Baseball recruiting is no walk in the park–take it from Jimmy who was looking to be recruited by a DII school for baseball. Wanting to stay on top of his recruiting process, Jimmy scheduled an appointment to visit the campus and the coach of the university's baseball team. Jimmy had little knowledge of the school but had been in contact with the coach who expressed interest in recruiting him. However, things quickly went downhill.
Reservation, Please?
Going into the visit, the admin building was hard to find and once Jimmy got there, the secretary told him and his family that they had no record of an appointment being scheduled. After 30 minutes, they allowed the family to join a tour group despite scheduling a private tour. The group tour took Jimmy all over campus but showed him nothing that pertained to the school's athletic program, which was the main focus of his scheduled tour. To make the meeting with the coach, Jimmy had to leave the tour group early and trek across the entire campus.
Related: Don't Strike Out in Your Recruiting Process: 5 Tips for Baseball Recruits
Second Best on Second Base
Once he got to the coach's office, Jimmy had high hopes due to the accolades the coach had on display. The conversation started and Jimmy was pleased with how it was going. Jimmy, a shortstop his entire life, was told that the university had a promising, freshmen shortstop who they invested a hefty scholarship in. The coach went on to say that if Jimmy wanted a chance to play his freshman year, he would have to switch to the outfield, which Jimmy had not played regularly.
Wanting to have an open mind, Jimmy told the coach he would consider making the switch. The coach then went on to say that even if Jimmy made the switch, it was not a guarantee that he would play. The coach did make a promise that Jimmy would get a chance to start in the outfield in his junior year if the team hadn't “recruited a player whose talent exceeded” Jimmy's in the outfield.
Related: Riding the Bench? 4 Tips to Get Back in the Game!
Even so, Jimmy reluctantly continued with the conversation, figuring that he would never get a chance to start at shortstop or the outfield on this team. Jimmy and his family knew after their visit that it was not the school for him. He mentioned that the whole day seemed awkward and that he would never have been able to attend the university for four years.
Jimmy attended another DII school where he started at shortstop during his junior and senior year. He said that he will always remember his awkward college visit but loved the university he ended up attending.
Have an idea for a story or a question you need answered? Want to set up an interview with us? Email us at [email protected]
* Originally published on May 2, 2023, by Kyle Brady