Originally posted by getoverthere: J. Weaver #5, since you're from Illinois you might want to look at the Central Illinois Collegete League, ciclbaseball.com. My son played in three leagues in three years, Northwoods, Coastal Plain, and Valley. His college coach had him placed by early Oct. These teams sign 30+ for 22-24 spots knowing that grades, injuries, draft, etc will get some. Good luck!
Well, my coach is trying to get me onto a Northwoods team, if possible and I just wanted to know the liklihood of that happenening. I sent out emails to teams in the CPL and Great Lakes League and have gotten responses from there, but of course the Northwoods is number one on my list.
I was a 17th round pick out of high school this past year and a RHP that throws 87-92, if that is information that helps you.
Posts: 293 | Location: Franklin Park, IL | Registered: February 22, 2007
My son played for the Duluth Huskies in the Northwoods League last summer as a freshman and we are from Illinois. Yes, there are lots of long bus rides and late nights. The bus they traveled on was nice and if it was a long trip they rented a sleeper bus. There was a lot of excitement though and lots of fans. College baseball might seem like a let down after what he experienced there. He had a great host family, so that wasn't an issue. We had him take a car. This host family took on 2 boys, the other was from California and thankful my son had a car. There is so much to do in Duluth so that was nice.
Not that he had a lot of time, but that's where we ended up taking our family vacation and Duluth is a lot more touristy than a lot of the towns he played at.
It was a lot of fun to be able to listen to his games on the internet. Always a lot going on at the stadium kind of like the minor league games.
The Huskies coach is from Missouri - you should get in contact with him now and let him know you are interested. My son isn't a pitcher - so I don't know about playing times, I can tell you we went through a lot of pitchers though since you only have about 5 days off the whole summer.
Posts: 89 | Location: Illinois | Registered: July 06, 2006
On the flip side, some players coming from larger programs enjoy the intimacy of smaller crowds for the summer. That is one of the things son enjoyed playing on his summer team. The whole object is to get playing time you may not get at school, more at bats and more innings only improves your game.
Forget the potholes in the road and celebrate the journey instead...anonymous
Posts: 13462 | Location: South Florida | Registered: July 28, 2003
Son played for Mankato as a freshman (still 18) in 2005 and was their #1 pitcher by mid season. The coaches in this league want to win and will play whoever is best regardless of age.
Posts: 231 | Location: Kansas City | Registered: December 15, 2005
baseballregie, we got to see my sons team play in Mankato - what a fun game that was. My son was picked the Coca-Cola strike out man for that game. When everyone started cheering for him to strikeout - I wanted to say "stop that - that's my son!" HAHAHA!!! Fortunately he didn't strike out, but we had a good time at that game, they did lots of fun stuff with the crowd. Where does your son play now?
Posts: 89 | Location: Illinois | Registered: July 06, 2006
Son found out yesterday he has received an assignment on a CGL team for next summer. Good team (we are familiar with the team), plus he will be able to live at home over the summer......
Posts: 650 | Location: Northern VA | Registered: August 05, 2003
Originally posted by FirstTimer: baseballregie, we got to see my sons team play in Mankato - what a fun game that was. My son was picked the Coca-Cola strike out man for that game. When everyone started cheering for him to strikeout - I wanted to say "stop that - that's my son!" HAHAHA!!! Fortunately he didn't strike out, but we had a good time at that game, they did lots of fun stuff with the crowd. Where does your son play now?
He just finished his senior year at Coastal Carolina. Sorry it took so long.
Posts: 231 | Location: Kansas City | Registered: December 15, 2005
Also a reminder, the northwoods league, if you're a pitcher get ready for another 60-80 innings on top of the innings you have at your school. A lot of innings for a year to head back for fall ball. I only had four days till i left for back for school after summer ball, so you may wanna keep 10 day contracts in mind an renew it a couple of times.
Posts: 91 | Location: Illinois | Registered: October 16, 2005
Getting assigned to summer leagues varies. Yes a lot get assignments in the fall. But grades and injuries happen. My son, who did not play college ball in 08, signed a 10 day contract in the Northwoods League about 10 days before the first game of the season. He throughly enjoyed the experience
My son is a freshman in a small D1 school, so I have some more questions about the summer leagues.
1. Does the coach always recommend this or does the player try to find a spot?
2. When should this be happening? 3. Are contracts signed? 4. He is on the east coast, but we live in Texas, is there a possibility of him coming back to Texas? 5. How do you find out about the team, coaches etc? 6. How many students do they usually carry on these teams?
Posts: 97 | Location: Dallas | Registered: August 07, 2006
1.Many, but not all, freshmen are "assigned" to play in a summer league by their coach. It depends on the school and the coaches normal practice and his relationships with summer league teams. If this does not happen for your son, he will have to come home and find a place to play. He should ask the coach what, if anything, he has in mind.
2. Assignments are usually made in the fall, but there are always openings in the spring and right up until and into the summer.
3. Yes, contracts are signed.
4. If he comes home he could be invited to play in the Texas Collegiate League. Or he might want to find a team to play in the DABA in Dallas.
5. Websites provide lots of information. Just Google "Texas Collegiate League" or "Dallas Amateur Baseball Association" or Collegiate Summer Leagues in general.
6. Most collegiate summer teams carry rosters of 25 - 30 players, half of which are pitchers since they play 45-50 games in two months.
Hope this helps!
Posts: 692 | Location: Dallas,Texas | Registered: December 26, 2002
During freshman year at a JUCO my son repeatedly asked coach about playing somewhere in the summer and the coach basically ignored him. During one of his spring games he was seen by a coach from another school that talked to him at length after the game. Son expressed desire to play on a summer team and it's this other coach that hooked him up in the Coastal Plains league. Had a really good summer and learned alot.
During Sophmore year was recruited by D1 school and it was this coach that got him into the Cape league for the summer. Greatest summer of his life so far.
In both cases he did not know where he was going to play for the summer until May.
Posts: 126 | Location: Elizabeth, PA | Registered: April 01, 2006
The problem with JUCO's coaches not wanting their players to be too exposed in the summer is they may lose them. Many JUCO players go out in the summer and light it up and are discovered by a D1 coach who snaps them up.
Posts: 44 | Location: CA | Registered: November 27, 2008
