MLB DRAFT

gotta depend on WHERE you go to school. AND where you get drafted.

unless you are a single digit round pick - GO TO SCHOOL.

rds 1-9 youll get enough of a signing bonus if you play it smart to be able to go back to schoool after your carreer is over.

if you get picked later, go to school, play ball for 3-4 years. have a degree. have fun. short of career ending injury you will get a better draft slot and likely start AA or AAA instead of A or rookie.

 

Yeah if you're going someplace like NC State go pro...OOOPS does JM15 have a NC St avatar?

 

I will say that if you get what you consider to be life changing money you go, but thats different for everybody.

 

Dawgs hit the nail on the head !!

Unless you get life changing money, go to school and enjoy the time with your peers - lots of time for minor league buses when you get a little older and are probably more ready to handle the rigors of that life.

 

Bottom line... if your draft round ends after one number, get all the money you can... at least a quarter of a million... Otherwise, go to college and get better. Pay attention to all of the contract talk and money slots and arm yourself with better information for the next time you are drafted. Plus, the longer you wait to sign, the more you'll know how much the team really wants you (most don't know this trick). Go ahead and plan on going to college and if the offer comes in that you can't refuse, you still have that option until mid-August. Plus, you can still play Legion or any number of summer ball options in the meantime so you don't miss getting out there and playing.

College is a much better minor league system as they can take care of you and develop you better. Aside of a few select guys on each pro minor league team, you don't get the personal attention that you do at college. And the atmosphere is much better with the college game. The challenge in college is to try and get a better draft round the next time. And, since you've been through the process already, you'll know how better to deal with everyone the next time through.

And (gasp!) you will go to class and move towards a degree. It's a lot harder to go back to school at 23 or 25 when you've been out of the game a little while. And you don't have access to the academic centers that you do when you're an athlete.

And remember, a $200K signing bonus (if you were lucky enough to get that) will likely be gone in about 6 years (think how far $10K lasts for you)... then what do you have to show for it? Memories? A few signed broken bats? Really? The pros will still be there for you when you are 21 and physically more mature and able to handle the life. 18 and on your own riding buses all of the time and working every weekend with your crappy $35 per day meal money is not as fun as you think it is if you haven't ever lived on your own before.

 

CAP 7 Broughton

Packy Elkins, SS from Bemont TN was selected in the 37th round (1129) by the Cardinals. Congratulations to Brad and Mary - we are all proud of your son.

Tim Smalling, SS from VA Tech was selected in the 14th round (416) by the Giants. I still remember Tim's walk off HR vs Cary in the state playoffs. Congratulations.

 

anyone know?

wonder what percent of jr's that sign actually get their college degrees?

 

again, anyone know?

why did Smalling not play baseball at NCSU? wasn't he enrolled there as a freshman before transferring tio Arkansas?

 

It is, IMO, a family decision. But to me it should be based upon what helps the kid get to the big leagues the fastest. It might be college, it might be signing and making baseball your job. While some may think that a $1 million signing bonus is life changing money, the reality is that it is a drop in the bucket compared to the arbitration/free agency money.

I have seen situations where a player and his family turned down fair money in the single digit rounds to go to college only to never get drafted again. So if it were my son, the money side of it kicks in when you decide that the club has enough invested in the kid to stick it out if (and probably when) he runs into a bad run of things.

Just my two cents worth...

 

Since he was transferring from Arkansas (where he went out of high school), had to sit out a year before VaTech