Recruiting 101 Episode 4: High School Tryouts & College Camps
Welcome back to Recruiting 101, the monthly series from Baseball Forward where Aaron Cunningham (Director of Operations, Hunter Pence Baseball Academy) and Ross Hawley (Baseball Forward) provide straight answers about college baseball recruiting.
This episode tackles two critical moments in every player's journey: high school tryouts and college camps. Whether you're fighting for a varsity spot or trying to get recruited, the same principles apply—control what you can control, present yourself professionally, and be strategic about opportunities.
Watch or Listen to the Full Episode:
🎯 Key Takeaways Summary
Here's what you need to know about tryouts and camps:
✅ High school baseball is special - Some of your greatest memories and relationships come from playing with your community
✅ Control the controllables - Hustle, attitude, effort, body language, punctuality—make these A+
✅ Dress like a ballplayer - First impressions matter; show up looking the part
✅ Eye contact matters - Lock in when coaches speak; it shows maturity and creates memory
✅ Be yourself, not Ohtani - You won't magically throw 90 on tryout day; showcase your real abilities
✅ Smile and compete with joy - Coaches love players who love being on the field
✅ Bad body language kills opportunities - How you handle failure reveals maturity
✅ Don't be the cool guy - Tryouts aren't the time to clown around or distract teammates
✅ Leave your phone in the car - Completely eliminate the distraction
✅ Shake hands and show respect - Thank coaches afterward; it separates you from the pack
✅ Choose camps strategically - Go where schools have genuine interest in you, not just big-name programs
✅ Younger players can dream big - Freshmen/sophomores: camps at top programs offer experience
✅ Juniors/seniors be realistic - D2, D3, JUCO camps give you real recruiting opportunities if they fit your level
Understanding High School Tryouts
Why High School Baseball Matters
High school baseball is one of the best years that many players have in the game.
What makes it special:
- Lifetime memories - Competing with guys you've grown up with
- Community connection - Representing your school and town
- Family involvement - Parents, siblings, friends all invested
- Going to battle together - Building bonds through competition
For players who love baseball, high school ball is a special time.
Even for those heavily involved in travel baseball, the high school experience offers something unique—playing for your community alongside teammates you've known for years.
The Reality of Being Evaluated
Somebody is always watching.
High school tryouts introduce a critical concept that extends throughout your baseball career: constant evaluation.
Who's evaluating you:
- Your high school coaches (team decisions)
- Your teammates (culture and chemistry)
- Scouts (future opportunities)
- College coaches (recruiting interest)
This evaluation mindset begins at tryouts and never stops.
The sooner you understand and embrace this reality, the better you'll perform under scrutiny.
What Coaches Are Actually Evaluating
There's the obvious evaluation:
- How fast are you?
- How well do you field the ball?
- How do you swing the bat?
- How do you throw?
But there's also the character evaluation:
- How do you carry yourself?
- How do you handle failure?
- How do you handle success?
- How do you interact with teammates?
- Are you locked in and coachable?
- Do you need instruction repeated multiple times?
For elite talent, character questions might be overlooked. For everyone else, these factors make or break roster spots.
The Talent vs. Makeup Balance
Experienced high school coaches can evaluate a player in minutes:
- Watch a kid take a few ground balls
- See a couple swings in the cage
- Observe playing catch
They know immediately if someone can play.
But talent alone doesn't guarantee a roster spot.
For fringe players, intangibles separate who makes the team:
- Hustle and effort
- Attitude and body language
- Coachability and focus
- Being a good teammate
If you're not one of the best players on the field, your controllables must be exceptional.
The Opportunity in Failure
Even failure creates evaluation opportunities.
When you make a mistake during tryouts:
- Can you handle it with maturity?
- Do you bounce back immediately?
- Can you flush it and move on to the next rep?
Coaches NEED to see you fail to complete their evaluation.
Everyone looks good when things are going well. Who are you when:
- You kick a ground ball?
- You strike out in a live AB?
- You spike a fastball in your bullpen?
Your response to adversity reveals more than your success.
Nobody Is Watching You As Much As You Think
Critical perspective: You are not that important.
During tryouts with 40-100 players:
- Coaches are watching multiple stations
- They're managing the entire event
- Not every mistake gets noticed
- Not every success gets seen
What this means:
- Stop dwelling on mistakes—half the time coaches didn't even see it
- Don't get too high on success—it's one moment in hours of evaluation
- Move on quickly and be present for the next opportunity
Your mistakes are never as bad as you think. Your successes are never as good as you think.
The Controllables: Your Tryout Foundation
1. Hustle, Attitude, Effort, Body Language, Being On Time
If it's within your control, it must be an A+.
There's no excuse for not being elite at these:
Hustle:
- Sprint on and off the field every single time
- 10 seconds to get to your position after the last out
- 10 seconds to get off the field after the last out
- Beat the other team to their positions
Attitude:
- Positive energy throughout the tryout
- Encouraging teammates
- Staying engaged even when not actively participating
Effort:
- Give maximum effort on every single rep
- No half-speed anything
- Compete like a roster spot depends on it (it does)
Body Language:
- Head up, shoulders back
- No slumped shoulders after mistakes
- No glove slapping, eye rolling, or pouting
- Positive non-verbal communication
Punctuality:
- Arrive early
- Be ready when tryouts officially start
- Never give coaches a reason to question your commitment
The reality: These controllables can earn you a roster spot even if you're not the most talented player. And lacking them can cost talented players their opportunity.
2. Dress Like a Ballplayer
This is a job interview—present yourself accordingly.
What NOT to wear:
- ❌ Crocs and socks
- ❌ Basketball shorts
- ❌ Blue jeans (yes, this has happened at high school tryouts)
- ❌ Collared golf shirts
- ❌ White ankle socks (showing pale legs)
- ❌ Cut-off sleeves unless you have legitimate guns
- ❌ Casual headphones walking in
What you SHOULD wear:
- ✅ Full baseball uniform or practice gear
- ✅ Belt on, shirt tucked in
- ✅ Hat on straight
- ✅ Baseball socks (sanitaries if showing leg)
- ✅ Eye black applied before walking in (if that's your thing)
- ✅ Appropriate baseball layers (it's January—have sleeves)
The principle: Look like this is something you've been doing your whole life.
If you show up to a job interview disheveled with your shirt untucked, employers think: "If this interview isn't important enough to look professional, this job won't be important to him either."
Baseball tryouts work the same way.
Pro tip: If you don't know what a ballplayer looks like, ask someone. And if you still don't know, don't complain when you don't make varsity or get recruiting interest.
3. Make Eye Contact When Coaches Speak
Eye contact demonstrates maturity and creates memory.
When 40-100 kids are gathered for instructions:
- Coaches are scanning the group while they speak
- They notice who's locked in
- They notice who's staring at the ground
- They notice who's looking at their friends
Breaking eye contact or inability to look adults in the eye signals immaturity.
Eye contact achieves multiple goals:
- Shows you're listening
- Helps you retain information
- Creates positive memory with coaches
- Demonstrates respect
What NOT to do:
- Looking at the ground
- Staring off into space
- Looking over at your friends
- Checking your surroundings
The immediate consequence: Being the second guy in line asking "What are we doing?" after the coach just explained it.
That's a terrible look.
4. Be You, Not Shohei Ohtani
Don't try to become someone you're not on tryout day.
Common mistakes:
- Pitchers who throw 75 trying to light up the radar gun at 90
- Contact hitters trying to hit balls over the lights
- Players showcasing skills they don't actually possess
You will not magically gain 15 mph on your fastball because coaches are watching.
High school coaches understand developmental timelines:
- Freshmen are expected to look like freshmen
- Sophomores are expected to look like sophomores
- They're not expecting freshmen to look like all-district varsity seniors
The key: Stay within yourself and showcase what you CAN do well.
Better approaches:
- Pitcher who throws 75: Throw strikes with multiple pitches
- Contact hitter: Take mature, quality batting practice with line drives
- Defensive player: Show clean, rhythmic fielding actions
An out is an out.
The shortstop who fields cleanly with rhythm (right, left, throw) and gets the runner out by 10 feet is more valuable than someone trying to showcase arm strength with wild throws.
5. Don't Be Afraid to Smile and Show You Love Baseball
Positive vibes are contagious. Every coach loves them.
The brain-performance connection:
- Players having the best days are usually smiling, energetic, having fun
- Players having bad days typically have negative body language and aren't smiling
- Your brain is the captain of the ship
Keeping yourself in a positive mental space leads to better performance.
What coaches love to see:
- Players who genuinely love being on a baseball field
- Competitors who look like they're enjoying the moment
- Energy and passion for the game
There's a difference between:
- ✅ Playing with joy and intensity
- ❌ Being a joker or wise-crack
Find a way to enjoy the moment.
You've worked your whole life for this opportunity. You've put in countless hours to get here. Don't be terrified of making a mistake—embrace the chance to compete.
The throughline: If you can't relax and enjoy competition, you take the game too seriously and become difficult to be around.
Nobody wants teammates who are non-stop intense, can't laugh at themselves, or can't find joy in the game.
Winners find ways to enjoy the battle while competing hard.
6. If You Make a Mistake, Don't Pout or Show Bad Body Language
Bad body language includes:
- Slumped shoulders
- Smacking or throwing your glove
- Rolling your eyes
- Any visible cues showing you're upset
The reality: Everyone at tryouts will make mistakes.
Even the player having a great tryout will:
- Foul off pitches in the cage
- Spike fastballs in the bullpen
- Kick a ground ball
Nobody has a perfect tryout.
What separates players: How you respond when failure inevitably happens.
The opportunity in failure:
- Show maturity by moving past it immediately
- Demonstrate you can flush mistakes and compete
- Prove you won't fall apart under pressure
Coaches need to see this. They can't fully evaluate you until they see you handle adversity.
The preparation-anxiety connection:
If you're anxious about tryouts, it typically means you're not prepared.
Solution: Prepare harder than anyone. Work harder than anyone. Then when your moment comes, let it fly with confidence knowing you've done everything possible.
Preparation cures anxiety more than anything else.
It's like studying for a test:
- Under-prepared: Anxious, nervous, terrified of a bad grade
- Over-prepared: "Give me that test, I'm ready"
Even if you don't perform perfectly when fully prepared, it's easier to handle because you gave everything you had.
7. Tryouts Are Not a Time to Be the Cool Guy
High school kids are young, impressionable, and care deeply about peer opinions.
"Cool guy" behaviors that destroy opportunities:
- Making everyone laugh during instruction
- Not sprinting to position (because that looks "try-hard")
- Clowning around or being a distraction
- Making fun of kids giving their best effort
The reality: Be a try-hard.
Teams full of try-hards overachieve. Teams full of "cool guys" underperform and fracture.
What coaches see:
- Your 14-year-old buddies might be laughing
- Your 40-year-old coach thinks you're a clown
- If you're on the bubble, you're not making the team
- If you're a negative influence on players they like, you're gone
Real coaching conversation:
"Johnny's pretty good. What do you think?"
"Yeah, well, he's a clown and a distraction. I've got enough guys in this program. I only need nine across four grades for varsity. I don't have time for a clown."
Result: Johnny doesn't make the team or gets cut after a year.
The leadership principle:
True leaders are never concerned with being the cool guy. They're concerned with:
- Their effort
- Serving teammates
- Being coachable
- Making the next right decision
No successful leader in any field will tell you that making fun of others or going half-ass gets you far in life.
8. Stay Off Your Phone
Just leave it in the car.
The phone problem:
- Phones are addicting for everyone (adults included)
- Picking up your phone signals this isn't your most important priority
- It's a distraction from being completely locked in and present
- Nothing on your phone will help your tryout performance
If you bring it "just in case" but keep it turned off:
- You can turn it back on
- The temptation still exists
Better solution: Leave it somewhere it's not even an option.
The professional parallel:
Adults don't walk into job interviews, sit down, and say:
"Hold on, let me check my Facebook real quick."
"Oh, I got a notification, boss. One second."
Next candidate.
Coaches walking into the dugout and hearing phones ringing or buzzing is infuriating.
Turn phones completely off and lock in on why you're there.
9. Shake Hands, Make Eye Contact, Say Thank You
After tryouts conclude, approach coaches:
- Shake their hand firmly
- Make eye contact
- Thank them for the opportunity
Why this matters:
1. Coaches remember it:
"Hey, that's a good kid right there."
2. Shows maturity and respect:
Coaches are from generations where showing respect to authority was non-negotiable. This simple act demonstrates you understand that.
3. Can tip the scales for bubble players:
If you're not awful but on the roster bubble, this could make the difference.
4. Starts building relationships:
Even if you're the best kid at tryouts, why not create positive connections and show you're respectful?
5. Shows appreciation:
These coaches didn't have to run tryouts. It's their livelihood and program. Showing respect costs you nothing.
The reality: Most kids don't do this anymore, which makes you stand out even more when you do.
✅ Action Items: Tryout Controllables
- Identify what's 100% in your control and commit to A+ execution
- Plan your tryout outfit—look like a ballplayer
- Practice making eye contact during instruction (it's a skill)
- Commit to being yourself, not trying to be someone you're not
- Plan how you'll respond to inevitable mistakes with positive body language
- Decide now: You won't be the cool guy, you'll be locked in
- Leave your phone in your car—eliminate the temptation completely
- Prepare what you'll say when thanking coaches afterward
- Sprint everywhere—make it a non-negotiable habit
- Smile and compete with visible joy for the game
College Camp Strategy
The Strategic Approach to College Camps
Before committing to any camp, ask: Why am I going?
College camps serve different purposes depending on your age and recruiting situation.
For Freshmen and Sophomores: Dream Big
Younger players (2028s, 2029s):
Going to camps at big-name programs is perfectly fine:
- Experience elite-level facilities
- See what top programs look like
- Get a feel for college baseball environments
- Learn and develop around high-level instruction
The purpose here is experience and education, not necessarily recruiting.
You're building perspective on what college baseball looks and feels like at various levels.
For Juniors and Seniors: Be Realistic and Strategic
Older players (2026s, 2027s):
Your camp strategy must shift to realistic recruiting opportunities.
Critical questions before attending any camp:
Has this school shown interest in you?
- Have they followed you on social media?
- Have they reached out to coaches in your circle?
- Have they communicated with you directly?
Do you fit their recruiting profile?
- What level are they recruiting?
- Where do you realistically project?
Is this the best use of your weekend?
- Could you go to a D2, D3, or JUCO camp where you're a genuine fit?
- Where will you actually get meaningful evaluation?
The Big School Reality Check
Scenario: 150 kids at a University of Texas open camp
The reality:
- They're not looking at all 150 kids equally
- Most attendees are paying customers getting an experience
- Coaches already know who they're recruiting
- Your chances of being "discovered" are minimal
Compare this to: A D2, D3, or junior college camp where:
- 30-50 kids attend
- Coaches think: "This kid intentionally came here"
- They take you seriously as a recruiting prospect
- Meaningful conversations can happen
- Real opportunities exist
Example scenario:
"This kid could be at TCU right now in Fort Worth, but instead he's out here in the cow pasture at a junior college looking for an opportunity."
That kid gets serious attention.
Geographic and Recruiting Territory Research
Before attending camps, research current rosters:
Visit target schools' websites and analyze:
- Where do current players come from geographically?
- What's their typical recruiting territory?
- Do they recruit your home region?
- What level of players are they bringing in?
Example:
A Nebraska school that exclusively recruits Nebraska players won't travel to Florida to evaluate you. Don't waste time and money trying to get in front of them.
The principle: Go to camps where schools actively recruit your area and profile.
Intentionality Creates Opportunity
When you show up at a realistic camp:
Coaches see a player who:
- Did their homework
- Understands where they fit
- Is serious about their program
- Could be a legitimate recruiting target
This creates legitimate recruiting conversations:
- Coaches want to see you
- They'll evaluate you seriously
- Relationships can develop
- Offers become possible
Versus showing up at a dream school camp where:
- You're one of 150 attendees
- Coaches aren't recruiting your level
- You get a generic "thanks for coming" report
- No real opportunity exists
Multiple Pathways to Success
Remember: There are countless examples of late recruiting success stories.
Real examples:
- D1 offers in the spring of senior year
- Full scholarships to Power 5 programs one month after high school graduation
- Players with zero D1 interest who dominated summer ball and landed at elite programs
The principle: If you're good enough, opportunities will come whenever you develop.
Your job: Put yourself in environments where realistic opportunities exist.
The Late Bloomer Path
Don't be discouraged if recruiting hasn't happened yet.
Many elite players:
- Had 3 or fewer scholarship offers out of high school
- Weren't the best player at their own high school
- Developed physically after high school
- Grew several inches post-graduation
If you want it badly enough and keep working, opportunities will emerge.
The key is being strategic about WHERE you're trying to create those opportunities.
What Coaches Want to See at Camps
Regardless of the level:
Coaches want to see players:
- Competing with joy
- Genuinely loving the game
- Having fun while working hard
- Locked in and coachable
- Handling instruction well
- Responding positively to coaching
That competitive joy and genuine love for baseball is what attracts coaches.
Not anxiety about recruitment. Not "what's next" mentality. Just pure love for competing and playing the game.
✅ Action Items: College Camp Strategy
- If you're a freshman/sophomore: Camp at dream schools for experience is fine
- If you're a junior/senior: Get realistic about where you fit
- Research rosters at target schools—where do players come from?
- Ask: "Has this school shown interest in me or my region?"
- Consider D2, D3, JUCO camps if that matches your level
- Don't waste weekends at camps where you're just a paying customer
- Seek camps where coaches will take you seriously as a recruit
- Understand intentionality matters—showing up at the right level helps
- Trust that late bloomers succeed all the time
- Compete with joy and let coaches see you love the game
The Bigger Picture: What Baseball Teaches
Beyond Making the Team
High school baseball teaches life skills that extend far beyond the diamond:
Handling adversity:
- Dealing with failure and setbacks
- Bouncing back from mistakes
- Persevering through challenges
Competing under pressure:
- Performing when it matters
- Managing nerves and anxiety
- Executing in high-stakes moments
Functioning in team environments:
- Working with diverse personalities
- Putting team goals above personal stats
- Supporting teammates through struggles
Building character:
- Resilience through long seasons
- Work ethic in training and preparation
- Integrity in how you compete
These skills shape who you become as a professional, leader, executive, husband, and father.
For parents especially: Baseball is about building a complete person, not just advancing to the next level.
The Joy of Playing Today
Don't let "what's next" steal the joy of playing right now.
Many players are so fixated on:
- Where do I go next?
- What's the next level?
- How do I advance my career?
They forget: You get to play baseball TODAY.
That should be the most exciting part of your day.
Perspective:
- You've worked your whole life for opportunities to compete
- You get to be on a baseball field with teammates
- You get to play a game you love
Don't let recruiting anxiety rob you of these moments.
Relationships: The Foundation That Never Changes
In a world of transfer portals, roster limits, and recruiting chaos:
The one constant in recruiting success is relationships.
Building genuine connections with:
- Coaching staffs
- Understanding program culture and fit
- Asking thoughtful questions
- Evaluating mutual compatibility
- Establishing trust over time
Don't get distracted by factors outside your control.
Focus on what actually drives recruiting success: Becoming the best version of yourself and building authentic relationships.
📋 Episode 4 Comprehensive Checklist
Immediate Actions (This Week)
- If you have tryouts this week: Review the controllables and commit to A+
- Plan your tryout outfit—make sure you look like a ballplayer
- Leave your phone in the car for tryouts—eliminate distractions
- Identify upcoming college camps and research if they make sense for you
- Stop worrying about things outside your control
Short-Term Actions (This Month)
- Research rosters at 10 target schools that match your level
- Evaluate which college camps serve your recruiting goals
- Practice making eye contact during instruction
- Work on your response to failure—flush and move on quickly
- Commit to sprinting on and off the field in every setting
- Plan how you'll thank coaches after tryouts/camps
Ongoing Actions (This Season)
- Control what you can control: hustle, attitude, effort, body language, punctuality
- Present yourself professionally in every baseball setting
- Compete with joy and visible passion for the game
- Build relationships with coaches at realistic target programs
- Be yourself—showcase what you CAN do, not what you wish you could do
- Stay locked in during instruction and show coachability
- Handle failure with maturity and positive body language
- Understand that late bloomers succeed constantly
Tryout-Specific
- Arrive early and be ready when tryouts officially start
- Dress in full uniform or practice gear (belt, tucked shirt, hat, proper socks)
- Sprint on and off the field every single time
- Make eye contact when coaches give instruction
- Stay engaged even when not actively participating
- Encourage and support teammates throughout
- After tryouts: shake hands, make eye contact, say thank you
Camp-Specific
- For freshmen/sophomores: Big school camps for experience are fine
- For juniors/seniors: Prioritize camps where you're a realistic recruit
- Confirm schools recruiting your geographic region before attending
- Don't waste weekends at camps where you're just a customer
- Seek camps at D2, D3, JUCO if that matches your projection
- Show up ready to compete and learn, not just be seen
- Build relationships with coaching staffs during camps
Mental Reframe
- Remember: Somebody is always watching, always evaluating
- Nobody thinks about you as much as you do—don't dwell on mistakes
- Preparation cures anxiety—work harder than everyone
- True leaders aren't the "cool guy"—they're locked in and focused
- Mistakes create opportunities to show maturity
- Play today with joy—don't let "what's next" steal the moment
- Recruiting is about relationships and controlling controllables
- Late bloomers succeed constantly—trust your timeline
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
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- Interactive database of 1,500+ D1, D2, D3, NAIA, and JUCO programs
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Visit recruiting.baseballforward.com to access our complete database and recruiting resources.
This resource was created from Episode 95 of the Baseball Forward Podcast featuring Aaron Cunningham (Director of Operations, Hunter Pence Baseball Academy) and Ross Hawley (Baseball Forward). The insights reflect their combined experience helping hundreds of players successfully navigate the college recruiting process at all levels.