1)      How about summer all-travel teams?

There is no shortage of all-travel teams and no shortage of promises that those teams will bring you to the attention of D-1 programs.  In the ETHS program our coaches are equal to or better than the coaches you will encounter in any private baseball program, and their first priority is the development of each ETHS ballplayer.

 

Consider this.  What are the odds that an individual player will have an excellent game at the moment when the coach from the college of the player’s dreams happens to be watching? 

 

All-travel academy teams can be expensive and they are a business.  In general, it is our view that college scouts attend tournaments to watch players already on their radar screens.

 

Finally, our teams will be playing in those tournaments anyway.  There is no question that the competition in such tournaments is excellent, so it is well worth playing in them and we will. 

 

2)      What about showcases?

Showcases, where you pay a reasonable fee and showcase your skills for college coaches can be useful.  Talk with us about what showcases you are considering and we will help you pick good ones from less useful ones. 

 

As with every element of the high school to college connection, approach showcases strategically.  The numbers you post become part or your record with college coaches.

 

One of our players went to a highly regarded east coast showcase that attracts coaches from high quality colleges and universities. At the showcase the ETHS pitcher threw 81mph, even though he is capable of throwing 85-86.  When coach Consiglio talked with a few college coaches about him, they had him slotted as an 81mph pitcher because of the showcase number, and it made the conversation more difficult..

 

3)      What about college baseball camps?

If there is a college you are interested in and they have a winter baseball camp, we recommend attending.  It can be a fine way to present yourself to the college program.  We do not recommend summer college baseball camps.  They tend to be summer jobs programs for college coaches and players and not serious evaluation sessions.

 

4)      Is there an alternative route to Division 1 baseball?

If you feel you have the ability and you feel you have been overlooked by major college programs, and baseball is your first priority, junior college programs can be an option.  There are fine junior colleges, with reputations for placing players in D-1 (or D-2 or D-3) programs.    

 

What it all boils down to is that any player good enough to compete at the varsity level at ETHS is skilled enough to play at the college level.  Our track record of ETHS players moving on to the college level speaks for itself.

 

We also recognize that the high school to college baseball connection can bring with it a lot of anxiety.  Please don’t be afraid to ask questions, and remember, the freshman year is not too early to start thinking about how this process works.

 

We hope this information is useful and welcome hearing about your own experience.