Recruiting 101 Episode 1: Your Complete Guide to College Baseball Recruiting
Hosted by Ross Hawley (Baseball Forward) and Aaron Cunningham (Director of Operations, Hunter Pence Baseball Academy), provide families with objective, thoughtful, and practical direction in the recruiting process.
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The Changing Landscape: How College Baseball Has Evolved
The Game Has Gotten Older
One of the most important shifts in college baseball over the past decade is what Ross calls "the game has gotten older."
What this means:
- COVID eligibility extensions have lengthened college careers
- Players are staying in college longer than ever before
- Division I rosters now feature more 22-23 year olds than 18-19 year olds
- The gap between college baseball and professional baseball has narrowed dramatically
The observation: When you watch Division I baseball now, it resembles professional baseball. These players are among the best in the world and aren't far from the major leagues.
The Finished Product Era
The modern reality of Power Four baseball:
Power conference programs have essentially become professional operations:
- Players are compensated through revenue sharing and NIL deals
- Many schools employ general managers to assess player valuations financially
- Roster decisions are business decisions
The stark reality:
- Average age difference between D1 and Double-A baseball: less than one year
- College coaches' salaries have increased significantly
- Job security depends on winning immediately, not developing over time
- The transfer portal provides instant access to proven, mature talent
The fundamental recruiting question coaches face:
When building a roster, which player provides more immediate value?
Option A: 18-year-old unproven high school recruit
Option B: 22-year-old with 600 college at-bats who's proven capable at the college level
It's a business decision, and understanding this reality is essential for navigating modern recruiting.
What This Means for High School Players
The Trickle-Down Effect
If D1 programs are filling rosters with older, proven players from the transfer portal, what happens to incoming high school players?
The new reality:
- High school players face more competition for fewer spots
- Development opportunities at the D1 level have decreased
- Multiple pathways to college baseball are now necessary
- Patience and realistic expectations are critical
The Junior College Advantage
A strong case for the JuCo pathway:
Junior college has long been considered one of the most intelligent routes for high school players, and the modern recruiting landscape has only strengthened this argument.
Why JuCo makes strategic sense:
- Academics are more manageable - Focus on baseball while handling foundational coursework
- Financial commitment is lower - Significantly less expensive than four-year institutions
- Reality check built-in - Quickly discover if you can genuinely compete at higher levels
- Development is prioritized - JuCo coaches develop raw talent; D1 coaches recruit finished products
- Multiple pathways forward - Excel and transfer up; struggle and you still have options
Pitchers vs. Position Players
For Pitchers:
Pitching talent never goes out of style. If you can pitch effectively—regardless of age—programs will find roster space. Velocity and ability to get outs matter more than age or experience level.
For Hitters:
Position players face a different challenge. High school hitters have limited opportunities to prove they can handle elite college-level pitching. The evidence coaches need simply doesn't exist in sufficient quantity at the high school level.
The resulting dynamic: Elite high school hitters increasingly choose junior college, creating a fascinating trend where JuCo baseball features exceptional hitting talent while pitching is still developing.
The Multiple Pathways to Professional Baseball
Football and basketball: Very linear pathways to the pros
- Elite high school → Power 5 program → NFL/NBA
- Physical advantages are apparent early
- Fewer alternative routes exist
Baseball: Like a snowflake—every path is unique
- D1, D2, D3, NAIA, JuCo all produce professional players
- Players develop at vastly different rates
- Late bloomers are common
- Multiple routes lead to the same destination
The Skenes and Skubal Example
A perfect illustration of non-linear pathways:
The two best pitchers in baseball during 2024—collectively, they received just three scholarship offers out of high school.
Paul Skenes: Started at the Air Force Academy
Tarik Skubal: Started at Seattle University
Both started the 2024 All-Star Game and won Cy Young awards in their respective leagues.
Their paths prove that development timelines vary dramatically, and elite talent emerges from all levels.
The Professional Dream
The recommended mindset for approaching college baseball:
"Your guiding light for wanting to play collegiate baseball should be: I have a hope to work relentlessly so that maybe I'll get my shot at professional baseball."
Why this mindset matters:
- It requires maximum effort - You can't coast with professional aspirations
- It keeps you focused on development - Not just making a roster, but becoming elite
- It opens your eyes to all pathways - D1, D2, D3, NAIA, JuCo all produce professional players
- It prevents settling - You won't be satisfied with simply "being a college player"
This reframes recruiting from "where can I commit?" to "where can I become my absolute best?"
Belief is Free
A fundamental principle: Belief doesn't cost anything, but it's foundational to development.
What this means:
- You don't need permission to dream big
- Confidence doesn't require external validation
- Self-belief drives the development process
- Ambition fuels longevity in competitive athletics
Observation: Ambitious players tend to persist longest—those who genuinely want elite-level success.
When Does Recruiting Actually Start?
The critical question: When does the college recruiting process truly begin for high school baseball players?
The answer: Recruiting begins around your 15-year-old season (freshman year of high school)—that's when you can start building your foundational resume.
Building Your Resume vs. Active Recruiting
Critical distinction to understand:
- Resume building: Freshman year (15U season)
- Active communication and evaluation: After sophomore year (16U season)
Why the timeline matters:
Freshman year: Establish yourself, develop skills, prove capabilities, build a track record
Post-sophomore year: You become genuinely visible and relevant to college coaching staffs actively recruiting your class
Junior year: Serious recruiting conversations intensify significantly
Why Wait Until After Sophomore Year for Active Communication?
The strategic reasoning:
With current NCAA recruiting rules, coaches intensify their evaluation efforts for classes entering their junior year. Communicating too early means reaching out when coaches don't yet have the recruiting bandwidth to focus on your class year.
The timeline perspective:
Think in college semesters: fall, spring, fall, spring = four full semesters
Entering junior year provides coaches four complete semesters to evaluate before making commitments. There's no strategic rush, and premature communication provides no advantage.
How to Get Recruited: Practical Strategies
1. Visibility is Everything
The foundational principle: To get recruited, you must be noticed. You must be seen by the right people at the right times.
Where to gain visibility:
- High school team competitions
- Travel organization tournaments
- Showcase events
- Social media platforms (especially Twitter/X)
2. Twitter/X: Your 365-Day Recruiting Tool
The most accessible recruiting tool available:
There's only one platform where college coaches can evaluate you 365 days per year: social media, particularly Twitter/X.
Why Twitter/X matters strategically:
- College coaches actively use the platform daily
- Completely free to use
- You control your personal narrative and content
- Content lives permanently and can be reshared
- Perfect Game, Five Tool, and Prep Baseball regularly tweet about top performers
- Recruiting calendar restrictions don't apply to social media
3. The Three-Part Recruiting Formula
Part 1: Build Your Resume
- Understand your athletic and academic profile clearly
- Identify strengths and areas requiring improvement
- Document skills with quality video evidence
- Track progress and achievements systematically
Part 2: Know Where You're Employable
- Conduct realistic self-assessment of current skill level
- Research schools matching your profile athletically and academically
- Understand different division levels and their requirements
- Identify programs offering your major and academic interests
Part 3: Do Whatever It Takes to Get to the Interview
- Reach out directly to coaching staffs
- Attend camps at target schools
- Follow coaches on social media platforms
- Send direct messages when coaches follow back
- Be proactive and persistent, never passive
Showcase Strategy: Quality Over Quantity
The Overshowcasing Problem
A major strategic mistake: Many players attend too many showcases without purpose.
The core issue:
If your measurable metrics haven't changed, there's no strategic reason to showcase again. College coaches don't need to see identical 60-yard dash times repeatedly—they understood your speed the first time.
When to Showcase
Showcase when you can demonstrate meaningful improvement:
- Velocity increased by 3+ mph
- Exit velocity jumped significantly
- 60-yard time dropped noticeably
- New position versatility developed
- Skills clearly elevated from previous evaluation
The strategic approach: Attend showcases when you have genuine improvement to demonstrate. Last year's 7.1 sixty-yard dash warrants a new showcase if you can now run 6.6—coaches want to see that development.
The Physical Development Requirement
A fundamental truth about college baseball:
Programs want physicality. They seek players who are big, strong, fast, and genuinely talented at baseball.
The prescription for development:
- Consistent weight room training
- Year-round strength and conditioning programming
- Progressive overload training protocols
- Speed and agility development
- Proper nutrition and recovery strategies
Year-Round Baseball: A Controversial Reality
The Year-Round Approach
A perspective that may be controversial:
Baseball isn't a sport where you can completely shelf skills for six months annually and expect to maintain elite performance levels.
Important clarification: This doesn't mean you can't participate in other sports. It means you must continue working on your baseball craft year-round.
What Year-Round Means
It does NOT mean:
- Playing competitive tournaments every weekend
- Never taking recovery breaks
- Risking burnout from overuse
It DOES mean:
- Taking ground balls regularly to maintain defensive sharpness
- Getting consistent cage work for hitting mechanics
- Playing catch to maintain arm health and strength
- Working on specific skills even during other sport seasons
- Staying technically sharp with foundational work
Camp Strategy: Being Smart About Your Choices
Which Camps to Attend
The dream school exception:
Attending one camp at your ultimate dream school can be worthwhile for the experience alone—even if you're not currently at that program's competitive level. The experience and exposure to elite-level expectations can be valuable and memorable.
After that, be strategic about camp selection:
- Schools matching your current skill level
- Programs that have expressed interest in players with your profile
- Schools actively recruiting your position and class year
- Institutions matching your academic profile and interests
The Honest Evaluation
A blunt truth about camp expectations:
If you're a 16-year-old pitcher throwing 82 mph and attend a top Power Five program's camp, it doesn't matter how many strikes you throw—they will not recruit you at that velocity level. That's simply the reality of elite program standards.
What you CAN gain from reaching camps:
- Experience at a high-level program and facility
- Honest feedback on your current developmental status
- Information about what's required to compete at that level
- Q&A access to coaching staff
- Understanding of program culture and facilities
What you WON'T get:
- A scholarship offer if you're not at their competitive level
The Realistic Approach
Strategic camp attendance framework:
- Find trusted evaluators who will provide honest assessment of your current level
- Target camps at schools where you realistically fit competitively
- Remember camps exist at all levels—find your appropriate tier
- Use honest self-assessment to guide camp investment decisions
The Copycat Effect
An insider recruiting reality:
Recruiting is a copycat world. When you receive an offer from one program, other programs at similar levels may take a renewed interest.
The strategic pathway:
- Secure offers at schools where you realistically fit
- Use those offers as validation of your abilities
- Higher-level schools may take a second, more serious look
- Recruiting momentum builds upon itself
The Human Element: Beyond the Baseball Evaluation
An important perspective:
The baseball evaluation component of recruiting is often the most straightforward part of the process.
What's more complex to evaluate:
- Academic profile and genuine motivation
- Financial situation and flexibility
- Geographic preferences and constraints
- Personality fit with program culture
- Family dynamics and support system
- Long-term goals and aspirations beyond baseball
- Maturity level and emotional readiness for college
Communicating with College Coaches
What NOT to Do
Don't lead initial conversations with direct asks:
❌ "Coach, do you have a scholarship for me?"
❌ "Coach, what can you offer me?"
❌ "Coach, can I play at your school?"
What TO Do
Build genuine relationships first:
✅ "Coach, I'm navigating this process and would appreciate guidance. Can you help me?"
✅ "Do you think I'm pursuing the right level programs?"
✅ "Do you think I'd be qualified for your program?"
✅ "What should I be working on to reach your program's level?"
✅ "Can you provide feedback on my video?"
The framework: Don't immediately go for commitments. Build relationships. Ask thoughtful questions. Demonstrate genuine interest in their program and guidance.
The Value of Feedback
Encouragement for players:
Don't hesitate to ask for honest feedback. Most college coaches are generous with their time and genuinely invested in helping young people navigate this process.
Where to seek quality feedback:
- Camp settings with one-on-one evaluation opportunities
- After games where coaches watched you compete
- Through your travel or high school coach relationships
- Via email after sharing video or performance metrics
Understanding "No" in Recruiting
Not Right Now vs. Never
Critical insight about rejection:
"No" often means "not right now"—not "never." Coaches are often communicating timing issues, not permanent rejection of your abilities.
What "no" often actually means:
- Not ready for this competitive level yet
- Wrong timing (roster full at your position currently)
- Need to see additional development
- Academic concerns that can be addressed
- Financial aid not available in this recruiting cycle
What "no" rarely means:
- You'll never be talented enough
- You should quit pursuing baseball
- You have no future in competitive baseball
The Door Can Reopen
The beautiful reality of baseball recruiting:
Programs that say "no" during your junior year might actively recruit you after your first year of junior college, after you've gained velocity, or after you've proven yourself at another competitive level.
The mindset shift:
View "no" as "not yet" and channel it as motivation for continued improvement.
The Job Interview Analogy
College recruiting = Job search process
Component 1: Resume
- Who you are athletically
- Who you are academically
- Who you are as a person
- Your track record and achievements
Component 2: Know Where You're Employable
- Realistic skill assessment
- Academic profile matching
- Financial considerations
- Geographic fit
- Program culture alignment
Component 3: Get to the Interview
- Proactive outreach
- Camp attendance
- Direct communication
- Social media engagement
- Network leveraging
Key Principles to Remember
1. The Game Has Changed
Accept that college baseball, especially at the D1 level, is now basically professional baseball. Adjust your expectations and pathway accordingly.
2. Multiple Paths Exist
D1, D2, D3, NAIA, and JuCo all produce professional players. The logo on your uniform matters less than the development you receive.
3. Your Guiding Light Should Be Pro Ball
Even if the odds are long, having the ambition to play professionally will drive the work ethic needed to maximize your college career.
4. Build Your Resume First
Before actively recruiting, focus on becoming a recruitable player through skill development, physical growth, and academic performance.
5. Social Media is Your Friend
Twitter/X is free and allows coaches to see you 365 days a year. Use it strategically.
6. Showcase When You Improve
Don't overshowcase. Wait until you have real improvement to show before attending another showcase event.
7. Work Year-Round
Baseball is a skilled sport that requires consistent work. You don't have to play games year-round, but you must work on your craft consistently.
8. Camps Are Strategic Tools
Choose wisely based on your skill level and the school's needs. Use them for feedback and exposure, not just offers.
9. The Human Element Matters
The baseball evaluation is the easy part. The fit—academically, financially, culturally, personally—is what makes recruiting complex and unique.
10. Coaches Want to Help
Most college coaches are in the business of helping young men. Don't be afraid to reach out for guidance and feedback.
11. Information is Power
The more you understand about the process, the better decisions you'll make. Stay educated and engaged.
About This Series
Recruiting 101 is a monthly series on the Baseball Forward Podcast dedicated solely to the college recruiting process. Aaron Cunningham and Ross Hawley answer real questions from players and parents navigating this complex journey.
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About Baseball Forward
At Baseball Forward, we help student-athletes and families navigate college baseball recruiting with expert guidance and comprehensive resources.
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- Interactive database of 1,500+ D1, D2, D3, NAIA, and JUCO programs
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This resource was created from Episode 81 of the Baseball Forward Podcast featuring Aaron Cunningham (Director of Operations, Hunter Pence Baseball Academy) and Ross Hawley (Baseball Forward). The insights shared reflect their combined decades of experience in player development and college recruiting, and are intended to provide guidance for student-athletes and families navigating the college baseball recruiting process.