From Ask the Baseball Pro:
Irene wrote:
With the new transfer rule in effect for college players my son who is a sophomore in a D1 college is having a difficult time making a choice. He had minimal playing time his freshman year as a senior was ahead of him, which was fine. It gave him time to adjust to school and baseball. He went to the coach at the end of the year to see what his plans were for him for his sophomore year and was told he had the starting position. He went back to school in the fall and was again told he would be starting. He decided to stay trusting what the coach said. Then when the season started, he is on the bench after receiving a small scholarship in the fall. Now with the new transfer rule we as parents are sick. He needs to sit a year in order to transfer to D1 and after sitting most of his freshman and probably the rest of the sophomore year he is just itching to play. I feel that the coach totally ruined his future. I understand he can play D2 but he does have aspirations of pro-ball and he was on the HS players to watch list and had some scouts looking at him and now we don’t know what to do. What are the best D2 teams to look at? Just so upset and confused.

We would greatly appreciate any guidance you can give us. Thanks!

From the Baseball Pro:
Irene,
I am not up to date with the current transfer rule, so I am unable to advise you in that area. Although if he does transfer and he needs to leave Division I altogether, another possible route is NAIA. There are numerous NAIA programs that continue to produce major leaguers. Maybe that route would suit your son better.
Your Baseball Pro, Steve Holm

From Ask the Baseball Pro:
Nick wrote:
I have a question. How does a player who is unhappy with his current coach and team transfer to another college program? I want to talk to a coach in a program closer to my home. However in order to do that, the new coach needs me to have a release. With the new rules, If I go to my current coach and ask him for my release then I surely am telling him I want to leave. I just want to play. How can I talk to another program coach to see if he would be interested and if I would be a fit without violating any rules. It seems like this new rule is actually punishing someone like me who just wants to play ball in a program where I would best fit.

From the Baseball Pro:
Nick,
I am sorry I am out of the loop when it comes to the new college transfer rule. Without knowledge of the rule I would not be able to advise you correctly.
Sorry,
Your Baseball Pro, Steve Holm

P.S. Rules change every year, and they are different for each level. Can you have a third party make informal inquiries for you without divulging your name or school?
Host Mom, Jean

From Ask the Baseball Pro:
Fred wrote:
My son Travis is currently playing at Diablo Valley College (JC) in Pleasant Hill,Ca. He is a red shirt freshman,starting at 3rd and currently hitting .380 out of the 4 spot. He is 5′ 11′ and 185. He was not recruited out of High School (except to DVC) although he was the League Offensive Player of the Year, Team MVP and Area High School All Star game MVP his Senior year. Sitting out last year has turned out to be the right decision(bigger and stronger). If he continues having a successful year his goal is to play at a 4 year school in the West next year. How should he get his name out to prospective schools and opportunities that may be out there? Thanks.

From the Baseball Pro:
Fred,
Well my first recommendation would be to start with his current coach. See what he has to say about the four year coaches he has been in contact with. It also would not hurt to write letters to the schools that he is interested in. But I also know that a lot of times junior college players sign toward the end of the season and into the summer. So my advice would be to continue to focus on this season and let next year play out as it is meant to.
Your Baseball Pro, Steve Holm

From Ask the Baseball Pro:
Bill wrote:
My son had Tommy John surgery in August, 2006. As a result he “lost” his High School Junior year and has just begun to regain his strength during summer ball. He’s just entering his Senior year, but he has no stats from his Junior year. His high school Varsity coach wants to video tape him and send the tapes to college coaches. Does this work?
Thanks.

From the Baseball Pro:
Bill,
College coaches have one way of improving their team and that is to have better players. The reason they build these monstorous facilities is to bring in better in recruits. So to answer your question. Yes, it should work. But you also have to understand that you are not the only parent in the country thinking of this. So my suggestion would be to have someone the college coach knows or respects, to send the video for you. Maybe a scout or the high school coach himself.

The only thing I would be afraid of would be the coach not even having the time to see the video. If there are a few schools you are really interested in maybe you can contact the coach before hand, then send the video after he knows who you are.
Your Baseball Pro, Steve Holm

P.S. Don’t forget high school grades! If your son has a 3.0 GPA or better, AND athletic skills, he’ll get a better shot.
Host Mom, Jean

From Ask the Baseball Pro:
Lisa wrote: Hello!
My son is a sophomore player for a Division 1 college. Two days ago (two weeks before school is to start) the coaches told him they have a roster spot for him but he will probably receive very limited playing time due to current players not taking their draft options and injured players coming back.

They have suggested he go JC to get the at bats and field time he deserves. Of course, he would rather play at another D1 school. Is is so late now- any suggestions?

Do D1 schools take transfers this late in the game? Will going down to a JC help or hinder future recruiting?

Great kid,great player- just needs a spot. Any ideas are welcomed!

From the Baseball Pro:
Lisa,
Your son is in an interesting postion. I have always felt that the only way to improve and get better is to play. Obviously his chances of playing in the current situation do not sound that good. So the choice comes down to him and his goals. Does he just want to be part of a team or actually play? Is he deserving of a starting spot? These are questions for you and him to answer.

I went to a JC then left and went to a different JC my sophomore year. Then I went on to a four year program. So transfering is not a bad option you, just have to make sure you transfer into a good situation. Going the JC route will not hinder future recruiting. Every division I coach in the country wants to win, and if your son can help them do that, they will recruit him. As for transfering to a DIV 1 school I believe his current coach would have to give him a release. This is something that you might have to fight for but in this case you should be able to achieve it.
Your Baseball Pro, Steve Holm

From Ask the Baseball Pro:
Chaz wrote:
I am transferring from 4 year to a Junior College to play Baseball and Basketball. I did not play any sports my freshman year at the 4 year college. I passed a total of 17 credits of a total attempted of 29 credit hours. My basketball coach says I must have 24 credit hours passed to be eligible. My baseball coach says it is no problem. Everything I read says that the 24 hours of credit only applies to student athletes. I was not an athlete. Do you know about this rule? Thank you for any and all advice!

From the Baseball Pro:
This is without a doubt not my expertise. I do not feel qualified to counsel you in any way when it comes to NCAA rules and regulations. They are constantly changing their rules so your coach or athletic counselor would be the best advisor.
Your Baseball Pro, Steve Holm

P.S. Eligibility would not be a problem if you passed more classes! Seriously, focus on the academics. Steve made a very smart move by taking an extra year in the off season to complete his degree–so he is eligible to become a college baseball coach after the pros. It’s a good career……but colleges do require that their coaches set an example for players!
Team Mom, Jean

From Ask the Baseball Pro:
Brian wrote:
Hi There,
I am currently entering my 4th year of college baseball. I spent 2 years at the division I level and recently transferred down to division III for academic reasons. My question is this: how do I get myself looked at or increase my exposure to get seen for the next level. Like any ballplayer, I would love to say that I did everything I could to get my shot at the next level, I just don’t know where to start. Attending a small college now, I believe it will be a little tougher to get seen. I would love any input you might have.

From the Baseball Pro:
I believe your best bet would be to look to see if there are any tryout camps. Sometimes teams hold tryout camps where players such as yourself can show up and take batting practice or throw off the mound. I am not sure when or where they are held but your coach might be able to find more out for you.
Your Baseball Pro, Steve Holm

P.S. Explore as many avenues as you can….
Team Mom, Jean

From Ask the Baseball Pro:
Jeff wrote:
Hey, I was wondering if it was possible to start my baseball career after missing my senior year because of injury and not being able to play at the college of my choice because of their recruiting policy. I’m a good player and could easily play at other colleges, but I would
rather graduate from the school I am at now. Is it possible if I am still in top shape and on top of my game playing in different leagues in the summer spring and fall that I would be able to get noticed at tryouts for perhaps a Minor League team either during or after college? I’m almost 21 and I feel like it’s not too late to start, but at the same time I really got screwed in my situation missing getting scouted senior year in high school… Baseball has always been my passion, and I know I am good enough to compete at higher levels. What should I do from here?

From the Baseball Pro:
If I were in your shoes, I would look into attending a junior college around your school. I am not an expert on the rules of athletes and transfers but I think that a junior college would be your best bet because the classes would transfer back to your current school. Also you would be still able to take a few classes at your school as long as you were enrolled in the minimum at the junior college. This would be my suggestion to you to start the process. See if this would be feasible or even allowable.
Your baseball pro, Steve Holm

When deciding what school to attend there are many
factors that one must consider in choosing a college baseball program. Location, coaching staff, facility, cost, strength of the program, and playing time are just some of the deciding factors. Each player must choose which factors are the most
important to him when finally making his choice.

For some players playing time is the most important factor. If you are a freshman going to a powerhouse NCAA Division I program it will be hard for you to receive all the playing time you probably desire. It depends on your skill level and your position. Pitchers seem to have an easier learning curve than that of position players. So a pitcher would have a better opportunity to play more and earlier than a position player in most circumstances.

Location and cost sometime go hand in hand. If you
decide to go to a private college in California, be prepared to shell out a lot of money. Even if you recieve the rare “full ride”, it still cost a lot of money just to live, ie gas money, food, etc.. Also if your parents want to see you play, obviously the closer the better.

Lastly, the baseball coaching staff, strength of the program
and facility play a huge role. One thing to consider about the coaching staff is to ask them to what level they played. Often times the one who played to the highest level understands more about the game. They are better at coaching you through slumps because they went through them as well. The strength of the program should be an easy one. How much do they win,
and how long have they been winning for? Nobody wants to be on a losing team and neither should you.

Finally the baseball facility always is a big recruiting tool. Does your school have a locker room, or will you be changing in the parking lot? How about a batting cage, and an indoor facility? If the winters are long and cold then an indoor facility might be needed.
Your baseball pro, Steve Holm

When you are deciding where to go to school, there are many considerations in choosing a college baseball program. Playing time is probably the biggest concern, in deciding between a junior college or a four year college baseball program. Both options have their benefits as well as downfalls. Usually a player has a better chance to play more at a junior college than he would at a four year school, but that is not the only factor to think about.

Junior college baseball programs tend to have fewer facilities and less money to spend than four year schools. You probably will not be taking airplane flights to your baseball games, nor will you be wearing your Nike jerseys like you can at some larger four year schools. But junior college programs have their advantages, namely game playing time. You are usually competing against players that are your age or a year or two older. They tend to be much more inexpensive. California junior colleges for example can cost less than one thousand dollars per semester. Another overlooked advantage of the junior college baseball program is that after spending two years there and improving, many times you can go to a better four year program than you could out of high school. Many four year schools rely heavily on junior college baseball players on a yearly basis.

Four year schools as mentioned above tend to have much more money to spend on their baseball programs. The facilities can be night and day better than junior colleges. When you go to a four year college out of high school, it is easier to graduate because you know what classes to take. You can concentrate on your major from day one if you choose because you are already there. You also have an opportunity to play for a longer period of time for the same baseball coaches. The things that they teach will have more time to sink in thus allowing you to perform better. Junior colleges tend to be commuter schools where many four year schools are not. The dorms and campus housing allow for the students to hang out with each other more, and this tends to be more fun and more of a college experience.

In conclusion there are many factors that you must weigh before making your decision. Each baseball player has different factors that are important to him. Hopefully these that were discussed will help you in your decision making process — remember to go where you are the most comfortable.
Your baseball pro, Steve Holm

P.S. Grades are an important factor in having choices! An athlete with a 3.0 or better has more options to choose from. Host mom, Jean