What Does it Take to Get Recruited to Play College Baseball?
If you're a high school baseball player hoping to pursue a career in college, you may be wondering what it takes to get recruited. Is there anything that any decent kid can expect from college coaches? Or is the procedure more complicated than that?
The good news is that it's possible to get recruited to play college baseball, at least in theory. The process is competitive, and coaches are searching for a certain type of player. With that being said, there are certain things you can do to increase your chances of being recruited. We'll take a look at three of the most essential aspects of the recruiting procedure in this blog post: grades, statistics, and exposure.
Grades
College coaches look at recruits' grades as one of the first evaluation methods. If a recruit doesn't have good academic credentials, the coach assumes that the player won't be able to attend his school and therefore isn't worth recruiting. You must earn excellent grades to increase your chances of being recruited by a top college team.
Aside from your overall GPA, college coaches will also be interested in seeing how you did GPA-wise in more difficult "core" classes. These are the kinds of mandatory courses that cover vital topics like English, math, science and social studies. In general, students with a strong performance history in these types of core classes are then able to handle the greater challenge of college academics down the line.
Statistics
Another important aspect of the recruiting process is your statistical record. College coaches are interested to see how many hits you've made on the field. Are you a solid hitter? What kind of numbers are you putting up? Stealing bases, driving in runs, and so on will all be evaluated by a coach when assessing your talents as a player.
College coaches will look at your overall records, but they'll also want to see how you've done in key games. Did you rise when your team needed you the most? When faced with adversity, did you step up? Players that can perform well under pressure are always in high demand.
Exposure
Finally, exposure is critical in the recruiting process. College coaches just won't have time to travel the country looking for hidden gems. They need players who can get on their radar screens.
There are two ways you can get exposure: attending showcases and tournaments where college coaches will be present or sending highlight tapes and game footage directly to college coaches. The former allows you the opportunity to show off your skills in front of crucial people in the recruiting process, while the latter allows them to evaluate your abilities without having to see you play live.
Conclusion
The recruiting process is competitive, and there's no guarantee that even the most talented players will receive interest from colleges. However, there are certain things players can do to improve their chances of getting recruited, including maintaining good grades, putting up impressive statistics, and getting exposure by attending showcases and sending highlight tapes directly to college coaches. If you're willing to put in the work, you might just find yourself playing collegiate baseball sooner than you thought!