for a roster spot on a college baseball team is fierce. Coaches are flooded with candidates from all over the country. To get their attention you need to get better, bigger and stronger, do well in school and on the SAT/ACT, elevate your baseball profile, and be seen. Get Better, Bigger, and Stronger To play college baseball you must be great at pitching and/or fielding and hitting. I know this sounds obvious but you must take your baseball skills to the next level. Join a sports academy to gain access to indoor batting cages, sign up for clinics, and take lessons from qualified instructors. Make the commitment to take your game to the next level so you can demonstrate that you can contribute to a college baseball program. Getting bigger and stronger is especially important for rising juniors and seniors. Prospective college coaches will look at your size and strength to determine if you can physically compete with 19 to 22-year old s who lift weights year-round. Whether you work out at a fitness center or your school get the appropriate instruction and get busy. Don t wait until the last minute to get bigger and stronger. It will be too late! Succeed Academically Getting great grades in high school will increase your college baseball opportunities and getting poor grades will eliminate them. Why? To get you into their program a college coach must get you admitted to their school. It is critical that you understand this. A prospective coach will ask about grades very early in the recruiting process because they can t waste time recruiting a player they can t get admitted to their school. You also need to do well on the ACT and SAT. Ask your guidance counselor about free prep classes at your school. They may refer you to a company that offers prep classes for a fee or a former instructor who does one on 13

14 one instruction for a fee. Get help preparing for the ACT and SAT. Take them seriously and plan on taking them more than once. Great SAT and ACT scores will increase your baseball opportunities. Make your high school guidance counselor aware of your college baseball aspirations especially if you are targeting high academic schools. They can help you identify the admissions standards and make sure you are taking competitive classes. High academic schools want to see the right mix of honors and AP classes. It s not enough to have a high GPA. You must demonstrate that you have academically challenged yourself. Elevate Your Baseball Profile Elevating your baseball profile means increasing your visibility. If you play high school baseball make your coach aware of your desire to play college baseball so he will become an advocate and help you get recognized locally, in-state, and regionally. Identify organizations in your state that evaluate high school players and rank them by position and graduating class. In South Carolina the Diamond Prospects, thediamondprospects.com, sponsors showcase camps in the fall and summer and their rankings get the attention of many colleges. Getting ranked will raise your profile and may get you invited to showcase events attended by college coaches. You will find links to organizations in your state that rank high school players at Collegelevelsports.com. Playing for the right select team in the fall and summer, whether showcase or American Legion, will raise your baseball profile. Find a team with a schedule that gets you in front of college recruiters. You also want a coach who is committed to helping his players get to the next level. This is especially important in the summer before your junior and senior years because it s when colleges ramp up their recruiting efforts. 14

15 Be Seen To be recruited by a college coach he must see you play. Fall and summer select baseball, attending college prospect camps, and attending showcase camps offer you excellent opportunities to be seen. Send your fall/summer select team schedule to every coach on your prospect list. If a tournament is in-state there s a chance an in-state coach will attend especially if you are playing on his field. If the tournament is large like Perfect Game there s a good chance the out of state coaches will attend. Many colleges conduct high school prospect camps in the fall and summer. This allows them to see prospects up close. You will go thru the same drills they use to evaluate their own players. Remember, you are under a microscope at these camps. Hustle, listen, shake hands, and bond with the coaches. They have your undivided attention and you have theirs so take advantage of college prospect camps. Showcase Camps give you a chance to play in front of dozens of college coaches. Sponsors include Perfect Game, Headfirst, Under Armour, Demarini, and Showball. Some camps are geared towards athletes with great grades. You will be seen by many coaches and may receive a written evaluation. As with college prospect camps you are under a microscope so work hard, listen, shake hands, and bond with coaches. You will find links to showcase tournaments at Collegelevelsports.com. Recruiting services offer assistance placing high school players in college baseball programs for a fee. Many of these companies are staffed with former players and coaches who have relationships with college coaches. The fees these services charge can be high so they aren t for everyone. However, they do have success placing players so for some a recruiting service is a great fit. Do your homework, ask questions, and ask for references to decide if this is right for you. 15

16 Summary College baseball coaches are looking for the total package when they recruit for their programs. They want athletes who have excellent baseball skills, are competitive academically, have a clean background, and can physically compete at the next level. They also want to see you play. So, get better, bigger, and stronger, do well in school, stay out of trouble, elevate your baseball profile, and play in front of prospect coaches to be recruited to play college level baseball. 16

17 E. Getting Started This section will help you get started. Do the steps in order so you can efficiently manage the recruiting process. 1. Create a unique account for recruiting Create a unique address like john.doe@gmail.com or john.doe.2015@gmail.com or john.doe.catcher2015@gmail.com and only use it for recruiting. As you get from prospective schools file them in labeled folders so you can keep your inbox clear. 2. Gather Important Information Create a Word or Excel file with the following information so you have it ready when filling out player questionnaires. Your and mobile # Your Facebook URL, Twitter username, and Instagram username Mother/Father/Guardian s first and last name, occupation, , and cell phone # Mother/Father/Guardian s occupation and college (if applicable.) high school name, address, and phone # high school guidance counselor s name, phone #, and GPA, SAT/ACT test dates, and test results (if you have them.) Class rank and intended major NCAA Clearing House ID (which we ll get in the next step) High school coaches name, phone # (including mobile), and Select team coach, phone # and Contact info of instructor s/coaches who will serve as references Electronic copy of high school transcripts List of academic accomplishments Height and weight Primary and Secondary positions 17

18 3. Create a Prospect List Take the master list of NCAA, NAIA, and NJCAA schools provided in the Members Section at collegelevelsports.com and copy/paste the ones you want to pursue onto the PROSPECTS tab. Start with the schools that are a fit based on your priorities and skill level. Add reach schools to the list but remember your goal is to build a base of interest to maximize your options. The list may grow to 60 schools but will begin to shrink as you drop schools based on the feedback you receive. The more you are seen the more interest you will receive. If you receive interest from a school you hadn t considered check them out and decide whether to add them to your Prospect List. 4. Fill Out Recruiting Questionnaires Go to the websites of your prospect schools and look for a tab titled RECRUITS, RECRUITING QUESTIONNAIRE, or RECRUIT QUESTIONNAIRE. Click on the link and you ll be taken to a form to fill out with the information you collected in Step 4. If you are missing information submit it anyway. This is especially true of SAT and ACT scores. The coaches will you requesting the missing data which gives you an excuse to call or . When you submit a questionnaire make a note on your Prospect List. When the coaching staff acknowledges receipt you re on their radar. If a response doesn t come in a timely manner send an to the head coach or recruiting coordinator or call. Once you are in a prospect school s recruiting database you will begin to receive requests for additional information like your video, transcripts, etc. You ll also receive invitations to their prospect camps, a list of the showcase tournaments they plan to attend, and guidance on how to be recruited and admitted to school. 18

19 5. Create a Highlight Video A highlight video allows college coaches to put a face to the name and see your fundamental skills. The video should be 3 to 5 minutes long and highlight batting, running, fielding, throwing, and/or pitching. Plan on doing a video at the beginning and end of your junior year because you ll get bigger and stronger. Ask coaches for help, use a local sports academy, or hire a video services company to make your video. Before you pay for a video ask to see samples. Your video should contain a title screen with your name, position, graduation class, and high school but not your address or phone number. When completed upload your video to an online video site (i.e. YouTube) so you can the link to college coaches on your Prospect List which we will discuss in the next step. If a parent takes video during a high school or select team game edit the highlights down to a 2 or 3-minute video and post it online. Send the link in an to keep your name in front of the coaches on your prospect list. Use this selectively and keep the videos short. 6. Register at the Eligibility Centers Register at both the NCAA Eligibility Center and the NAIA Eligibility Center. You will find links to these sites in the Member Section at collegelevelsports.com. Also, download the NCAA Guide for College-Bound Student Athletes, the NAIA Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete, and the The Eligibility Rules of the National Junior College Athletic Association. You will find links to these publications in the Member Section at collegelevelsports.com. 19

20 7. Correspond With Your Prospect List When you begin to receive , you ll recognize whether it is personal or generic. If the is generic don t panic because it is part of the coach s correspondence program. Always reply thanking them for the information so they know you re receiving it. If the is personal and asks for information such as your select team schedule, transcripts, etc., supply the information with a response that is timely and personal. A personal from a head coach or recruiting coach is special so treat it that way. After ing the information follow up with a phone call to verify they received it. When initiating correspondence be sure to put your name, position, and graduation class in the subject of your like this: Subject: John Doe Catcher Class of 2017 Video This makes it easy for a coach to recognize your correspondence when you send your video, updated video, high school recognitions (i.e. state ranking, All-Star Team, etc.), Select team schedules, or camp selections. Keep your name in front of your prospect list. 8. Send Team Schedules to Prospect List Send your fall, spring, and summer high school and select team schedules to every coach on your prospect list. If a coach says he s coming to see you play make sure he has your coach s contact info. Find out when you ll be in the lineup and communicate it to the prospect coach. Keep in mind that NCAA recruiting rules may limit his interaction with you. If a coach does approach you shake his hand and start a conversation. Ask direct questions and be ready for direct answers. When you return home follow up with an . His reply will indicate his interest. 20

21 9. Attend College High School Prospect Camps Attend an in-state college high school prospect camp. This will get you started while minimizing your travel expense. Make sure you ve completed the program s recruiting questionnaire and sent your video. The week before the camp remind the coach you re coming and express your interest in the school. When you return home follow up with an . His reply will indicate his interest. Before attending an out of state high school prospect camp, you may want to qualify your opportunity to play baseball at that school. If you are a catcher ask the coach if he is recruiting for your position. If he says no then decide if you should attend anyway or allocate that money to another camp. 10. Attend Showcase Camps Plan to attend a showcase camp that will also be attended by many of the colleges on your Prospect List. The camps list the colleges that are scheduled to attend. Send the coach an asking if they still plan to attend. If they are and you register to attend send them an the week before and ask for an opportunity to meet them face to face. Make sure you ve filled out their recruiting questionnaire and sent them your video. When you return home follow up with an . Their reply will indicate their interest. Also, if you did well at the camp, you ll get from coaches at schools you haven t considered. Evaluate these schools and their level of interest to determine if you should add them to you prospect list. 11. Adjust Your Approach Once you ve followed steps 1 thru 10 the recruiting process will pull you like the current in a stream. There will be times when you feel like you re in the rapids and times when you hit dead water. This is normal. Keep pointing downstream and keep paddling! 21

22 If a prospect school goes quiet call the coach and ask direct questions to determine if they are interested. Coaches will give you a straight answer because they respect you as an athlete and don t want to waste your time or theirs. Use the feedback you receive to adjust your approach. The steps we have listed are just to get you going. This is your journey so modify the approach to maximize your opportunities. Also, as you go through this process you may find a school that is very appealing to you academically even though your baseball opportunity is limited. If this is the case you can still consider walking on to the baseball program or playing club sports and walking on the next year. There are lots of college players who walked on to programs so don t give up on this option. 12. Summary If playing college level baseball is your dream then you ve got to develop excellent baseball skills, build a track record of academic success, stay out of trouble, and play in front of prospective college coaches. Once you have their attention you ve got to convince them you re strong enough and mature enough to handle the game at the next level and can contribute to their success. Follow this guide and build the case that you are the total baseball package. Tell your story to the coaches on your prospect list. Be proud of who you are and what you are trying to accomplish. Remember, there are hundreds of thousands of high school players who would like to play college level baseball. Do you have what it takes to be one of 14,000 who will? If the answer is yes then get busy! Start today! 22