Characteristics of Division I Baseball Players

Characteristics of Division I Baseball Players
By guest author: Andy Pohl


Below are the athletic measurables and characteristics needed to play at each level of competition. These numbers were put together from general feedback by college coaches. While there certainly are exceptions to the given parameters, these numbers will give you a better idea as to where you stand and what you need to work on.

For the most part, college coaches are looking for pitchers, catchers, shortstops, and centerfielders. Many college coaches will only recruit these four positions and move them to other positions once they arrive on campus. It is very important for high school baseball players to be aware of this fact.

Division 1 Baseball:

RHP: 88-90+ MPH consistently with movement; command of at least 3 pitches;

over 1K per inning pitched in HS

LHP: 86-87+ MPH consistently with movement; command of at least 3 pitches;

1K per inning pitched in HS

Catcher: 1.9 Pop Time or below; superior leadership skills & ability to call games

1B/3B: Tremendous size and power potential (8 + HR in HS)

SS/2B: 6.8 60 yrd or below; 85+ MPH from INF to 1B, 1.35-1.40 turn time

CF: 6.7 60 yrd or below; 87+ MPH from OF

Division II Baseball:

RHP: 85+ MPH consistently with movement; command of at least 3 pitches;

1K per inning pitched in HS

LHP: 83+ MPH consistently with movement; command of at least 3 pitches;

1K per inning pitched in HS

Catcher: 2.0 Pop Time or Below; superior leadership skills & ability to call games

1B/3B: Tremendous Power Potential

SS/2B: 6.9 60 yrd or below; 82+ MPH from INF to 1B; 1.45 turn time

CF: 6.8 60 yrd or below; 82+ MPH from OF

Division III Baseball:

Division III baseball/softball are highly competitive, despite the fact that they do not offer athletic scholarships. Some DIII programs are playing on a DII level, and professional players have been drafted from DIII schools. Due to the discrepancies between DIII schools, it is important that you research each program that you are interested in order to get a better idea as to what type of player they are looking for.

NAIA Baseball:

Like DIII schools, the discrepancies are far too wide to find any similarities in characteristics. Be sure to fully research each individual program to get a better idea as to what type of player they are looking for.

Junior College Baseball:

Junior Colleges have 3 divisions for the purpose of separating stronger JC programs from the weaker ones. While there may be somewhat of a drop off in talent between Division III Junior Colleges and Division 1 and Division II Junior Colleges, there is little difference between a DI and DII Junior College. Many Junior College players lack the 'polish' to be considered D1 players coming out of high school, but they already possess the necessary physical tools to be successful at the D1 level.

Andy Pohl - Co-Founder, DNA Sports

DNA Sports specializes in personalized baseball and softball skill programs, college recruiting education and preparation, and coaching clinics. Learn more: http://www.dnasportsonline.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Andy_Pohl




Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/3231532

===================
Thanks to our sponsors:

www.BatAction.com



---BatAction Machine at CoachesBest.com
---BatActionMachine on Ebay.com
---BatAction Machine Video Clips
---BatAction Trainer - 15 Reasons Why You Must Own This Machine
---Message to Parents From Coach Nick
---If you are looking for BatAction Replacement Balls or Power Bands Click Here

Baseball Drills and Beyond to Attain a Scholarship

By Anthony J Pensabene

College is very important regarding a young person's future. Fortunately, there are many options to employ to get there such as financial aid and private loans. In addition, many athletes receive monetary aid in attending college due to athletic scholarships. A young man looking to improve his future can leverage superior baseball skills to acquire a college scholarship. The following article features several suggestions to help a young person work towards attaining a baseball scholarship.

Do baseball drills on your own

Becoming a college athlete does take superior skills, yet such skills can be developed with dedication and focus. Often, more practice is what separates those who do well in sports and those who excel. Is practice canceled for the day? No practice scheduled for the weekend? Do you have some spare time on vacation? Scholarships await those who are dedicated towards their sport. Do baseball drills on your own to make yourself a better player tomorrow than you are today.

Do well in school

Young people receiving athletic scholarships rarely do so based solely upon athletic merit. Universities granting funds look for candidates who are exceptional in many areas including scholastic pursuits. Often, athletes can use discipline learned in sports to successfully address school obligations. In addition, good coaches make it a point to express the importance of school work and progress to their student athletes.

Attend summer baseball camps

Little league and high school baseball seasons usually take place between the months of March and June. Luckily, summer baseball camps are available so athletes can continue to engage in baseball drills and enjoy the benefits of youth baseball instruction. Student athletes can mention their attendance on their college 'resumes.' In addition, college recruiters are often savvy about the existence of such camps and rove for future potential.

Take private baseball lessons

An aspiring college athlete can really benefit from one-on-one instruction. Private baseball lessons are often available through local facilities or leagues. Instructors can focus on one or multiple areas of a young player's game in order to facilitate improvement and progress. Private lessons are a great supplement to baseball training programs offered at a player's school.

ZonedInc ( http://www.zonedinc.com ) is founded on the belief that it will provide premium instruction and assistance to all student athletes to better their skills and opportunities. It looks to expand the student athlete's possibilities for achievement and success. Zoned will endeavor to assist both genders, initially through baseball instruction and softball instruction, and eventually through a wide spectrum of sports and disciplines.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Anthony_J_Pensabene

Baseball College Recruiting: 10 Facts Baseball Players, Coaches, and Parents Need to Know

SKLZ Hurricane Batting Machine
By Kenny Buford

Although many of the colleges want you to believe you have to be the top of the top for baseball college recruiting, that isn’t always so. In fact, many times colleges are assuming that they are not looking at the top 5% because those student athletes may already be spoken for.

Some things to remember:

1. Grades count. Sure, athletic ability is important, but do you have the grades to get into the college admissions office and catch their eye even without your sports ability? You should have grades that support you as a well-rounded student, not just an image of a ball player alone.

2. Do you know what a college coach values in a player? Is it the same as a high school coach or a teen-level coach? What do you bring to the coach that is different from the myriad of other players your age and ability that makes you a step above? Can you bring the values to the team that your coach is looking for?

3. What is your motivation? Not just “are you motivated” but what motivates you? Is it fame, money or a passion for the game? Do you work at your game based upon only your motivation? Do you have many motivators for your game? This is important; because parents, students and coaches will need to understand the motivators.

4. Are you motivated? As a verb, do you have it? Do you have what it takes to look into adversity and tough times and still shine? This is going to be important to be able to display to prospective colleges and future coaches as this may be a tie breaker trait.

5. Don’t wait until the last minute. Some students start as early as their freshman year in marketing themselves to colleges. If you are a senior and haven’t started, don’t let that discourage you, but do get moving on that! Market yourself as early as you can as a true athlete, because every moment you are no exposing your abilities, your peers are.

6. Do you, or do you plan to, meet the core requirements of entering college? If you are a great player, it’s important to have pretty good grades and decent SAT scores. There are a myriad of Internet sites that can help you make sure you are not lagging, and your guidance office should be able to help you. Again, it’s never too early to start working on your sports collegiate career.

7. Know the reality. According to statistics, less than 15% of high school baseball players will play college baseball. Just know your realities so if you don’t make the team, you are not devastated. It’s as important to know the realities of the situations as well as how to best get into a situation. Never enter any situation blind to both sides.

8. Look at the bigger picture. You may want to play ball but you may also want to have a certain climate, social life and academic schedule that fits your desires. Look at more than just the team; because you are more than just a ball player.

9. Do you have what it takes? It’s more than just the above. There is also something called “Luck and Timing”. Absolutely realize that you have to have both in addition to all the things you can control. Realize that a little of this is going to be out of your control.

10. Finances: not everyone is going to be playing ball on scholarship, or at least on full scholarship. Decide if the cost is worth the sport participation. If you are reading this, the answer probably is “yes, of course it is” but realize an injury or a sudden lack of passion means you still have the finances to deal with but none of the glory of the sport. Really weigh your financial realities.

All of this is meant to get you thinking – be it a parent or a player. Even a coach reading this needs to understand that you are going to be looking at some kids who have the research down pat and can impress you, but some other youth will be just as impressive deep down, but you may have to scratch the surface a bit. Not everyone knows the ins and outs of impressing a coach and a college but may be an exceptional player, student and person under it all. It’s everyone’s responsibility to learn as much as possible and do what they can to ensure the best options for all involved.

Kenny Buford spent years playing baseball at the college level. Today, he coaches 3 youth development teams and shares his extensive coaching knowledge on his blog, you can visit him here: http://www.baseball-tutorials.com/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kenny_Buford

Sponsor Links:



=======================================
Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine
=======================================

HurricaneMachine.com - Links

---15 Reasons To Buy a Hurricane Trainer
---6 Questions Often Asked By Customers
---Message to Parents From Coach Nick
---Hurricane Hitting Machine Drills
---20-Minute Hurricane Batting Practice Workout
---Hurricane Hitting Machine Video Demo Clips

Baseball2u.com has a one of the internet's largest selections of baseball coaching and training dvds.

Sample Questions to Ask College Coaches

HandsBackHitter.com

By Andy Pohl

One of the key components to the recruiting process is asking questions. College coaches are interested in student athletes who ask questions about their school and program. In addition, many answers to the financial questions below are essential to know before signing your scholarship. Below is a list of sample questions you can ask a college coach:

Athletics:

- What is the best means for you to better evaluate me as a player?
- What characteristics do you look for in your recruits?
- What position do you see me playing at the next level?
- What other players may be competing at the same position?
- Will I be redshirted my freshman year?
- How would you best describe your coaching style?
- Who else are you recruiting at my position?
- What are the long term goals of your program? How do you see me fitting into those
goals?

Academics:

- What are the academic strengths of your institution?
- Who best should I contact to get a better insight on my intended major?
- What academic support programs are available to student athletes?
- If I have a diagnosed and documented disability, what kind of academic services are
available to me?
- How many credit hours should I take in season and out of season?
- Is summer school available?
- What percentage of players on scholarship graduate?

Financial Aid:

- What does my potential scholarship cover?
- What are my opportunities for employment while I am a student?
- Am I eligible for additional financial aid? Are there any restrictions?
- Under what circumstances would my scholarship be reduced or cancelled?
- Are there any academic criteria tied to maintaining my scholarship?
- What scholarship money is available after eligibility is exhausted to help me complete
my degree?
- What scholarship money is available to me if I suffer a career ending injury?

Andy Pohl - Co-Founder, DNA Sports

DNA Sports specializes in personalized baseball and softball skill programs, college recruiting education and preparation, and coaching clinics. Learn more: http://www.dnasportsonline.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Andy_Pohl

================
CoachesBest.com
HurricaneTrainer.com
BatAction.com
HandsBackHitter.com
QuickSwingTrainer.com
AdvancedSkillsTee.com
BattingCagesDirect.com
BattingCagesrUs.com

NAIA Baseball - Is it Right For You?

By Anthony Duane Smith

Last week we had a Division I coach give us his perspective and insight on the recruiting conversations that go on between college and high school coaches. Today we're going to take a look at the NAIA division. Many prospective college players don't have a good understanding of the NAIA and what it has to offer. Since information that is directly from a college coach in the division is always some of the best, I got in touch with Jeremy Jorgenson of Doane College in Crete, Nebraska (about 30 miles SW of Lincoln).

The Doane Tigers compete in the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC)of the NAIA. Coach Jorgensen is in his 2nd year with Doane, he was hired in the fall of 2007 to lead the program for the 2008 season and he had an immediate impact. Prior to Jorgenson's arrival, the program had records of 6-29 in 2006 and 9-24 in 2007. The Tigers made a 13 game improvement in the win column in his first year, finishing at 22-28. He also used his first full year to bring in a new recruiting class for 2009 and he told me that he expects more improvement this season. (click here for more on Coach Jorgenson's bio)

I asked Coach Jorgenson to tell me about the questions he poses to high school and JUCO coaches. He told me which traits are important to him:

Athleticism - "many, many guys make position changes in college & to me, better athletes can do this & not lose too much...if they already have athleticism, their performance is more consistent & they are able to repeat their swing & defensive mechanics more often.

Coachability-"can & are they able to learn/change?"

Character-"how do they treat someone on the street as well as how will they interact with people on campus"

Grades-"pretty big to me because it shows an indication of their priorities, drive, work ethic, etc."
Work Ethic-"in the classroom & on the field to get better as a player."

The qualities of coachability and a strong work ethic that Coach Jorgenson mentioned are very similar to what Coach Kovash expressed to us last week. It is more remarkable that two coaches a thousand miles apart, one an NAIA coach in Nebraska and the other a Division I coach in Alabama, brought up a player's character and specifically how he interacts with and treats everyday people.
Knowing now that at least in these two cases coaches are looking for the same things in players, consider these other factors in determining whether or not an NAIA schools might be right for you:

- Many NAIA schools have gained a reputation for being a good fit for students that prefer small college settings and higher academic standards.

- To try and give one blanket description of the level of play in the NAIA would not be very accurate. As opposed to football and basketball where one can expect the quality of competition to decline in sort of a linear fashion from DI ,DII, DIII to NAIA to JUCO, the quality of play in baseball in all divisions varies greatly. It depends on the program, and some in the NAIA are playing at a very high level.

I'd like to give a big thank you to Coach Jorgenson for all the valuable information and taking the time to help all of you prospective college players.

by Anthony Smith
for College Baseball Newsletter

This article is just a small example of all the information, techniques, and lessons that members of My College Baseball plan get on how to get into college baseball. Members also receive a detailed first lesson on how to make real progress in 48 hours or less.
Visit us and join at:
http://www.mycollegebaseballplan.com

Author Anthony Smith's experience in college baseball placement includes;
Personally coaching over 25 players that have gone on to play college baseball, including one team with 6 future Division I players.

Working with players that have moved on from high school to make their way onto college rosters at levels from Junior College all the way to NCAA Division I.

Being hired as a personal consultant to work with both the high school player and his family to get him placed and playing at the college level.

Hired as an instructor and personal trainer in baseball specific personal training - Power, Speed, and Agility training for the prospective college player.

Two of his own sons have gone on to play college baseball, meaning he know this process from the parent perspective too.

Members of My College Baseball Plan receive Anthony's weekly lessons, bonus reports, and step-by-step assignments that put you on track for a college baseball playing opportunity.
Join at http://www.mycollegebaseballplan.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Anthony_Duane_Smith

===Advertisement from our sponsor:=====

Baseball2u.com and CoachesBest.com is your online super store for baseball batting cages, pitching machines and protective screens and nets. This fully licensed company has a full time staff to help you from 8:00 to 5:00 CST. You may order securely online or by phone, toll free, at 1-877-431-4487.
Check out these categories that are featured at Baseball2u.com.
Jugs Complete Packages
Batting Cages
60' Portable Batting Cage
55' Portable Batting Cage
70' Portable Batting Cage
Extender Batting Cage 30'
Jugs Pitching Machines
Iron Mike Pitching Machines
BATA Pitching Machines
Heater Pitching Machines
Granada Pitching Machines
Phantom Pitching Machines
…and if you are looking for Youth Training Equipment, Advanced Baseball Training Equipment, Training Bats, and Pitching & Throwing Trainers, or Portable Mounds, they have those too!
Plus, they have one the internet's largest selections of Baseball Training and Coaching DVDs and Books. Make sure to chweck our their CLEARANCE DEPARTMENT for rock bottom prices on top quality equipment.