College Recruitment

What's New:

• I-95 Fall Showcase (Posted 8/24/22)

• College Coaches Showcase Camp (Edwardsville, IL) - October 1, 2022 **Scroll down to view more recruitment showcases/camps**

• Head FIrst Honor Roll Baseball Showcase (Various Locations)

Recruiting Steps for Collegiate Baseball

(Division I, II, & III college recruitment rules can vary. Also, some rules have been modified because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Please see the NCAA recruitment guidelines for more details. CLICK HERE

Summer between Freshman and Sophomore Year

• Play on a summer team that challenges your skill level and supports growth to advance these skills.

• Attend a showcase or prospect camp to get an idea of what level you can play in college.

• Start visiting colleges within your travel radius. Get familiar with grade and ACT/SAT test score requirements. These visits must be unofficial visits (paid for entirely by the recruit's family) and cannot be arranged by the college coach.

• Look up the NCAA rules about contact with coaches. While college coaches cannot reach out and communicate with you at this time you may reach out to them via email. Send them your athletic resume if you feel it has enough highlights at this point.

• Pick out a baseball skills camp or two at a college that might interest you.

• Send letters to the baseball coach at colleges that interest you. It's never too early to start writing letters or emails.

• Determine if you want to use a professional service for recruiting college athletes or even just the college admissions process.

Sophomore Year (Fall)

• Consider playing fall ball or another sport to stay in shape.

• Take the PSAT. This is an easy way to gauge your probable SAT score.

• Make sure that your high school coach, summer team coach, and high school counselor know that you are interested in playing at the college level.

Sophomore Year (Winter)

• Give your arm some rest, but focus on developing total body strength and arm structure.

• Work on developing your athleticism - speed, power, agility, balance, reaction time and hand-eye coordination.

• Get an assessment of your baseball and athletic skills. Develop personal goals for attacking your areas of weakness and growth.

• Continue visiting colleges in your radius or even outside your radius if convenient. These visits must be unofficial visits (paid for entirely by the recruit's family) and cannot be arranged by the college coach.

• Consider attending a college baseball clinic/camp. These are typically offered in December and January, as well as the summer months. Colleges have a better chance to observe and get to know those players who attend their clinics/camps. College coaches can begin to contact recruits and initiate recruiting conversations starting January 1st of a player's sophomore year.

Sophomore Year (Spring)

• Play for your high school baseball team. Focus on your development in the game. Be a team player, but be sure to set your own personal goals.

• Reach out and make contact with coaches through personal letters and emails. Coaches cannot contact you at this time, but you can contact them. DO NOT SEND MASS FORM LETTERS. MAKE THE LETTERS PERSONAL AND FOCUS ON SCHOOLS THAT ARE REALISTIC TO YOUR NEEDS AND ABILITIES. CONSIDER ADDING A FEW STRETCH COLLEGES TOO.

• Create an online prospect profile. Record showcase videos and game footage from your season.

Summer between Sophomore and Junior Year

• Play on a summer team that will continue to challenge your skill levels, but keep your interest in the game.

• Start generating a list of potential schools. Consider your academic pursuits and your baseball interests.

• Attend any college sponsored camps or showcases where some of the schools you are interested in are participating.

• Visit colleges on your list whenever possible. D1 coaches can begin recruiting conversations on June 15 of a player's sophomore year. Official recruiting visits can begin August 1st of your Junior year. Familiarize yourself with what constitutes NCAA contact periods, quiet periods, and dead periods during these times.

• Update your prospect profile and upload any showcase videos.

Junior Year (Fall)

• Consider playing fall ball or another sport to stay in shape.

• Retake the PSAT. This allows you to qualify for the National Merit Scholarship program.

• Take the ACT and/or SAT test. Coaches need to know your school to see if you can be accepted at their school.

• Register with the NCAA Clearinghouse. See your high school counselor, Ms. Kate Kindbom, for assistance. Ms. Kindbom is the school lead for the NCAA process and will help upload all your transcripts.

• Fill out any online recruiting form for ALL of the colleges you are interested in. Follow this up with an email to the coach and include a link to your prospect profile. Be sure that your profile includes the best showcase videos that you have to offer.

• Begin looking at the baseball rosters for the colleges on your list. Look to see which players play your position and might be graduating as your enter your freshman or sophomore year.

• Attend college open houses at your school or in the community. Every contact that you have with schools of interest helps your chances of being admitted to that college.

• Attend preview days at colleges on your list. Recruits can begin taking official visits on August 1st of the year entering their junior year.

Junior Year (Winter)

• Give your arm some rest, but focus on developing arm strength and arm structure.

• Get on a strength training program. Make a big effort on developing your upper body and lower body strength.

• Continue developing your athleticism - speed, power, agility, balance, reaction time and hand-eye coordination.

• Continue work on your personal growth goals. Get a re-assessment on your athletic and baseball skills (i.e., Exit Velocity, Spin Rate, MPH on thrown ball, pitching skills, etc.) to include in any college recruitment forms.

• Consider attending a college baseball clinic/camp. These are typically offered in December and January. Colleges have a better chance to observe and get to know those players who attend their clinics/camps.

Junior Year (Spring)

• Play on your high school team. Keep yourself flexible with the positions you play. You should be proficient in at least 2-3 positions. If you are a pitcher only still involve yourself in other aspects of the game to keep your interest in the game and expand your knowledge.

• Capture more video of you at your position(s) and at the plate. Make sure you edit the showcase video so that it is no more than 4-5 minutes long in its entirety.

• Narrow down your college list. Focus on schools that are a real possibility, but keep a few stretch schools too.

• Follow up with college coaches that you have already contacted. Keep them updated on any of your highlights from the season. Don't expect immediate replies since they will be in season, as well.

• Take or retake the ACT. Every little bit of improvement helps with opening doors to academic scholarships. Remember that there are limited athletic scholarships especially in college baseball. Many scholarships get split and only full scholarships are offered to their top prospects/players. If coaches know you can get some academic scholarships too, it makes you even more attractive as a recruit.

• Ask teachers, counselors, and coaches if they will write letters of recommendations or fill out player recruit forms.

Summer between Junior and Senior Year

• Play on a select team that will continue to challenge your skills and give you the exposure that you are seeking. It is best to play on a team where your travel will take you to the region of the country that encompasses many of the colleges you are interested in. Check out the baseball rosters for the colleges you are interested in to see what regions of the country the players come from. If the roster contains 90% players from the state of the college this will give you an idea of your chances of being recruited as an out-of-state player.

• Attend camps at your targeted schools or showcases where they will be attending. Let the targeted coaches know which camps you will be attending. Also, share your summer team's schedule.

• Continue visiting colleges and even considering a summer camp for your particular major of interest.

• Schedule admissions interviews and meetings with coaches whenever possible.

• Work on any required college admissions essays.

Senior Year (Fall)

• Play fall ball or another sport. You may consider letting go of a sport to focus more time on developing your game.

• Keep grades up and retake the ACT/SAT, if necessary. There are academic requirements necessary to play college sports.

• Schedule official and unofficial overnights (Be familiar with the NCAA rules to know the difference).

• Submit college applications as soon as possible. Be familiar with schools that might be early decision schools. Talk to the coach about early decision.

• Make sure all of your letters of recommendation are submitted.

• For those getting scholarships, sign the National Letter of Intent (Div I or II only). A National Letter of Intent officially ends the recruiting process. For those targeting the Ivy League, try for a "likely letter." Division III student-athletes may consider signing a non-binding "celebratory intent form."

• Let college coaches of schools you have rejected know as soon as possible. This is common courtesy and reflects well on your character.

• Get your financial aid form submitted as close to January 1st as possible. Consider estimating your taxes and amending the form once they do come in.

Senior Year (Winter)

• Give your arm some rest, but focus on developing arm strength and arm structure.

• Get yourself in tip-top shape!!

• Get on a strength training program. Make a big effort on developing your upper body and lower body strength.

• Continue developing your athleticism - speed, power, agility, balance, reaction time and hand-eye coordination.

• Continue work on your personal growth goals.

Senior Year (Spring)

• Enjoy your last season playing for your high school.

• If you haven't yet made a commitment keep in contact with the coaches at your targeted schools. Follow up with coaches on your financial aid situation before you make any decisions. Remember Division III, NAIA, Junior Colleges, and some Division II schools still recruit during senior year.

• Request final transcripts to be sent to the NCAA.

• May 1st is National College Decision Day.

• Once you get accepted at a school, get the team's summer workout schedule.

• If possible, attend games of your future college.

Summer between Senior Year and College

• Play on a summer team. Continue to improve and impress.

• Communicate with the coach at your college about any summer workout plans or days on campus.