Jim Chester is in his 20th season as a head coach and runs the Big South program at Gardner-Webb University in Boiling Springs, North Carolina. On Episode 76 of the Baseball Forward Podcast he gave a practical look at how a mid-major Division I roster gets built. These are the takeaways for recruits and parents.
Watch the full conversation on YouTube
Is every Division I roster capped at 34?
No. This is a misconception Chester runs into constantly.
| Opted in to the House settlement | Opted out | |
|---|---|---|
| Roster size | 34 maximum | No limit |
| Baseball scholarships | Up to 34 | 11.7 equivalencies |
| Revenue sharing with players | Optional | No |
Gardner-Webb opted out, so it keeps an open roster and the 11.7 scholarship limit. A few extra spots mean a few more opportunities and more internal competition.
What to do: ask every Division I program which model it follows. It changes the math on roster spots and on how a scholarship might be split.
How much of a Division I roster is high school recruits?
At Gardner-Webb, about 50% high school and 50% transfer. Recruit only high school players and it is hard to stay competitive. Build only from the portal and the culture never sets.
The calendar shifts to match:
- Fall: junior college and high school recruiting, including players who were decommitted or released in a roster crunch.
- November: things settle.
- May through August: transfer season. Most portal players want a national power, most will not get one, so his staff processes players late.
What makes a high school player stand out?
A few things have to jump off the page:
- He moves around the field differently than everyone else.
- He has instincts and baseball IQ.
- He handles the little things: uniform worn right, a sprint to his position, how he runs to first, whether he can go first to third, how he responds when it goes badly.
- He is athletic and twitchy and takes care of himself. Chester does not need a 6-foot-4, 220-pound frame.
Most high school evaluations come down to athletes and hitters who can find the barrel. Catcher is the only position he recruits specifically. On the mound, he wants an athlete with a fast, loose arm that his staff can develop.
Do emails to college coaches work?
Gardner-Webb gets about a hundred player emails a day. An assistant works through all of them and encourages players to come to camp, but nobody is getting an offer off a video attached to an email.
What works is people Chester trusts. He has pockets of the country where he can ask a longtime contact for the five players who can help. The other door is camp. Every coach on staff works it, current players are there, and the price is kept low because the point is getting recruits on campus. A player who belongs will be on the radar before the day is over.
What to do: an email still opens the door, so write a good one. Our guide to coach communication covers what to say. Then pick camps at schools where you are a realistic fit. See our tryouts and camps guide.
How do we vet a summer organization?
Chester's checklist for parents:
- Where have their players committed?
- How did those commitments actually happen?
- Which events do they attend?
- How do they answer when you ask those questions?
He is careful not to knock anyone, and plenty of good organizations exist. But coaches go back to the wells that have produced players.
Is it too late if my son is not committed?
No. Chester sees the slowdown in eighth- and ninth-grade commitments as the clearest positive of the portal era:
"It's really important in eighth, ninth, and into the tenth grade that there's a lot more focus on becoming the best player you can be, not on what school you could be trying to play at."
A senior who is still uncommitted is not in a bad spot. More time usually means a better-informed decision. In the meantime, get on campuses, test the water at camps for your dream schools, and work honestly toward the next tier of programs if those calls do not come.
What should a freshman expect in his first college fall?
Chester tells every incoming player that the fall of his freshman year will be the hardest stretch of his baseball life. Grown men walk into the locker room in August.
"You're about to get broken down, and you're going to have to embrace it, and you're going to get built back up."
Knowing that ahead of time helps. When the struggle comes, it is the part everyone talked about, not a sign that something is wrong.
Keep researching
- See the Gardner-Webb University program page for location, cost, and roster details.
- Compare the 34-man roster side with West Virginia's Steve Sabins.
- Ready to reach coaches directly instead of joining the hundred-a-day inbox? Become a Prospect List Member.