I had a conversation with a recruiting coordinator in the SEC a while back.

He told me about a high school player he signed ONE MONTH before classes started (in late July AFTER the player graduated from high school).

The player was a late bloomer physically.

He wasn’t on the radar of ANY D1 coaches before his senior year (much less SEC coaches).

But he matured physically and had an outstanding senior spring and summer.

A roster spot opened at the SEC program due to a transfer, so the coach offered the player and the player accepted.

He ended up being an All-American and getting drafted.

Another player I know is a pitcher who threw 84-87 during this junior year of high school.

He had plenty of options at D2/D3/NAIA/JC programs, but no D1 offers.

He worked hard in the off-season during his senior year. His velocity jumped to 88-92 during his senior season.

This caught the eye of D1 coaches and he eventually signed with a mid-major D1 program in the summer after he graduated high school.

While these examples highlight players committing to D1 programs, many more players commit to D2/D3/NAIA/JC programs late in the process as well.

Don’t Panic, but Get to Work

Many players panic if they haven’t committed by May or June of their senior year.

They think they must not be good enough to play in college, so they give up.

The examples above provide evidence that you CAN find opportunities to play college baseball late in the process.

The opportunities won’t come find you, however. You need to find them and promote yourself aggressively.

Here’s how:

Seven Action Steps for Uncommitted Seniors

1) Change Your Mindset

Playing D1 baseball is the dream of every young baseball player who watches the grandeur of the College World Series in Omaha every June.

You can’t be picky, however, this late in the process.

Although my examples above prove it’s possible to earn a D1 offer in the summer after you graduate from high school, it’s not likely.

It’s much more likely to earn offers at D3/NAIA/JC programs.

There are studs at every level of college baseball, so don’t fall into the trap of thinking you’re “too good” for certain divisions.

Be open to all divisions and all locations.

This will give you the best chance to generate multiple options and find your best fit for playing at the next level.

2) Send Introductory Emails

As an uncommitted senior, you need to introduce yourself to college coaches as quickly as possible.

Dedicate several hours over a day or two to sending introductory emails to college coaches.

Cast a wide net. If you send less than 50 emails, that’s not enough.

Structure the emails like this:

• Greeting (“Coach Smith,”)

• Introduction (include name, grad year, position, high school, and state)

• Reason for Writing (i.e., “I’m starting to search for my best fit for playing college baseball”).

• Call To Action (i.e., “Will you take a look at my profile and let me know what you think?”)

• Profile Link (include CAA link)

• Important Factors (what are the two or three most crucial factors for you in your college search)

• Closing (i.e., “Thank you for your time and consideration.”)

• Sign Off (i.e., “Sincerely, John Smith)

• P.S. (include names/emails/cell numbers for important references)

NOTE: Send each email to ALL the coaches at each school, not just the head coach.

3) Use Social Media

As you’re looking up email addresses for college coaches, search for each coach on X (formerly Twitter) and follow him if he has an account.

If he follows you back, send a DM to introduce yourself. Here’s an example:

“Thank you for following me Coach Smith! I’m a 2025 RHP from Wisconsin. Have you had a chance to look at the videos and content on my Twitter feed? If so, does my skillset and my metrics and stats match what you’re looking for?”

Some coaches use X just as much or more than email.

Click here for more tips on using X.

4) Communicate Effectively

How you reply to the coaches who respond to your introductory messages is important.

I’ve seen players get stuck after sending introductory messages because they don’t communicate effectively.

Here are my golden rules for communicating with coaches:

• Respond within 24-48 hours

• Always ask a question to put the ball back in the coach’s court to respond back to you.

Click here for more specific advice on responding to coaches.

The goal is to move from email/social media communication to phone/text conversations to a campus visit as quickly as possible. If a coach has legitimate interest, he will want to talk to you in person.

Here’s what the communication cycle looks like:

Click here for more information about the communication cycle.

5) Attend Camps

In many cases, a coach may watch your videos and express interest but want to see you in person before making a final decision about whether he wants to make an offer.

If this is the case, consider attending a prospect camp if they have one scheduled (some coaches may be able to set up an individual workout as well).

If you attend a camp, ask the coach if you can also visit the campus at the same time (this will save you an extra trip later).

6) Visit Campuses

It’s difficult to determine if a college is the right fit without visiting the campus.

You can get a first impression through website research, but you need to see the campus firsthand and talk to the coaches, professors, financial aid counselors, etc. to make a final decision.

Don’t skip this step. Making the wrong decision will cause headaches in the future if you end up at a college that isn’t the right fit.

7) Commit Quickly (if you sense a good fit)

Coaches want to fill roster spots quickly at this time of the year. They will move onto another player if you drag your feet.

If you receive an offer, ask the coach how much time you have to decide.

Make your decision quickly if you sense you’ve found a good fit.

Feel free to reach out if you have questions about YOUR recruiting process.

Thank you for reading!

Matt