Jake Angier is in his 18th year of coaching and runs the program at New Mexico State University. On Episode 115 of the Baseball Forward Podcast he gave one of the clearest explanations we have heard of how a Division I roster gets built now, and what that means for a high school player. Here are the recruiting takeaways.
Watch the full conversation on YouTube
Is it harder for a high school player to reach Division I now?
Yes, and Angier does not soften it. Two forces are squeezing the high school player:
- Fewer players leave for pro ball. The draft has been cut back sharply, so more experienced players stay in college.
- Experience wins the tie. Given a junior with 600 college at-bats and a freshman with zero, most staffs take the junior. Some programs have stopped recruiting high school position players entirely.
Position players feel this most. Pitching still has more room, because staffs never have enough arms.
The upside Angier points to: this is exactly what makes junior college, Division II, and Division III strong landing spots. A player can develop there and move through the portal later. Our guide to exposure timing, travel ball, and the transfer portal covers that route.
Which positions do college coaches recruit first?
Angier laid out the pecking order plainly:
- Premium pitching, starting pitchers especially
- Shortstops and the left side of the infield
- Catchers
- True center fielders belong in that premium group too
Corner outfielders, first basemen, and clearly defined relievers tend to come off the board later, because there are simply more of them. If your son plays one of those spots, a later timeline is normal. It is not a verdict on his ability.
How big is a Division I roster?
New Mexico State carries 34 players, and Angier spreads them across all four classes on purpose. He does not want 15 upperclassmen sitting on the bench, because a senior who is not playing in April is already thinking about June.
For a recruit, the takeaway is to ask about class balance on a visit. How many players at your son's position are in each class? A balanced roster means a freshman has a realistic path to the field.
What are college coaches seeing that high school players are missing?
Today's high school players are the biggest, strongest, and fastest Angier has ever seen. What they lack, he says, is baseball IQ, and he is careful to say it is not their fault:
"The way that they're playing in high school is not really conducive to learning how to play the game."
The high school season is short. Summer ball is built around exposure, not winning. Pitchers throw three innings in front of college coaches and leave, so they never learn to work through a full outing. Specialists never play another position or hit.
What a family can do about it: look for summer teams and games where your son plays whole games, in different spots, with something on the line. That feel for the game is what college staffs end up having to teach.
Does analytics matter in recruiting?
Angier leans into it for development: keeping arms healthy, building a new pitch, refining a swing. But he keeps "the main thing the main thing." Between the lines it is still one pitcher against one hitter, and competing wins. Numbers help a player understand his own strengths. They do not replace the at-bat.
How fast will a college coach get to know my son?
Faster than you might think, because rosters turn over. Twenty years ago a coach could let a relationship with a freshman grow slowly. Now, Angier says, a staff has to get to know a player right away because it may only have him for a year or two:
"The more you get to know somebody, the better chance you have to actually coach him well."
That cuts both ways. Use visits and calls to see how quickly a staff tries to learn who your son is.
What should players and parents do differently?
Players: play the sport you love, not just the one you are good at. The love is what carries a player through real adversity.
Parents: step out of the rat race. Angier would rather families protect dinner together than chase another private lesson, camp, or showcase.
"If he's good enough, he's good enough, and he's going to get there."
And the trait every big leaguer he has coached or played with shared? Every one of them was a great person who worked and loved the game.
Keep researching
- See the New Mexico State program page for location, cost, and roster details.
- Not sure what level fits? Start with our Recruiting 101 guide to levels and program fit and the Game Plan.
- Ready to build your school list and contact coaches directly? Become a Prospect List Member.