Was approached by a pro scout the other day after a game against a big-time school. He told me that he was very impressed and would be watching me over the summer, and then handed me his card. My question is, do I initiate contact or wait to not be nosey?

Dow, it's great you're getting interest. If it is a bird-dog scout I'm sure you'll get a lot more so sit tight. If it it is more than a bird-dog scout they will know how to find you if they're serious.

I would like the other members to weigh in, but I'd venture to guess that most of the pro contact will occur in your senior year, as opposed to college contact. Just keep going to the high-profile events and you'll be okay.

By the way, be sure to go to the pro tryout coming up soon.

I agree with BUM on this. I can’t see you helping your stock with professional baseball by initiating contact with a scout. I also agree with BUM on the senior year as being the most active time for pro scouts opposed to the junior year for colleges. You need to focus on improving your game, keep your exposure up with a good summer team and some showcases. As BUM said the pro tryouts are good too. Keep you academics strong and trust that professional baseball will do it’s job. Getting a college scholarship and getting into professional baseball is very different. To get a college scholarship you have to initiate a lot of contacts and stay proactive because each college only has one or two people scouting for talent while each professional organization has a staff of professional scouts plus the scouting bureau devoting many hours looking at and evaluating players. It's great they are looking at you.
Fungo

Agree with Bum and Fungo - but add this - Keep the card and use it to fill in "scouts who have seen you play" section in questionaires you receive from colleges or in Perfect Game showcase applications. Coaches will call the scout. You don't need to. When they want to talk to you more, they will.

since you have his address send him pizza, scouts love to have free food delivered to them, while they are writting up them resports. If a MLB scout is really interested in you he gonna get your contac info. Just in case he wants to send you a pizza in return.

Andy

The kid asks a serious question and you act the buffoon---get real

TR apparently you never went to an IVY League college. I said clearly any mlb scout showing interest is gonna ask for your address and phone number and other info. You can't draft or contact the player without that information.

Plus you can't order a pizza either without a phone number or address either.

You must be real upset over that cold New England weather.

Andy

Read you post above--has nothing to do with what you say here---and no I did not attend an Ivy League college--have you?

Weather---normal April in the Northeast--some of us do not run from it--we accept it

Cold in Atlanta today as well or are you in Miami--you and your split personality

I just wanted to know what I should do from here really...

Dowbaseballcub

Nuttin. Just keep working to improve your game. Attend pro tryout camps and some hs showcases too. I


TR, I spent a summer at UPENN. They have real good Italian food in Philly.

T,

You have a PM.
catchersdad

The pizza comment was one of the most obtuse i've ever seen on this site. what the heck are you talking about???

Andy


you did not attend UPENN--- fess up --you were coaching, supposedly at any rate, coaching a summer team in that area---hitting coach was it not ---LOL---but you never returned for a encore season

TR,

Yep duh was a hitting coach, made the playoffs and 9 players turn pro.

Dorms were a bit small.


Team moved at the end of the season. Just in case you are wondering have been offer other NCAA summer league jobs since then, turned them all down.

How many coaching jobs have you turned down TR?

ANDY


Why did you turn them down? Wow 9 players going pro and you turned them down ---
What I do is my life ---there have been opportunities--I have my own thing going and I like it this way---acting as a consultant with a great staff of coaches and great people --the only one who can take away my "title" is my wife

Dowbaseballclub,

Keep that card, and any others you receive, in a file folder. It's mostly a nice souvenir of a very exciting time in your life. Don't contact the scout unless he says something like, "call me if you have any questions."

There were some who did say that, after some in home visits. Mostly they were trying to figure out how signable our son was, and wanted him to let them know if he had any change in what he was asking or plans (going to school vs. signing) leading up to the draft.

We never called any scout to ask anything like, "So what do you think?" or "What are my chances?" But we did call a couple just before the draft if they had left those instructions with us.

Sitting tight and not calling at this time of year is hard, but I think with MLB that is pretty much what you need to do.

TR:
$$$$

Andy

I guess they believed you werent worth what you wanted--INTERESTING

Another way to approach it---have your coach call and chat with him--sort of feel him out--let the scout know your schedule--it doesn't come from you it comes from the coach---we do that quite often

TR
Does it make sense to take a job where you would be making 50% less than you could in other baseball jobs.