The Baseball Recruit Letter

I sucked at the college baseball recruiting process, and I want to help you avoid sucking too.

The biggest mistake I made: I only considered three schools.

Like most high school players, I wanted to play D1 baseball.

The problem: I wasn't good enough!

I looked at three D3 schools and end up choosing the school that recruited me least.

Why? Because one of my high school coaches (whom I loved) played there.

Luckily, I had a good baseball experience at the school I chose. I improved, played a lot, and helped turn around a struggling program.

But I didn't have a good social experience.

Had I considered more colleges (casted a wider net), maybe I would have found a better OVERALL fit.

The Recruiting Process is Confusing

The recruiting process has only become more confusing in recent years.

What makes it confusing?

• Social Media

• Transfer Portal

• NIL

• Early commitments

• COVID

• Changing rules

• Etc.

And these are only systemic factors. There are more factors that make your individual process confusing:

Numerous Opinions

The closer you get to college, the more opinions you will hear about what you should do.

Your high school coach has an opinion. Your club coach has another. Your uncle who played college baseball in 1985 has another.

Who should you believe?

Confusing, isn't it?!

Misinformation

How many of these phrases have you heard?

• If you're good enough, coaches will find you.

• Your high school/club coach will do everything for you.

• You're good enough to get a big scholarship.

• You need to play in big tournament and go to big showcases to gain interest.

• You can navigate the recruiting process on your own.

There is a lot of misinformation baked into these assumptions.

Confusing, isn't it?!

Camp Invitations

If you've gone to a big event, college coaches likely have access to your email address.

What is their favorite thing to do with your email address?

Send you invitations to camps!

You could go to a camp every weekend in the summer, fall, and winter.

Which of these camps are worth your time and money?

Confusing, isn't it?!

The Comparison Trap

In the age of social media, comparing your journey to others is easy.

Every day players post their commitment to Twitter and other platforms.

• Why did XYZ University recruit Johnny instead of me? I'm better than he is.

• How did Jimmy commit to a college as an 8th grader?

• How did Jerry commit to a D1 school? He's not that good.

Comparisons like these will drive you insane!

Confusing, isn't it?!

7 Steps to End the Confusion

Following a proven process will end the confusion baked into the recruiting process.

Follow 7 steps to make your process efficient and effective:

1 - Determine What Level is the Best Fit

Every player wants to play D1 baseball.

Who wouldn't?!

D1 players get the most attention. They have the best chance to extend their careers beyond college.

The reality: A low percentage of high school players play D1 baseball.

Change your mindset to finding your best fit. Don't focus on level.

Determining which level is the best fit involves two main factors:

• Metrics

• Skills

Metrics, or "Tools," are measured at showcases:

• Sprint Speed (60-yard dash)

• Throwing Velocity

• Exit Velocity

• Pop Time

• Etc.

Skills refer to fundamentals:

• Swing Mechanics

• Throwing Mechanics

• Fielding Ground Balls

• Footwork

• Etc.

College coaches often look at metrics first. They have ranges of metrics they look for.

A D1 coach, for example, might look for a pitcher who throws at least 87 mph. Or for a centerfielder who runs the 60-yard dash in under 6.70 seconds. Or for a catcher who throws under 2.00 seconds to second base.

They identify players within their desired ranges and THEN look at skills.

To determine the level that fits best, have a coach/scout evaluate your metrics and skillset. (Someone who knows what they're doing and will tell you the truth).

2 - Determine Important Factors

Imagine two players who have equal metrics and skills coming out of high school. Both players want to play college baseball.

Player A wants to be a brain surgeon. The quality of the pre-med program is his top priority.

Player B wants to play professional baseball. Athletic development is his top priority.

Although they have equal ability, different colleges will be the best fit for each player.

The next step in YOUR process: think about what factors are the most important to you.

• Academics

• Coaching Staff

• Location

• Cost

• Winning

• Etc.

List as many factors as you can think of, then rank order them.

Use the list to further narrow your list of colleges.

3 - Cast a Wide Net

The recruiting process is a job search.

You need to send out a lot of "resumes" to find your best fit.

Casting a wide net is the best strategy.

There are approximately 1700 college baseball programs in the United States (includes all levels: D1/D2/D3/NAIA/JC).

How many could you name off the top of your head? 100? 200? 300?

Even if you could name 500 college baseball programs, that leaves 1200 you can't name.

Some of these 1200 would be a good fit.

You won't know which ones unless you cast a wide net.

Too many players create a "Top 10 List" when they're a freshman, sophomore, or junior in high school.

Ten is not enough.

Start with AT LEAST 20 schools from each division at which you have the ability to play (more than 20 is better). The more the merrier!

Determine which colleges show interest before eliminating colleges from the list.

This approach will give you confidence that the college you pick is the best fit.

4 - Gather Information

Gathering information on colleges and college baseball programs takes on many forms:

• Website Research

• Communication with Coaches (email, text, phone)

• Campus Visits

• Communication with Players

• Communication with Alumni

• Etc.

Use ALL these strategies throughout the process.

Website research gives you a first impression. But don't draw final conclusions until you talk to the coaches and visit campus (at least).

What should you look for on websites?

• Academic Programs (Does the school offer yours?)

• Campus Life (Dorms, Cafeterias, Etc.)

• Athletic Facilities

• Coaches Bios

• Roster Construction

• Etc.

If a college passes the website test, start communicating with the coaches. Ask questions related to YOUR important factors.

The campus visit is THE MOST IMPORTANT step! You need to see/hear/feel the campus firsthand. Your college choice is too important to skip this step.

The campus visit is a two-way job interview. The coaches feel out your fit for their program AND you feel out your fit for their program and the college. Don't shy away from asking the coaches pointed questions:

• What is your coaching philosophy?

• Where do you see me fitting in?

• How will I received feedback?

• Etc.

Seek out current and former players (use social media) to get their opinions about the program. Ask them questions related to YOUR important factors.

Keep notes on each college and baseball program as you're going through the process. This will prove invaluable when making a final decision.

5 - Communicate!

Communication is a key part of the "Gathering Information" phase. But it's so important that it deserves it's own step.

Initiate communication through email and/or social media (be careful with SM) with the goal of setting up a phone conversation.

If a coach isn't willing to have a phone conversation with you, he's likely not very interested (at least yet).

On the first phone conversation, ask how the coach likes to communicate (text, phone, etc.) and how often. Then reach out and provide updates consistently.

What updates should you provide?

• Video Clips

• Updated Metrics

• Updated Stats

• Updated GPA/ACT/SAT

• Etc.

How often should you provide updates? Depends on the coach. This is why it's important to ask how often the coach prefers communication. Monthly is a safe interval if you're not sure.

Tip: When sending a message (email/text/social media) to a coach, always ask a question. This puts the ball back in his court to respond.

Example Questions:

• Will you take a look at my videos and let me know what you think?

• Do my metrics/stats match what you're looking for?

• Can we set up a phone call so I can learn more about your program?

• Etc.

If you fail to communicate, you may fall off their radar...Especially if you aren't a TOP recruit.

Communicate with confidence! Sell yourself! Let coaches know the value you can provide.

6 - Narrow Your Options

Once you're satisfied with your options, narrow them down to your top 3-5 colleges. This can happen in conjunction with steps 4 and 5.

Use your top factors to compare your list of schools. Take your time with this.

Why 3-5 colleges?

Because 3-5 is a manageable number for continued research. Any more will overwhelm you.

It's better to take a deep dive on a few schools rather than a surface-level look at a lot.

7 - Pick Your Best Fit!

Continue the narrowing process with your top 3-5 colleges.

Some tips:

• Take an overnight visit and stay with baseball players.

• Compare scholarship/financial aid offers from each school (use as leverage).

• Ask the coaches if there is a deadline for accepting an offer (they may communicate this early in the process).

• Don't settle to get the process over with. Better to wait and get it right than pick the wrong fit early.

When you're 100% convicted, call the coach and offer your verbal commitment. Ask about next steps (i.e., signing an LOI, application, housing, etc.) on the call.

DON'T post anything on social media until you CALL the coaches at the other schools. These can be difficult conversations, but they're necessary. Even if they're upset, they will respect you for calling.

Tip: You can back out of a verbal commitment without penalty, but this IS NOT good practice. My advice: Don't commit until the verbal commitment is as good as a written commitment.

Of course there are circumstances for which it makes sense to back of out of a commitment, but these are few.

Hope this helps!

I painted with broad strokes in this article. I left out plenty of details for sake of brevity.

Please comment or reply if you have questions and/or want more depth about certain topics.

All the best!

- Matt

P.S. If you'd like to schedule a free consultation with me to discuss your specific recruiting process, reply to this email or sign up for a time here.