Baseball Development AMA

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You seriously think that a C student, non-rigorous courses, ie no APs and lousy SATs are going to get you into HA schools? Maybe if you're a phenom............but then why would you target those schools vs getting into the draft pool? P

What? Obviously the good students who are good players are going to be targeting the elite academic universities, not C students. Those colleges are a complete crap shoot for amazing students, and the comment about being recruited into one as an athlete (who also meets the academic standards) are quite valid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You seriously think that a C student, non-rigorous courses, ie no APs and lousy SATs are going to get you into HA schools? Maybe if you're a phenom............but then why would you target those schools vs getting into the draft pool? P

Baseball is not going to help that kind of student get into a SLAC or Ivy. However, if they have the talent they are going to D1 or even pros (although from NOVA getting to majors is extremely rare).

One point that is not often discussed is that a D1 baseball scholarship is not full-ride in many cases. Because college baseball is not profitable (compared with football or basketball) and Title IX, the baseball scholarships are shared among the entire team. Most players will get only a partial scholarship. Another complication (for the D1 coaches) is that someone who is worth a full ride will also be good enough to be drafted and get a big signing bonus to leave college baseball.

Thus, whether D1 or DIII, the kid has to really love baseball, because the payoff is not in a free education, but in a reduced cost of education to play baseball at their desired school. You have to keep that in mind throughout this entire process.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Stay away from the Stars organization if you can help it. Not well managed, and little to no help with recruiting. If your kid is interested in playing in college, you can do better going to camps/showcases while playing on a travel team that doesn't cost nearly as much. Make a connection at the camp/showcase/via email and then let the RC know where your team is playing. Esp before junior year attending camps like ShowBall, etc. is where you can make some contacts if you aren't focused.

How much does Stars cost for a season? My kid is playing in another organization that costs $1800/season. Trying to see how that stacks up against others.

We are paying $2000 total for the year. This includes uniforms (pants, four jerseys, two hats, two fleece pullovers), practice 2x a week and over 25 games in Fall including three tournaments, strength training twice a week along with 1x a week of specific baseball training in November and December, indoor baseball training 2x a week January and February, practice 3x a week starting this week through the end of July, doubleheaders or tournaments every weekend until the end of July. We considered it good value, and our son has received top notch coaching.

This is much more than we are getting. Sounds like a good deal. Stars has a mixed reputation, so we have avoided it. My kids high school has a program that runs parallel to the high school team, so we went with that. All we get are games and tournament entry fees. I really wished they would add practices at their facility.

[Anonymous]

Stars runs several teams per age bracket. If you are on the A team or the B team, you are going to get better coaching and face better teams in competition. If you are on the lower level teams that don't travel as far afield, not so much. That's why Stars has a mixed reputation.

MVP Terps (or Royals, depending on the brand name that its owner Pudge Gjormand is using at the time) is also good. But Pudge, the coach of Madison HS, of course focuses on Madison boys, and pays less attention to others. I give credit to Pudge: he promised that all of our boys would make their high school JV team if we joined Terps, and he was right! We loved our Terps 13U and 14U coaches. However, during high school the coaching and quality of competition for non-Madison boys falls off quite a bit.

Eric Crozier at D-Bat is a wonderful person with actual MLB experience. Unfortunately, his program is extremely disorganized. We were in this program and every week was a communications and logistical nightmare.

There is an entire thread about DC Cadets/St. Johns and Coach Gibbs. Enough said.

There used to be a very good team called Virginia Hitmen in the McLean/Vienna/Reston area. They were not for profit, so the costs were low. The coach was very good technically and they played very good competition. Unfortunately, he was also very eccentric and the team folded 3 years ago.

In other words, there is no perfect program. They all have mixed reputations. The question is your own boys' talent and capability and work ethic, and how that meshes with the programs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Stars runs several teams per age bracket. If you are on the A team or the B team, you are going to get better coaching and face better teams in competition. If you are on the lower level teams that don't travel as far afield, not so much. That's why Stars has a mixed reputation.

MVP Terps (or Royals, depending on the brand name that its owner Pudge Gjormand is using at the time) is also good. But Pudge, the coach of Madison HS, of course focuses on Madison boys, and pays less attention to others. I give credit to Pudge: he promised that all of our boys would make their high school JV team if we joined Terps, and he was right! We loved our Terps 13U and 14U coaches. However, during high school the coaching and quality of competition for non-Madison boys falls off quite a bit.

Eric Crozier at D-Bat is a wonderful person with actual MLB experience. Unfortunately, his program is extremely disorganized. We were in this program and every week was a communications and logistical nightmare.

There is an entire thread about DC Cadets/St. Johns and Coach Gibbs. Enough said.

There used to be a very good team called Virginia Hitmen in the McLean/Vienna/Reston area. They were not for profit, so the costs were low. The coach was very good technically and they played very good competition. Unfortunately, he was also very eccentric and the team folded 3 years ago.

In other words, there is no perfect program. They all have mixed reputations. The question is your own boys' talent and capability and work ethic, and how that meshes with the programs.

Just a note that the DBAT teams are now the showcase teams under the Mizuno Outlaws, just in case any PPs are trying to find Crozier.

And a +1 to everything else. Basically it all comes down to the coaches your son's individual team gets at some of the bigger organizations.

[Anonymous]

Tell me more about the outcomes with these “elite” teams. eg, Do they really pay off more in terms of development or just in exposure to the right people? What percentage of their players go on to play in college, in D1, in pros?

[Anonymous]

It is extremely rare for anyone from this area to make it into MLB. Matt Bowman and the Sborz brothers are pitchers who came out of MD and NOVA (Bowman pitched at Princeton and for the Cardinals!). Brandon Snyder and Justin Bour came out of NOVA. A few more get drafted and play minors. Thus, calculating the percentage of DMV players who go on to play in pros will not give you a meaningful number. It's just that difficult.

The % of players who get D1 commitments is easier to calculate. Stars runs about 5-6 teams for 15U, so it's about 70-80 players. If you look at their 2021 D1 commits (e.g., the seniors), they have 24 D1 commits. Accounting for players that go in and out of the program during high school, that's still a good success rate. You do have to discount the rate a bit because Stars, Canes, US Elite, and Richmond Braves have pitcher only players who only come in for tournaments (e.g., the kids who are 6'2", 180 lb 15 year olds), driving or flying in from WV, PA, NC and even NJ and further away, and the programs claim those kids as their own. The pitchers are the ones who usually get early commits. D1 baseball always needs pitchers because of arm burnout and the MLB draft. If you look at the Canes 2021 commits, you will see 2021 D1 commits going to Miami, Alabama, UCLA, Texas, etc., but Canes has teams at the national, regional and state level, so the numbers and types of commits are affected.

The better teams will have a good combination of development and exposure, and they will help at the margins. However, baseball is, like any other sport, dependent on the natural ability of the child. You can't teach speed, or hand-eye coordination, or height (for a pitcher). However, in baseball people think that Dad, the LL coach, HS coach or travel coach can develop a player all by himself because of the sheer diversity of body types and backgrounds in this sport. Where else can Jose Altuve (without trashcans mind you) and Aaron Judge both play at the highest level? In American football you pretty much have to look like Aaron Judge, in basketball you have to be tall (and increasing bulky) and in hockey you have to look like Ovechkin. But in baseball you can look like Ichiro, Jose Altuve, or Mookie Betts or Randy Johnson or Frank Thomas. That's why everyone thinks their kid could play MLB, which is part of baseball's magic. But high school (if not middle school) is where the talent kicks in. The best you can hope for is that your son's individual coach can help with development, and that the team opens up some doors. But the rest is up to your son and his God-given talents and his own motivation.

[Anonymous]

Thanks, but the point of my question was to get at whether paying big bucks (as opposed to less bucks) on teens is really worth it. We’ve got a kid that keeps getting double takes from coaches. The kid is a grinder — slow and steady, and has a stereotypical baseball body. (Some teams almost look almost like a bunch of clones.) He turned 13 last month and is at least 5’8”.

it’s hard to take coaches seriously sometimes because youth sports have turned kids into commodities. You want believe but the system is difficult to trust especially when you as a parent don’t have a lot of coin and grew up on the wrong side of the tracks. Scholarships (even partial) would be great, but that isn’t our reason for our kids to play sports. I look around and see some less talented kids going to places like those mentioned above, and it makes me sad, because with some of these kids, it looks like a money grab situation. Worse, early in the pandemic when the world knew very, very little about COVID, some of these teams were having clandestine practices. I have difficulty trusting these places to do right by my kid.

Sorry. Just a bit of a vent / thinking out loud.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is extremely rare for anyone from this area to make it into MLB. Matt Bowman and the Sborz brothers are pitchers who came out of MD and NOVA (Bowman pitched at Princeton and for the Cardinals!). Brandon Snyder and Justin Bour came out of NOVA. A few more get drafted and play minors. Thus, calculating the percentage of DMV players who go on to play in pros will not give you a meaningful number. It's just that difficult.

The % of players who get D1 commitments is easier to calculate. Stars runs about 5-6 teams for 15U, so it's about 70-80 players. If you look at their 2021 D1 commits (e.g., the seniors), they have 24 D1 commits. Accounting for players that go in and out of the program during high school, that's still a good success rate. You do have to discount the rate a bit because Stars, Canes, US Elite, and Richmond Braves have pitcher only players who only come in for tournaments (e.g., the kids who are 6'2", 180 lb 15 year olds), driving or flying in from WV, PA, NC and even NJ and further away, and the programs claim those kids as their own. The pitchers are the ones who usually get early commits. D1 baseball always needs pitchers because of arm burnout and the MLB draft. If you look at the Canes 2021 commits, you will see 2021 D1 commits going to Miami, Alabama, UCLA, Texas, etc., but Canes has teams at the national, regional and state level, so the numbers and types of commits are affected.

The better teams will have a good combination of development and exposure, and they will help at the margins. However, baseball is, like any other sport, dependent on the natural ability of the child. You can't teach speed, or hand-eye coordination, or height (for a pitcher). However, in baseball people think that Dad, the LL coach, HS coach or travel coach can develop a player all by himself because of the sheer diversity of body types and backgrounds in this sport. Where else can Jose Altuve (without trashcans mind you) and Aaron Judge both play at the highest level? In American football you pretty much have to look like Aaron Judge, in basketball you have to be tall (and increasing bulky) and in hockey you have to look like Ovechkin. But in baseball you can look like Ichiro, Jose Altuve, or Mookie Betts or Randy Johnson or Frank Thomas. That's why everyone thinks their kid could play MLB, which is part of baseball's magic. But high school (if not middle school) is where the talent kicks in. The best you can hope for is that your son's individual coach can help with development, and that the team opens up some doors. But the rest is up to your son and his God-given talents and his own motivation.

Any info on kids who make it to D2/D3?

[Anonymous]

Fun fact- Josh Hader played for a public high school in AA County, MD. He is a rarity. His father actually is an umpire for youth games.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks, but the point of my question was to get at whether paying big bucks (as opposed to less bucks) on teens is really worth it. We’ve got a kid that keeps getting double takes from coaches. The kid is a grinder — slow and steady, and has a stereotypical baseball body. (Some teams almost look almost like a bunch of clones.) He turned 13 last month and is at least 5’8”.

it’s hard to take coaches seriously sometimes because youth sports have turned kids into commodities. You want believe but the system is difficult to trust especially when you as a parent don’t have a lot of coin and grew up on the wrong side of the tracks. Scholarships (even partial) would be great, but that isn’t our reason for our kids to play sports. I look around and see some less talented kids going to places like those mentioned above, and it makes me sad, because with some of these kids, it looks like a money grab situation. Worse, early in the pandemic when the world knew very, very little about COVID, some of these teams were having clandestine practices. I have difficulty trusting these places to do right by my kid.

Sorry. Just a bit of a vent / thinking out loud.

You need an unbiased opinion. I would ask around your LL. There should be an old-timer who has no skin in the game (e.g. no kids playing or tied to a travel team). Ask that person what he or she (there are women!) thinks of your son. Then you can figure out whether it's worth it.

Again, your son has to want to play. I have heard many stories of kids who peaked early physically only to get burned out mentally and quit the game. Many times these are LL coaches' sons.

If the feedback from both the elders and your son is good, then start looking around at the teams via NVTBL and the Stars, Canes and Big Train websites (the latter 3 teams do not play NVTBL, only tournaments).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is extremely rare for anyone from this area to make it into MLB. Matt Bowman and the Sborz brothers are pitchers who came out of MD and NOVA (Bowman pitched at Princeton and for the Cardinals!). Brandon Snyder and Justin Bour came out of NOVA. A few more get drafted and play minors. Thus, calculating the percentage of DMV players who go on to play in pros will not give you a meaningful number. It's just that difficult.

The % of players who get D1 commitments is easier to calculate. Stars runs about 5-6 teams for 15U, so it's about 70-80 players. If you look at their 2021 D1 commits (e.g., the seniors), they have 24 D1 commits. Accounting for players that go in and out of the program during high school, that's still a good success rate. You do have to discount the rate a bit because Stars, Canes, US Elite, and Richmond Braves have pitcher only players who only come in for tournaments (e.g., the kids who are 6'2", 180 lb 15 year olds), driving or flying in from WV, PA, NC and even NJ and further away, and the programs claim those kids as their own. The pitchers are the ones who usually get early commits. D1 baseball always needs pitchers because of arm burnout and the MLB draft. If you look at the Canes 2021 commits, you will see 2021 D1 commits going to Miami, Alabama, UCLA, Texas, etc., but Canes has teams at the national, regional and state level, so the numbers and types of commits are affected.

The better teams will have a good combination of development and exposure, and they will help at the margins. However, baseball is, like any other sport, dependent on the natural ability of the child. You can't teach speed, or hand-eye coordination, or height (for a pitcher). However, in baseball people think that Dad, the LL coach, HS coach or travel coach can develop a player all by himself because of the sheer diversity of body types and backgrounds in this sport. Where else can Jose Altuve (without trashcans mind you) and Aaron Judge both play at the highest level? In American football you pretty much have to look like Aaron Judge, in basketball you have to be tall (and increasing bulky) and in hockey you have to look like Ovechkin. But in baseball you can look like Ichiro, Jose Altuve, or Mookie Betts or Randy Johnson or Frank Thomas. That's why everyone thinks their kid could play MLB, which is part of baseball's magic. But high school (if not middle school) is where the talent kicks in. The best you can hope for is that your son's individual coach can help with development, and that the team opens up some doors. But the rest is up to your son and his God-given talents and his own motivation.

Any info on kids who make it to D2/D3?

Look at Bradley Baseball Academy. They have 10 class of 2021 kids with DIII commitments, including Swarthmore, Haverford, Oberlin, Washington and Lee. In class of 2020, Andy Bradley had 9 DIII kids (plus 3 D1 kids for WVU, Georgetown and William & Mary) who got commitments to Chicago, Washington & Lee, Harvey Mudd (Claremont group), Macalester. Each class year Andy has about 20-25 kids, so this is a pretty good success rate (again accounting for comings and goings). There are people on the DCUM colleges section who would be over the moon if their kid got into one of these schools (and I am one of them).

We were in this program, and the coaches have a similar background. One year my son's coach was a Rochester grad, and another year the coach was a Chicago grad. They were in finance or Big 4 accounting firms and coached to give back (they were alums of the program).

Stars, Canes, etc., will also have kids headed to DIII, and some pretty good schools as well. However, since their priority is D1, DIII kids are not given as much attention.

You can also go it alone for DIII. There was a senior at our son's high school last year who was on a low-key travel team (almost Daddyball), didn't start, and got into Marymount to play baseball as a pitcher. We know others who got into McHenry or Hood coming out of Royals or travel teams that don't travel as much. I know that some people want the (S) in SLAC, and don't want to go to "only" a LAC, but again those types of schools are out there.

[Anonymous]

What do you think about the local LL/Cal Ripken league travel teams? Or for older kids, Babe Ruth?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What do you think about the local LL/Cal Ripken league travel teams? Or for older kids, Babe Ruth?

These are good for developing for high school. NVTBL is good for LL/Ripken level. Quality of competition at Babe Ruth is not so good, as most more talented boys will be playing NVTBL or traveling.

However the competition and coaching are not enough to get to D1 or DIII. You need more.

[Anonymous]

I have a question for anyone familiar with LL draft rules. We are brand new to an area, went to the LL tryouts, and son was assigned to a Minors team, not Majors. He's almost 11 and has been playing club for years.

Checked out the Minors practice only to find little kids who could barely throw or catch and the Coach wondered why son wasn't on a Majors team. Coach thinks it's too dangerous for him to play with such little and inexperienced kids. League says draft is final and teams are full (not true) and won't reconsider.

What we think happened is all the Majors passed on him b/c they don't know him even when son smoked all the other kids at his tryout who made the Majors.

What gives? Is this typical for LL for coaches to only pick certain kids and blackball newcomers? Should we just stick to club?