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Questions About Professional Baseball
And the High School Player


Tim Hallgren
National Crosschecker
Texas Rangers


Question: At what age do you start watching a player? (i.e. youth summer tournaments / varsity high school baseball)

Answer: 15 years old and up.

 

Question: How important is it for a high school player to attend a professional team's open try-out day?

Answer: Important -- Scouts get to know a player at an early age.

 

Question: At what grade in school should a player attend their first "try-out" day? (i.e. 9th grade, 10th grade, etc.)

Answer: Sophomore -- 10th grade.

 

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.

Answer: Not Really.

 

Question: Is it a good idea for a high school player to make a videotape, of himself, in baseball situations and give it to a professional scout?

Answer: Not Really

 

Question: With the increasing number of "Showcase" events, in recent years .... How important is it for a player to attend this type of event?

Answer: Attending one of the main showcases should be sufficient

 

Question: How do you decide (as an organization) which showcase events to cover?

Answer: Our area scouts have territory responsibility.

 

Question: Which showcase events do you personally consider to be the best? From a professional MLB team's perspective.

Answer: Area Code Games.

 

Question: What is the best way for a high school player to get noticed by a professional scout?

Answer: Playing organized baseball -- league teams, high school teams and travel ball.

 

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?

Answer: Very Important. We want our players to be good people.

 

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: No, We look at physical tools and projection -- Not performance.

 

Question: How important is a player's "attitude appearance" when in a game and at practice?

Answer: Very Important.

 

Question: Do college coaches and professional scouts ever talk to one another about prospective high school players?

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: It's just more information on a player. It gives us more confidence regarding a player that we are considering signing.

 

Question: How important is a a player's past medical history in regards to a potential draft round? Same question for the vision tests.

Answer: Important.

 

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: Important -- Yes

 

Question: How important is the "draft and follow" method to your organization? Do you utilize this process much?

Answer: Very important. It's another method that we use for acquiring talent that could develop in a year. Yes.

 

Question: How important are junior college players to your organization's draft strategy each year?

Answer: Somewhat -- Mostly in the draft and follow process.

 

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: He needs to play to develop, so he needs to go where he can play..

 

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?

Answer: YES. Our area scouts have responsibility.

 

Question: What other tips or advice can you give a high school player that would rather "go pro" than play in college?

Answer: Professional baseball teams are in the development business. We have minor leagues to develop players. We do not have to win at the minor league level, therefore our pitchers are not over pitched to win games.

Tim Hallgren
National Crosschecker
Texas Rangers

 

 

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Revised February 09, 2003 .