I wonder how much Fuller would have to pay for the free advertisement Big Cat just gave him? I know I am one person who never heard of his site before that will be checking it out.

 

As long as you pay for his site, I am sure he will be grateful and send Big Cat a cookie.

Fuller is a baseball guy and understands the college recruitment game. He has coached players drafted and seen his kids play in college. He will give an honest assessment but the player has to perform at the showcases in front of the colleges. The line in the sand is round 6.7's 60yd, 88mph from the hill, close to 90mph from the outfield and mid 80's fron IF, pop times under 2sec and exit velocity of over 90mph. That's the competition level for D1 IMO.

I'd have to put Mason Forbes somewhere in the top 20. Not sure where but he's deffinatly worthy.

I'd have to put Mason Forbes somewhere in the top 20. Not sure where but he's deffinatly worthy.

 

#1 in my rankings. So under rated.

Good list. I would add Devin Hairston (Tates Creek) & Riley Jackson (Lex Cath). Miniard & Thompson have the best potential to get drafted out of high school.

 

There are some really good high D-1 level players who should emerge this year, but not considered top 15 today due to injuries.

The problem is most high D1 scholarships are gone. The ones left left will go to JUCOs, pitchers and tranfers. Need to get that D1 their Junior year. Tulane has aready announced their 2015 class. Baseball recruitment is changing.

The problem is most high D1 scholarships are gone. The ones left left will go to JUCOs, pitchers and tranfers. Need to get that D1 their Junior year. Tulane has aready announced their 2015 class. Baseball recruitment is changing.

 

It seems you are right about that. Almost half the top 20 in 2015 class already committed before they have even played their junior season. 2016 Ethan Stringer of Beechwood already committed to U of L. I read on BGP that his classmate Brayden Combs is also weighing a D1 offer. That looks like D1 baseball is going all the way down to the sophomore class for commitments from top players.

You are correct Dingerbird. Schools are always looking for a good arm. The 2014 kids I mentioned (Lee, Dageforde, Hisel) are D1 level pitchers when healthy and would have signed somewhere had they pitched the spring and summer of Jr season. I'm sure there are others. But no doubt, the Junior year is the key year, and it seems like the trend is moving earlier.

Another thing recruits have working against them is how schools get players and their commitment to developing recently graduated high school players. NKU has 7 players from Canada and most played on Canada's National team. Morehead State has 18 JUCO and tranfers which really put freshmen at a disadvantage of getting any playing time until their Junior year. Even if your kid was offered a scholarship from these schools would you want them to go? Better off to go NAIA, D2, or D3 and get to play early even though it happens there also.

Really good question dinger. I can only hope I am in that position as a parent at some point. One thing about these kids these days, they have swag, which us old guys call cockiness. Watched Beechwood play three or four times last year, and one constant was Stringer thought he was the best kid on the field, even if he wasn't. Tough to tell a kid like that to go NAIA and forego their D1 dream, which in reality is what these kids dream about. They don't plaster Sinclair or Bellarmine flags all over their room. I am a huge proponent of JUCO and smaller schools, but really tough to get one of these kids to buy it. As for NKU, don't get me started on how they have chosen to build that program. Great opportunity in a really appealing D1 baseball conference to go after top local talent, and they choose to go to Canada? C'mon man.

Really good question dinger. I can only hope I am in that position as a parent at some point. One thing about these kids these days, they have swag, which us old guys call cockiness. Watched Beechwood play three or four times last year, and one constant was Stringer thought he was the best kid on the field, even if he wasn't. Tough to tell a kid like that to go NAIA and forego their D1 dream, which in reality is what these kids dream about. They don't plaster Sinclair or Bellarmine flags all over their room. I am a huge proponent of JUCO and smaller schools, but really tough to get one of these kids to buy it. As for NKU, don't get me started on how they have chosen to build that program. Great opportunity in a really appealing D1 baseball conference to go after top local talent, and they choose to go to Canada? C'mon man.

At the same time, in reference about NKU and what they are doing. I can understand why they are going the route they are going. They are new to D1 baseball and for now it is still going to be tough to compete with the UofL's and UC's and even WKU and EKU in the area. NKU needs to do their best to build that program to where the really good talent wants to go there or even considers them as an option.

 

You talked about Stringer, so let's use him as an example. If you are a recruit like E. Stringer, and you had the following schools recruiting you, which school would be near the top and which would be near the bottom of your list simply from a baseball point of view. UK, U of L, UC, NKU, WKU.

 

 

I look at it the same way I looked at UC when Bob Huggins got here. That program wasn't even on the map and hasn't been on the map since the 60's. When Huggins got there, they weren't recruiting the top players in the country so what did he have to do for a couple years? He went after Juco players to build the program which led to a lot better recruits.

Well, NKU has to do the same until they are even thought of as a D1 Baseball school.

 

Yes they could go after local talent instead of the Canadian players, but what good would going after lesser talent do to the program because the better local talent isn't choosing NKU right now over other bigger baseball schools.

 

So I will end with this question. If you were Stringer and NKU and U of L were vying for your services, which one would interest you more?

Great points on NKU. My only argument would be that shouldnt you at least try? Heck, by your example, no way at first glance my wife says yes to me. Way out over my skis there, but I tried and she said yes. You just never know, dangerous to assume you know the answer if you dont at least ask.

That is apples and oranges. Its like asking if he went for football where would he go... Bowling Green or Ohio State. Plus, I referring to the opportunity a freshman player would have at one of those schools who are constantly reloading with older players and have less underclassmen. Its something to consider when choosing a school.

Great points on NKU. My only argument would be that shouldnt you at least try? Heck, by your example, no way at first glance my wife says yes to me. Way out over my skis there, but I tried and she said yes. You just never know, dangerous to assume you know the answer if you dont at least ask.

Very true and I would also say, as you have, that NKU should at least pursue these players. If anything it never hurts for the recruiters and coaching staffs to get a foot in the door with the local HS coaches and start building that relationship for the future.

How does jt long, chris goodman,or russell sims. From mercer co. Not make the list all proven great players.

That is apples and oranges. Its like asking if he went for football where would he go... Bowling Green or Ohio State. Plus, I referring to the opportunity a freshman player would have at one of those schools who are constantly reloading with older players and have less underclassmen. Its something to consider when choosing a school.

It is a little different though to be fair when talking about Football and Baseball.

 

Baseball on one hand usually has the same amount or close to it, of players on every team. Football on the other hand can have a difference in players from 60 - 200 players on a team and more goes into deciding on where to go in football for many reasons and playing time can be one. I don't like the comparison with Football and Baseball in college. I think it's 2 totally different animals.