23 replies to this topic

[chestypuller]

Since there hasn't been much going on with this forum lately, I thought I'd start this thread. Prep Baseball Report has released its 2013 Ohio top 25 list. Interesting that the northwest part of the state has quite a few players on the list including one each from the following NW Ohio schools: Lexington, Findlay, Otsego, Defiance, Lima Shawnee and Oregon Clay. Three of those are in the top 10.

http://www.prepbaseballreport.com

[dc99]

This is awesome. Thanks for posting this.

[Rocketman]

I believe that I heard that scouts from the Yankees, Braves, and other MLB teams were to be in NW Ohio in the last few weeks to watch another player from the WBL?

[lepiota]

Rocketman, on 18 September 2011 - 09:12 PM, said:

I believe that I heard that scouts from the Yankees, Braves, and other MLB teams were to be in NW Ohio in the last few weeks to watch another player from the WBL?

Do you mean someone other than Wilder, or Schroeder? Who dat?

Edited by lepiota, 19 September 2011 - 07:33 AM.

[chestypuller]

I'm not sure how PBR judges baseball talent. I would think they get a lot of their information from high school and ACME coaches, travel ball coaches, and from attending showcases. I think a great deal of their ranking comes from projectibility, especially the players' height, weight, and, if a pitcher, his velocity. I heard Wilder from Shawnee hit 89 mph and was consistently in the mid 80s last summer during the ACME season. I noticed that of the top ten players in the class of 2013, seven of the nine are primarily pitchers. As far as Giese is concerned, I haven't had the pleasure of seeing him play. What is his top velocity and how well does he maintain his velocity late in the game? He sounds like he is a heck of a good baseball player!

Edited by chestypuller, 19 September 2011 - 10:25 AM.

[chestypuller]

Gum, I agree with that last statement completely. That being said, some kids just love the game and want to play in college at the D I level if they are talented enough to do so. I honestly don't KNOW that Wilder was mid-80s ALL summer, but I know he was in the game I watched. He topped out at 89 that evening. As for showcases, I think it is important to choose wisely. Some have no cost whatsoever such as the East Coast Pro Showcase. Of course that is by invitation only. But, if a player is good enough to be invited to THAT showcase, he should definitely attend. The other showcases vary, but some are definitely worthwhile. I thought the Ed Santa showcase in Wixom, MI last fall was very well-run and there were a great many college coaches and about twelve or thirteen pro scouts in attendance. I also thought the Crossroads showcase last June in Dayton was very good and would have been better if not for the lousy weather.

[dc99]

Did Geise pitch every tournament game for his team last spring to make it all the way to state?

[dartmaster63]

Wilder is an outstanding player with good upside. But another 2013 grad from the WBL, Johnny Crawford from Wapak, has always matched up favorably in head to head meetings.
Crawford, a 6'2 170, CF-LHP has a high ceiling as a two way player. Crawford received the honor of being named 2nd team All WBL and 2nd team All District as a sophomore after batting .400 w/ a .637 slugging percentage.
On the mound, Johnny stopped Coldwater's all time state non shutout streak at 187 games. Then turned in 2 outstanding tournament performances, a 1 hit 3-1 win vs St Marys and a 2 hit 1-0 loss to Bath.
It will be fun to watch these 2 outstanding athletes go head to head a few more times in the next couple of years.

[bucko]

Gumshoe: In 2009, Patrick Henry had a senior as there #1 and a freshman as there #2 when they won state. They combined for a 20-1 record and some kind of ridiculously low ERA. They gave up a total of 5 earned runs in the tournament run. The senior threw high 70's while the freshmen threw high 60's. Neither of them got looks from D1 colleges or even D2 colleges.

Moral of the story is varsity success has absolutely nothing to do with being ranked high as a prospect. The ONLY thing that matters when being ranked as a college prospect is lighting up the gun.

[bucko]

While we're on topic, I'll give you some tips if you or your son wants to be on one of these lists and wants to play D1 baseball.

Here are the steps:
1. Sign up for some showcases. (sophomore summer up until the time you're committed)
2. Email the college coaches of the schools your son is interested in. (start doing this after sophomore season)
3. Find a summer travel team to play for. (summer after freshman year)
4. The better your grades, the better your chances
bottom line: YOU HAVE TO GET YOUR OWN NAME OUT THERE
No matter how good you are, if you are only playing acme ball you will not play D1 baseball

Exception- Move to Defiance

[dartmaster63]

bucko, on 25 September 2011 - 10:36 PM, said:

While we're on topic, I'll give you some tips if you or your son wants to be on one of these lists and wants to play D1 baseball.

Here are the steps:
1. Sign up for some showcases. (sophomore summer up until the time you're committed)
2. Email the college coaches of the schools your son is interested in. (start doing this after sophomore season)
3. Find a summer travel team to play for. (summer after freshman year)
4. The better your grades, the better your chances
bottom line: YOU HAVE TO GET YOUR OWN NAME OUT THERE
No matter how good you are, if you are only playing acme ball you will not play D1 baseball

Exception- Move to Defiance

Bucko
Thanks for the insight
Sounds like you are talking from experience so its much appreciated
With the exception of the showcases, we have been working on all the other points listed
We are going to a couple of the fall showcases to work on getting his name out there
Thanks again

[Procell]

Good advice for the most part on being realistic on your self evaluation.

Showcases are what they are...show cases to show case your individual talent...and to 'shop' yourself around. Some you will pay for...some you won't have to pay...other showcases are by invite only...if you are invited to attend a showcase...it is almost a "must go"...somewhere...someone has seen you and invites are for top recruits.

Now, schools...I am not an expert...but have some light to shed on the situation.
Most...not all...but most schools will give kid 25% to come to their institution and play baseball through scholarship that can be 5,000 up at most schools...depending on tuition costs. Grades will count toward other monies that "might" be coming their way...that is obviously why you always push good grades!

Now, 25% to say 12 players...the school has just used 3 scholarships up...top notch pitcher's, catcher's, middle infielders are going to garner more than 25%...a front line pitcher can get 70-80%...top notch SS recruit...40-60%...closers...same...but DI schools are going to use their scholarships for key positions...they can get the other players through 25% scholarship offers topped with scholarships for good grades etc. Most schools are going to carry 32-40 players...for both a Varsity/JV roster. Everyone is listed as a Varsity player. Not saying the other positions aren't important, but that money is going to go to middle defense and pitching.
NAIA schools have a little more room to do what they need and want to do within the guidelines they have...UNOH is a super place to play and get an education. If they come knocking, listen to what they have to offer!

[dartmaster63]

Just a couple notes pertaining to my son and a couple posts in this thread..
He just attended the UNOH fall prospect showcase and had a great time with it and performed well.
Looking forward to see how the times come out on the 60 yard dash and the radar gun..
Hopefully good enough to garner some attention even though hes in the middle of football season and probably not at his absolute baseball best
He also just received an invite to the Prep Baseball Report Top Prospect Invitation Only Showcase in December
Looking forward to see how he stacks up with those other top student-athletes

[dkusma96]

bucko, on 25 September 2011 - 10:36 PM, said:

Exception- Move to Defiance

Exception #2 - Have a 90mph fastball. Can't coach that out of a 60 mph arm.

Edited by dkusma96, 24 October 2011 - 02:44 PM.

[dkusma96]

dartmaster63, on 11 October 2011 - 10:39 PM, said:

Just a couple notes pertaining to my son and a couple posts in this thread..
He just attended the UNOH fall prospect showcase and had a great time with it and performed well.
Looking forward to see how the times come out on the 60 yard dash and the radar gun..
Hopefully good enough to garner some attention even though hes in the middle of football season and probably not at his absolute baseball best
He also just received an invite to the Prep Baseball Report Top Prospect Invitation Only Showcase in December
Looking forward to see how he stacks up with those other top student-athletes

Good luck. For the love of the game.

[Dr. Lou]

Perfect example of a guy that had the talent but never got his name out there. Garrett Black from Shawnee. He graduated in 2010 and never went to showcases or anything and his coach didn't want him to play legion after his junior year but he did. So his coach didn't help him either. Walks on at Ohio University, makes the team, and then he's named the starting SS a couple games in to the season and hit's over .300

[Sports Fanatic]

Dr Lou,
That happens alot, especially in NW Ohio, but with all due respect it's not the high school coach's fault. It is up to each individual player and family to get seen by college coaches. No college coach in the country is gonna take a kid based solely on the recommendation of his high school coach. Here is how the process should work: The player lets the coach know several colleges that he is interested in. The high school coach should then contact those schools with info on the player. The college coach will then inform the player and/or coach of their school's prospect camp. It is then up to the player and his family to attend the prospect camp. Very rarely will a college coach attend a high school or even a legion game, unless as you say it is deep in the tourney. College coaches don't have the time or the money to attend a high school or legion game to observe one player. Which is where my next point becomes valid...

The entire Lima area needs an elite travel team. That is the best way to be seen by college coaches and professional scouts. When you attend these big tournaments, it's not unusual to see up to 25-30 coaches attending each game. If you can play at all, they will see you and start recruiting you. Alot of that again comes back to time and money. They wanna see as many quality players as possible in the shortest amount of time. Good travel teams will have at minimum 5 legitimate D1 prospects so those are the teams the coaches wanna watch. Not only are the teams talented, but you get to see players competing against other talented teams. Ohio Elite is an organization out of Columbus...they have 2 18u teams every year. The current teams have had 21 of the 28 players sign to play at a D1 school. Are those kids that much better than what the Lima area has to offer? Maybe, but I think it also has to do with those players getting more exposure.

I know the Legion program is huge in NW Ohio, but they just can't compete with travel teams in regards to exposure and quality opponents. I know travel teams are expensive, but if your kid is talented it will be worth it in the end.

[bucko]

^^^^BINGO^^^^

Good high school players want to play D1. These players in this area will start to realize that legion does not attract scout. Summer travel teams do. NWO does not have an elite summer organization due to legion and ACME being huge. It will only take 1 big time summer team in NWO to destroy legion and ACME

[bballcat]

Napoleon legion team does well with exposure. Most of the kids that play for them go on to play in college.

[bucko]

Napoleon might do "well" with exposure, but if they were not affiliated with the legion and could go to 17u summer travel team tournaments they would have GREAT exposure. Iv'e never seen more than 3 D1 scouts at a regular season legion game before. I HAVE seen 20-30 D1 scouts at a summer travel team game before. Northwest Ohio has the talent but does not have the right summer system to get the kids exposed.