Understanding How the Recruiting Process REALLY Works
This is Step #1 in the 10 Step BRC Recruiting Formula!
#1 – Understanding How the Recruiting Process REALLY Works
The Golden Rule
Be proactive!
Don’t count on luck – or even talent – to connect you with a school and team. Like most things that are worth having, it’s going to take work on your part, but we’ll help you with the steps you’ll need to take along the way.
Baseball Recruiting Facts
A few words from NLB’s Coach Franco, who played D1 baseball at Miami of Ohio and now coaches in the Mariners organization.
There are over 1,600 college baseball programs with almost 50,000 college baseball players.
There are 298 D1 baseball teams each with 11.7 scholarships to use. (Ivy League schools do not give athletic scholarships.)
There are 238 D2 schools with 9 scholarships available for each program.
There are 365 D3 schools. None offer scholarships but can work with you to receive academic/need scholarships.
There 205 NAIA baseball programs with each offering up to 12 scholarships per team.
There are 512 Junior College programs each with 0-24 scholarships.
You can call or email a coach as often as you’d like. (Although they have restrictions as to when they can communicate with you.)
Official visits are not allowed until the start of your Senior year. Colleges invite you and pay for these visits. You are limited to one visit per school and up to five maximum during your senior year.
All D1 scholarships must be at least 25% of the equivalent of a full ride.
There can be a maximum of 27 scholarship dispersed between players given out.
The maximum active roster size (not including red shirts) is 35 players.
BRC 10 Step Formula
#1 - Understanding How the Recruiting Process REALLY Works
#3 - What Level of College Baseball is Right for You?
#4 - Make Your Hot List
#5 - How to Create a Skills Video that Coaches Will Watch Til the End
#6 - Sending Emails That College Coaches Will Want to Read
#7 - What College Baseball Coaches ACTUALLY Look For
#8 - How to Make Sure a College Baseball Program Is a Good Fit for You
#9 - How to Maximize Your College Visits
#10 - What to Do When the Scholarship Offers Start Coming In (How to negotiate)
Important Links!
Visit http://ncaa.org (Division I, II and III), http://njcaa.org (National Junior Colleges) or http://www.naia.org/ (NAIA) for more information, rules and regulations. “I didn’t know” is not considered an acceptable excuse by these agencies.
Please note that the highlighted rules here mainly apply for NCAA Division I and II. Rules vary for different associations, divisions and sports, so do your research!
IN THE MLB DRAFT: College vs. High School
During the draft years from 2011-2015, high school players made up exactly half of the picks in the first round of the MLB draft with 121 total, just eclipsing college players. The numbers aren’t too surprising. Scouts often target high school players because of their under-developed potential:
Draft years 2011-15
College: 45 percent (54% in the top 10)
From the SEC: 9.9%
High school: 50%
From junior colleges: 3%
International players: 2%
ON OPENING DAY ROSTERS: College vs. high school
Despite more high school players getting drafted in the first round, former college players made up 45 percent of the opening-day rosters of MLB clubs in 2015, far out-distancing those who signed out of high school. Scouts often have three more years of data on college players than those drafted out of high school, so it’s only natural for college players to make up more of the MLB rosters.
Year: 2015
College: 45%
From the SEC: 7%
High school: 24%
From junior colleges: 8%
International players: 23%
*According to the Houston Chronicle, which cited Major League Baseball
IN OPENING-DAY STARTING LINEUPS: College vs. high school
Despite those first-round draft stats, opening-day lineups in 2015 were mostly made up of ex-college players. In fact, there were more international players in the lineups than guys who signed out of American high schools.
Year: 2015
College: 38%
From the SEC: 8%
High school: 26%
From junior colleges: 7%
International players: 28%
*Compiled by The Advocate
Verbal Commitments
How the Heck Can Underclassmen Commit to D1 Programs?
As you’ll hear us say elsewhere, for the majority of HS baseball players, the recruiting process really gets going the Spring of your junior year.
The problem is that there is that 1% of players who verbally commit to colleges as sophomores or even freshman… and that causes a mass panic for the other 99%.
“Why am I not being recruited?!?!” “What showcases do I need to go to?!?!” “Is it too late for me?!?!?” “How can these underclassmen commit to college baseball programs when the coaches aren’t even allowed to talk to them yet?!?!”
Here are a few facts to help clear up this often misunderstood mess:
- A college baseball prospect cannot sign a National-Letter-of-Intent (NLI) to attend a Division I or II school until the early signing period in November of his senior year and, if he doesn’t sign at that time he must wait until the regular signing period begins in April.
- Any verbal commitments made outside of those time frames are non-binding agreements between a prospect and the college coaching staff.
So, anytime you hear of a prospect committing to a college prior to November of their senior year it falls into the non-binding, verbal commitment category.
In the college baseball world verbal commitments are usually honored by both sides, but there are no rules that can keep either side from backing out.
In recent years, D1 baseball programs have started to go after verbal commitments from younger and younger players. The top sophomores and many top juniors verbally commit to a college before they play their first game of their junior season.
BUT remember, that’s ONLY the 1%. Don’t freak out if you are not in that group. You have the time to be thoughtful about your selection.
What Grades, ACT / SAT Scores Do I Need to be a Division 1 Baseball Player?
This is a two-part answer.
Part 1: Squeaking By
Each D1 University has their own academic requirements that prospective students must meet. With that being said, the NCAA requires that your core GPA is at least a 2.30 with the grades from the 10 pre-senior year core.
You don’t want to be the guy just slipping by with the lowest GPA possible.
Part 2: Where You Want to Be
If you do not reach certain academic requirements any academic scholarships you receive can count against that baseball program’s 11.7 baseball scholarships.
What are those standards?
A 3.5 Core GPA in high school or Top 10% class rank or 26 ACT (or equivalent SAT) allows you to receive an academic scholarship from a Division I school without it counting against their 11.7 scholarship maximum.
NCAA Eligibility Center
When and How to Register
Here are some main points and things to keep in mind regarding the NCAA Eligibility Center:
If your plan is to some day play baseball at the Division I or II level, you are required to register with the Eligibility Center. Even if you go to a junior college first you will still need to have gone through the Eligibility Center process.
When a coach begins recruiting you, one of the first things he’ll generally ask is whether or not you are registered with the Eligibility Center.
We recommend you sign up with the Eligibility Center after your junior year of high school. That way you can send three years of your high school transcripts, test scores and provide the additional information they require. You’ll then just have to update your information throughout your senior year.
If you are already registered it can show the coach that you are proactive and on top of the process. Just go to this link to register: https://web3.ncaa.org/ecwr3/
Many times, the guidance counselors at your high school can help you with this process.
Work Your Plan!
Every player will have his own pathway to college baseball, but download the BRC Checklist for you year. Use the information you learn on these pages to customize the plan that’s right for you.