Recruiting Timeline
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Scholastic year by year break down of what to be doing, and when to do it, to help a player achieve the goal of playing at the "next level" |
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Major League Baseball Scouting
Dan Jennings
Director of Scouting
Tampa Bay Devil Rays
Question: At what age do you start watching a player? (i.e. youth summer tournaments / varsity high school baseball)?
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Answer: 13 / 14 summer youth tournaments
Question: How important is it for a high school player to attend a professional
team's open try-out day? |
Answer: Very important. It gives the organization an opportunity to know the player and to begin establishing history on the kid.
Question: At what grade in school should a player attend their first "try-out" day? (i.e. 9th grade, 10th grade, etc.)
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Answer: Summer after their 9th grade year. It has always impressed me for a 14 or 15 year old kid to come out and compete.
Question: Is it a good idea for a high school player to send a letter of introduction to a professional team? Much the same as he might to a college coach.
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Answer: NO These get lost in the shuffle.
Question: With the increasing number of "Showcase" events, in recent years .... How important is it for a player to attend this type of event?
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Answer: If affordable these are easy ways to get a lot of exposure, by all the MLB teams - But it is certainly not necessary.
Question: How do you decide (as an organization) which showcase events to cover? |
Answer: We try to cover them all to some capacity.
Question: Which showcase events do you personally consider to be the best? From a professional MLB team's perspective. |
Answer:
- East Coast Pro
- Perfect Game Events
- Area Code Games
Question: What is the best way for a high school player to get noticed by a professional scout? |
Answer: Attend try-out camps in the summer, these camps are to build an area scouts follow list first and foremost. If they sign someone that is icing on the cake - get the young player in.
Question: How important is a player's physical appearance? I do not mean
is he 6'-1" tall and weigh 200 pounds. What I am referring to is tattoos, body piercing, odd hair styles, manner of dress, etc. Are any or all of these a "negative" when a pro scout sees a player
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Answer: You have only one chance to make a first impression. - Image is perception, perception is everything.
Question: If a player has a bad day ... when a professional scout is in the stands watching him for the first time .... Does that mean it is "over" as far as that pro team is concerned? |
Answer: Maybe for that team. Hopefully that scout will go back for another look. Remember the player only has to impress 1 scout to be drafted.
Question: How important is a player's "attitude appearance" when in a game
and at practice? |
Answer: It tells me everything about his maturity level - both psychologically and mentally.
Question: Do college coaches and professional scouts ever talk to one another
about prospective high school players?
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Answer: YES
Question: How important are the psychological tests in regard to where a player may be drafted, in which round, or if he will be drafted at all? |
Answer: These tests are very important to some teams. The Devil Rays do not administer these tests.
Question: How important is a player's past medical history in regards to a potential draft round? Same question for the vision tests. |
Answer: VERY -- These are reviewed by a medical staff, looking for "red flags", either now or in the future.
Question: How important is it for a player to attend a "pre-draft" workout - if he is invited? Is it possible for a player to be drafted in the first 5 rounds without attending a pre-draft workout? |
Answer:
- Very important, this will allow the scout to answer any further questions that remain. If a player is invited that tells you the scout has major interest in the player and probably has him on his draft list.
- Yes it is possible to be drafted in the top 5 -- but it sure says a lot about the player if he's invited and shows up or not.
Question: How important is the "draft and follow" method to your organization? Do you utilize this process much? |
Answer: Important to us, we utilize the "draft and follow" process as an extension of our player development system. We purposely "d & f" 15 to 20 kids each draft.
Question: How important are junior college players to your organization's draft strategy each year? |
Answer: We line players up according to ability 1st and foremost
Question: If a high school player has the option of attending a very good junior or community college versus a small four (4) year school what factors make one choice better than another? ( I am referring to baseball
programs -- not the academic institutions) |
Answer:
- Go where you are wanted
- Go where you are going to get playing time!
Question: Do players get drafted that have not been seen by an individual
team's cross checking ("cross checker") scout? In other words on the recommendation of an area / associate scout only?
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Answer: They do here and we've made some very good drafts this way.
Question: What other tips or advice can you give a high school player that
would rather "go pro" than play in college?
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Answer:
- Make up your own mind
- Work hard and pursue your dream If there is 1% doubt -- Don't Sign!
- HAVE FUN
- Learn the Game
- Be honest with the area scout - If you want to sign - great - let him know - if you don't want to sign, please have enough respect for the game, scout and organization to tell them before the draft.
Dan Jennings
Director of Scouting
Tampa Bay Devil Rays
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