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Scouting QA Career at Age 8? Please help me better prepare for a professional future in Baseball for my son. He's 8 years old and loves the game, and practices daily. His cousins are pro ball players. Do you recommend any particular books on the subject, or contacting a particular league, methods of practice, any help would be appreciated. ATwo answers, first from our scouting consultant Kurt Kemp... QAdvice for Tryouts I have tried out for a baseball team for the past 2 seasons and was not successful in making it. I am wondering why this is. I feel that I am definitely among average-to-better players on this team and there are a handful of players who I am better than. I believe this result is because the coaches allow players to make the team easily when playing for the team in previous seasons. Can you please give me some advice for my approach at the try-outs and how to deal with myself socially, (because I believe that this may be a factor in how I "blend in" with teammates and speak to coaches etc..) and my mental approach to help me be achieve the result that I deserve. AFirst, I agree with you about preferences given to returning players even when they are not as strong as some newer players. However, you may not be seeing why a coach might do that. Experience counts. As you know the adjustment to full size baseball is significant. And regardless of the physical demands, baseball is mostly a mental game - anticipating pitches, anticipating hits, anticipating slides, etc. It also means showing up confident not fearful. QBaseball Height I am a parent of a 12 year who is 5'10". I have a friend who has a child that is 4'9" and is also 12 years old. I have asked her to sign her son up for baseball because he is pretty good, but just short. She told me that her son was too small to be a professional baseball player and that I was lucky to have such a tall child and that my son had a better chance than hers. I never thought of height as being a major factor for pro ball. Can you let me know what the major league teams look for as far as height. I know skills is a major part, but I don't see it like she does. My son hits home runs over a 240 fence and everyone loves to see him play, but I actually admire shorter players when I see them hit far. A(From our scouting consultant Kurt Kemp) More than any other sport, baseball players come in all shapes and sizes. From 5'5" Fred Patek, former shortstop of the Kansas City Royals to 6'10" Randy Johnson. In fact, just the other day, I saw a college baseball pitcher who was 7'2". Different positions require different skill sets and therefore have as a rule, different size people. There are a fair number of Major League second basemen who are less than 6'0" tall. A smaller player will have to capitalize on his strengths, be it speed, defensive ability, batting average, etc. We all know that kids mature and grow at different rates and times. Concentrate on developing the skills first and let the natural growth process come along with time. QBecoming a Scout I am interested in becoming a professional baseball scout and I don't know how to get started. I read an article that said I should get to know a scout but I don't know any nor do I know how to find any scouts to talk to. Do you have any advice for me? AThe suggestion to network with other scouts is a good one. Go to any minor league game - or even high level amateur games - and look for the guys sitting right behind the plate about 5 rows up with clipboards - and talk to them. They are often there early and seldom stay till the end of the game. As for what it takes to be a scout - read all the evaluation pages on WebBall - that's the kind of detail you will be expected to observe. And of course, the best way to be part of the scouting process is to be a coach - it's absolutely the best way to get to understand what's happening in the young player's mind. QBest Prospects Does it often happen that a scout will go to a game looking for a specific player and another player will impress him just as much if not more? For example if they go to see the third baseman and the shortstop stands out as a star, is it unheard of for that player to get carded or talked to? AHappens all the time. Regardless of why the scout came, he's looking for the best prospects. The scout is looking for projectable players not just today's star. He may see talent where others do not. QCollege Visits How do I get college scouts to come see me? AColleges don't have the travel budget to come see you. Period. Please read the books available that cover this topic. To be honest, I don't know why every parent of a quality player who is 14 or over doesn't have a copy of "College Bound" (available through th WebBall Store). There are some really crucial steps to getting a quality higher education partly paid for through sports, and it just makes sense to seriously consider the possibility, and follow the process properly all the way through. QCollege vs Minor Pro Do you recommend playing college ball over minor league ball straight out of high school to have something to fall back on after baseball, even if it is a decent contract? AWe sent this question to Kurt Kemp our pro scouting adviser, suspecting that his answer and mine would be different. First, his reply... QDraft Tendancies (from Richard Todd):I asked Kurt his opinion of this year's draft and the preponderance of LHP and SS in the top choices (including the Vancouver area picks mentioned above). AOn the subject of the draft: Mr. Loewen & Mr. Francis are both very fine looking prospects. Quality Left-Hand Pitchers are so hard to find that when they are there, teams jump up and draft them high. It's simple supply and demand. I would guess there isn't one organization that would tell you they have enough Left-Hand pitching throughout their organization. QEvaluating Pre-Season In our climate (long winter), starting the season in advance of regular league play requires indoor activities. What are the best ways to evaluate and judge one players ability versus another? What criteria should I use for selection of players? I've seen guys who tear up a batting cage but cannot hit live pitching in a game situation. AEven in warmer climates, the arms and legs are still pretty rusty and the big difference is between those who have worked at it over the winter, vs those who have played other sports, vs those who have done nothing. QFirst Base Scouted What is it that scouts are looking for in a firstbaseman? ANot as specific as with some other position. Height (for reach), sure glove on picks and short hops, as much chosen for their power at the plate, arm strength not a factor, lefty preferred. Also good working relationship with pitchers - not only for communication on pickoffs but also as a stabliizing influence - creating confidence in the infield. QFuture Prospects At what age, and/or, grade, should I start promoting my son to colleges, with things such as video tapes? A(from Kurt Kemp): I feel that the optimum time is during the player's high school junior year. You might send a letter of interest during the sophomore year just to get his name out to colleges but schools will start focusing in during a player's junior year and the summer that immediately follows. Players are allowed to sign a letter-of-intent in November of their senior year in what is called the early signing period. QGetting a Shot Hi, I am a freshman in Senior High. I play catcher. I am hitting over .400 so far this season, but the kid in front of me is hitting over .600, he probably will start over me when I am a junior. I was wondering if it matters about your actual high school performance or mostly your summer team and your performance at showcases. AEvery coach will have his own priorities. Don't be afraid to ask your coach what he would like you to work on and improve most - a willingness to learn and a good work ethic can sometimes (not always) overcome the apparent advantages of an older, entrenched position player. Also and obviously, no matter how your freshman season goes, you want him to look at you with fresh eyes for next season and beyond. Nature will take care of part of that - as you go through growth spurts, you will look different year to year and you should hope he will take that into account, as will scouts later on. (As we said, all coaches are different.) But also work on your skill set over the off-season, along with supportive other activities such as swimming, cycling, etc. Stronger upper and lower body might improve your pop times to second, also your speed on the base paths. After all, if you are faster you have a better chance of improving that B-Avg. QGetting on the List I have a friend who was draft eligible this year. He was a first team [for school] and hit over .350 all three years in college he is about 6'0" 200 lbs. I realize there is way more to it than stats and average size but he wasn't even on the MLB predraft list. Just wondering why someone like that wouldn't even be considered when two second team players in the same league were drafted? AThere is no easy answer to your question but I will give it my best shot. A scout will generally try to evaluate a player on ability and potential. Those two things are different than performance. A player who may have below average physical ability (running speed, throwing arm, power, etc.) can still perform well and hit for a good batting average. Conversely, a player can have above average physical ability and not perform up to the standards that match his physical ability. All-league teams are usually picked based on statistics. Scouts are looking more at raw physical tools to project a player up to the next level. QImpressing at Tryouts I was just wondering was is the best way to impress a coach or manager at tryouts? ASome of the ways to impress might seem obvious - like your performance. But some of these might not be...
QInterview I have an interview with a college coach tomorrow and I was wondering what I should do after the interview? For example do I have to send a letter or what should I do? AI wouldn't say you have to, but it can't hurt, and it could reinmforce a positive impression in his mind. Don't lay it on thick, thank him for considering you for his team, remind him of two key assets you bring (that you mentioned in the interview) that could help the team - i.e. 5-tool player, power, contact hitting, fielding, your fastball, whatever is appropriate. Be confident, but not arrogant, and respect what he's trying to accomplish and how you want to contribute. QIs it a Dream? I am 23 yrs old and was a good ballplayer in high school. I love the game and like most have always dreamed of being a baseball player. However life throws you a curve every now and then and my dream has not come true. What is the possibility of a person that did not attend college and play ball of ever making a team somewhere? I would also like to know this, I am 5-10 and have always played firstbase. It's the position I am best at and am the most comfortable playing. Would most scouts find me a little short for the position and over look me for that reason or would they look at my skills. I also am a good catcher and feel confident there as well. AYour best option is to first get some playing time in with an adult or semi-pro league ( http://www.msblnational.com/ for instance) to see how your talents measure up. This will help tell you the kind of training you need to work on. Also without a track record as a player, scouts won't do much based on a single tryout or even a few - they have a lot of other talent to choose from. And yes your height for first is not an advantage - but if you bring other talents in hitting, perhaps. But most first basemen are LH and if you throw left, there is no possibility as an LH catcher. And if you are RH then that first base position will be even harder to succeed in. Go, get playing time, and see how you develop. QJunior College I am 17 and live in rural Alberta, Canada and have played baseball my whole life. I am a catcher and would like to pursue a major league carreer. I have been picked up by many teams to play for them and have made Team Alberta, but I don't get looked at as much as places with more people. I am moving to a suburb of a bigger city with more exposure. I have been talked to be a couple of Junior Colleges in the States and in Canada both. Should I go to an American junior college and then try out for a major college in the future, or should I Stay in Canada? The problem not only is the money factor, but will I have less of a chance to be scouted if I stay in Canada or if I go to a junior college? A(We also get this question from players in New England and other places where baseball is not as big as it is in the midwest and sunbelt. And the answers are true for them too.) QMental Factors Right now i am 14 and am about to began my sophmore year of H.S., and at this time my physical ablities are not as high as the other players on the team but i do know that my mental ablities, my maturity, and my desire to play and learn and to be the best is greater than my other teamates. And i was wondering that as a scout how can you see and weigh these? AAs a scout, you do your best to factor in the intangible qualities that you mention. Mental ability, maturity, and desire to play will show through when a player is on the field. We many times mention a player who "looks like he enjoys playing the game". That player acts and performs like a player who wants to be there. If you're going to play 144 games a year in the minor leagues, your chances of success are better if you want to be there. That being said, there is still a basic level of physical ability a player has to possess in order to be a "prospect". Sure, there are exceptions to the rule but if you look at the skill level of the players in the Major Leagues, you get a pretty good idea of the skill level it takes to play and compete day in and day out. QMental vs Physical As a scout which would you be more impressed with a player with great mental ablities that can still greatly improve physically or a player with a great amount of physical ablity to play and still maturing mentally AI would be impressed with both players. Some players mature faster physically while others have a mental game that exceeds where they are physically. The trick in scouting is to figure out which one of those players you mentioned is going to be better 5 or 6 years from now.WebBall thanks Kurt kemp for his insights but we remind our readers that opinions expressed on paper are only guidelines - it is what the scouts see on the field that matter. QMinor Leaguers Quitting I read an article here on this site about drafting players then placing them in the minors. Some don't last long because they were used to being the star on their high school or college team, or far away from home, or see their minor league teammates move up ahead of them, so they quit. Why would they quit? I heard even the lowest minor league salary is great, is this true? AThe most common reason that a player's professional career comes to an end is that he is released by his organization. Each year, a large number of players are drafted and signed to a professional contract. With only so many roster spots available throughout the minor leagues, organizations are constantly making decisions concerning which players to keep and which players to release. I would say that it is less common that a player quits, but it does happen. The reasons for a player voluntarily retiring are many. Players sometimes make the decision that they want to pursue a different direction in their life. The level of pay in the minor leagues varies, depending on the level the player is playing at and the years of experience that player has. Whether or not it is "great" depends on each person's perception about what "great" is. (Too true.) QNeeding 3rd Pitch I attended the tryout that was held at [school] this summer. I pitched and was clocked at 88-89 mph. The catcher later commented on my curveball that was clocked at 73 I believe. Did it really effect me that much not to throw a third pitch. As I watched the people who were picked to stay for the rest of the afternoon, I was confused on what scouts really look for. Could you help me out on this please? AI'm not sure what the catcher's comment was (you didn't say). However there are any number of possibilities why you might not have been picked. QNoticed in Summer? The high school season is now over. [My sons] will be playing for a summer team that plays tournament baseball primarily. Is it too late to get noticed by scouts or colleges during the summer season? I know the draft is in June. What about colleges? I know I am biased as they are my sons, but they both come from parents that can throw. I know they have the genetics but lack the coaching. My wife was a starting HS shortstop and I was a Javelin thrower ( 4th US Championships and Olympic trials 1984 in LA) What pitching programs that are offered would you recommend? APart 1: Scouts will be active in the summer because they know that's when the best players play. We will have the new Scouting Bureau tryout sked posted on our calendar when available. Most colleges should still be approachable but they seldom have budget for scouts, you need to contact them for their tryout skeds, likewise individual pro clubs. By the way, we keep getting a lot of email on scouting - how to get scouted, how to be a scout, how to find tryouts. We have updated several pages in the Scouting Center - some with minor corrections, others with more insights. But to be honest, we are now getting very few scouting questions that we haven't answered before. We don't mind the questions, but please look through what's there first to see if we've already covered your topic in enough detail. As mentioned above, one of the recent updates is on the Major League Scouting Bureau open tryout camps. The MLSB mostly serves small market teams who don't have as deep a scouting organization as the larger market teams, but the tryouts do attract a good cross-section of scouts - perhaps the best showcase there is. A Part 2: As for pitching programs... the Paul Nyman inspired Ron Wolforth program is the best. See his info in the WebBall Store for a taste of what high caliber instruction is all about.QPitcher or Catcher As a fifteen year old high school player, throwing 80-81 with a good curve and a "strikeout change" would it be good idea to become a full time pitcher? Or does a good catcher have a better chance to get noticed? APitchers might get noticed more and scouted more, but remember that you have to compete against guys already throwing 90-95. The question is: can you add 5-7 mph each year for the next 3, even 3 mph added to base is hard work. On the other hand, teams need catchers, too. But really, the chances of making it all the way unless you are the very best player already at your age in your city or county, should be secondary to choosing positions based on which you like to do more - control the game once every few days as a pitcher or be the catcher in most or all games. Our advice: Do what gives you the most pleasure and satisfaction now - let the future take care of itself. QPitchers Who Hit If a pitcher is developing well and has MLB draft potential, is there any real advantage to being a good hitter, i.e. do National League teams look for pitchers who can hit well? We have 2 answers for this question, each from the kind of high-level people we like to rely on... A1: From Brent Strom, Pitching Coordinator, Washington Nationals: Reply: Not really. It may be noted but will not sway a scout on taking someone unless he is great on both ends and they can add the luster of "if he doesn't make it as a pitcher he can convert" but that is very rare. A 2: From Kurt Kemp, Western Region Cross-Checker, Atlanta Braves Reply: I wouldn't say that National League teams look specifically for a pitcher who is a good hitter. First, and foremost, they are looking for a pitcher who is a good pitcher, since that will be his primary responsibility. Being a good hitter is just a plus down the road but doesn't factor in a great deal in terms of a National League team choosing one pitching prospect over another.QPitching Draft Potential I am a pitcher of 21 years of age going into 22. I throw around 86- 88 mph and top out at 90 mph. I have good mechanics and an overall make-up of a quality pitcher. I would like to know what are my chances of getting drafted or signed? and also can I still be able to increase my pitching velocity? and how? Thank you for your prompt attention. AWe are going to answer, but perhaps not in the simple direct way you might expect... As you know, one of the things scouts look for is project-ability - how much potential does a player have within himself to be even better than he is now? The assumption is that he needs to push to the limit to really succeed. What this also means is that scouts will tend to track a player for a while to see what improvements have been made over time. QPlaying H.S.? My son is a pitcher, 15 yrs of age. How critical is it that he play High School Baseball in order to be noticed by scouts? He routinely bats over .600 and his fastball has a lot of movement. AScouts spend most of their time at high school and college games looking for professional level talent. If a player does not play high school baseball, scouts are going to wonder about the reason why. If a player does not play high school baseball, he may be noticed playing for some sort of a summer team or at a tryout camp but the chances become more slim as the high school season is the one that leads into the June draft. QPredicting Height I play for my high school team and I am a junior, throwing in the 80-81 range. I am a lefty and I skipped the eighth grade, so I will be a year younger than everyone else in my grade. I am 5'9" or 5'10" and my big brother plays Div. II ball and he's 6'5" and 230 pounds. I was wondering if scouts can project your growth by looking at your parent's size or your older sibling's sizes. My parents don't want me to redshirt for college and I don't want to always feel like I'm losing a year of baseball. My goal for next year (senior year) is to throw 85-86 mph. I realize that scouts sometimes project a person who has not filled out who throws in the mid 80's over a full grown pitcher who throws high 80's. Why does this happen? Any help in this situation would be useful to my search in becoming a college baseball player. AScouts do try to project your size by looking at a variety of factors. Your current body type and maturity level are one of the things scouts look at. The size of your parents and siblings can also be an indicator of where you are heading. If a player has not filled out yet, it can be an indication that there is more room for added growth and strength, thus making that player possibly a better player or pitcher in the long run compared to the player who is fully mature. Remember, a scout is trying to look a few years down the road to project what you will be QProjecting from 13 I'm a 13 y/o 5.5 110 lbs right hander. I was wondering if I should give up pitching and be a shortstop. I looked at your norms and I throw slower than normal (high fifties). I don't have any other special qualities either like great control or a great curve. Do you think I should focus on shortstop? AWell, it is not always easy to tell at 13 where you will end up. For example how tall is your dad - if you are probably destined to be over 6' then perhaps you will get to the height for pitching. Then again, we know of at least one player who was a short stop in high school and didn't get back to being a pitcher until pro ball - and he went on to become a Cy Young winner and a save leader (true story). So not pitching now does not mean you couldn't get back to pitching later. Final thought to consider - why do you think you are slow? Are you gripping the ball too tightly or too deeply in your hand? Is your stride not long enough? Are you not getting enough back action unb your throwing arm (scapular loading or body torque). Maybe with some retraining you could find that velocity. Meantime - train for pitching off season, become a better shortstop now. How is your arm at short? Because you need velocity there too. QRehab Timeout I am 20 years old and currently playing with a college. I have 3 years of eligibility left. Due to a back injury I will miss the upcoming season. I know that this will hurt me as far as playing after college but how much will it hurt me? What can I do to still get noticed while not playing? AThe hard truth is: you can't get noticed while not playing. But if you try to rush back and are not at your best, you will unfortunately get noticed for that. Our advice - take the year off to hit the books hard and work on the number one reason to be at college - the education. And also spend some time studying the game of baseball (situational strategies, reading hitters, understanding pitchers, etc.) - so when you come back next year you will be not only healthy again, but smarter - about baseball, and life. QScouting Vocation I am interested in becoming a professional baseball scout and I don't know how to get started. I read an article that said I should get to know a scout but I don't know any nor do I know how to find any scouts to talk to. Do you have any advice for me? AThe suggestion to network with other scouts is a good one. Go to any minor league game - or even high level amateur games - and look for the guys sitting right behind the plate about 5 rows up with clipboards - and talk to them. They are often there early and seldom stay till the end of the game. As for what it takes to be a scout - read all the evaluation pages on WebBall - that's the kind of detail you will be expected to observe. And of course, the best way to be part of the scouting process is to be a coach - it's absolutely the best way to get to understand what's happening in the young player's mind. QSlowest Lefty MPH What is the lowest mph a left handed pitcher can throw to get a look? In other words, how does a guy like Jamie Moyer get noticed? I was wondering what specifically you would look for in a finesse left handed pitcher if you were to scout one. AI can't give you a specific low mph number for a LHP. In the case of Jamie Moyer, I believe he throws somewhere in the low-to-mid 80's. One thing to remember, many of the pitchers you see today throwing in the mid-80's, probably threw much harder at an earlier point in their career. Many of them did in fact have a near average to average fastball when they were being scouted. If I'm looking at a finesse LHP, I have to pay more attention to the quality of his breaking ball, change-up, and his ability to command his pitches. QSwitch Hitter Scouted? My son just finished his 8th grade year. My question is about his hitting. He has always wanted to bat right handed and he is a left handed pitcher. As a 9 year old in Dixie Ball, I made him bat left handed all year which he actually has a better eye on pitches. Because of his hitting home runs Right handed, he thinks he is better from that side. I must admit with a .348 average as an 8th grader playing High School ball and batting from the right, it is hard to convince him that he needs to turn around more often to sharpen his skills from the left side. He does take BP from both sides but feels more comfortable from the right. How important is it for him to focus more on his left-handed hitting from the eyes of scouts to be seen? AThe whole issue of switch hitting seems to be top of mind these days. Here's how Kurt Kemp answered a very similar question the other day... QTry-out List Can you send me a list of tryouts? A(Variations on this question include when are you holding tryouts, can you send me the name of every scout in every major league club, or similar nearly impossible requests.) The bottom line answer is this: we will publish information when we can, but we depend on others to first let us know what they have found out. QTryout Prep I'm 17 yrs. old and I got back on the mound after a year off. I'm throwing harder than I've ever thrown - in the low 90's. My brother-in-law played in the minor leagues for a couple of years and he taught me my mechanics from when I was young. I like running and working out to stay in shape and hopefully I would go to a tryout in March for the Northern League. What else should I do to prepare for this other that the norms. AKeep your eyes sharp, work on hitting all year round as well as pitching (the more tools the better your prospects). Add swimming to your off-season conditioning routine (great for upper body). Most importantly, though, if there is a particular tryout that is important to you, don;t hang all your hopes on it, and don't go in unprepared. Earlier, go to some other tryouts - you need to gain experience in tryout situations to be confident and relaxed for the one that matters. QVideos to Scouts I wanted to know if is good to send a tape to the organization or the Major League Scouting Bureau. A(From Kurt) It is most likely that the organization will pass along the tape to the appropriate area scout covering your region. If that scout is not aware of who you are, he may take a look at the tape and it may increase the chances of the scout coming to see you play if he likes what he sees. I do not know what the Major League Scouting Bureau's position is on receiving tapes. QWorth Showing Up I was wondering what the chances would be that a team that is having an open pro tryout would sign a pitcher if he is 6'3 220 23yo and throwing consistently 90-92 topping at 94. Also he has three strong pitches that include a tight curve and a decent change. I ask this because I was completely overlooked in my senior season. I was throwing 90-92 consistently then pulled a muscle in my leg. I am almost back to full form and have already hit 94 numerous times on the JUGS. I am going to attend a bunch of pro tryouts all around the US and was wondering if it would be worth it AIf you throw 90-94 mph, it would be worth it to visit those tryout camps. You would possess an average to slighty above average fastball on the major league scale. The quality of your off-speed pitches and ability to control your pitches will also weigh in very heavily when a scout is evaluating you. It's very possible that you were overlooked because of your injury. That's why we hold the tryout camps to try to find those players we might have missed during the Spring. |
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