Junior College vs 4-yr College

My brother is being recruited by a number of Division 1, Division 2, and Junior College schools. The 4-yr schools tell him that he should come there because he could contribute immediately and that he doesn't need JC. The Junior College schools tell him that he should come there because in a couple of years he could transfer to any college he wanted or get drafted. And then pro scouts tell him that he should go JUCO so they can keep an eye on him. I know it is all about where you feel comfortable and what is best for yourself, but we are confused about what he should do. Some of you may have experience with this or know more about it, so I would like to hear your opinions and thoughts on this topic. I would appreciate anything you could contribute!

 

juco is best way to go imo for any kid who is remotely a pro prospect. the quality of play is on a level very near d1 schools and the possibility of being drafted each year as opposed to only after your jr year or you turn 21 is very important imo. now ego wise it will not be a great choice because you'll say i go to such and such community college as opposed to state u.

 

Deciding on whether to go to JUCO or an NCAA also depends on playing time. With JUCO, you can get some early playing time but you must perform well because a lo fo these teams carry a lot of guys. I am at Louisburg College and we carry about 26 or so pitchers. But we also have a JV team and so that takes about 8 or so of them and you can't leave out injuries too. The amount of time you get depends on your performance during games. I have found JUCO route to be very good for me because you get a lot of exposure and you face talented teams every time out. I think if you are a player getting looked at by pro-teams, then JUCO is the route to go, but I also don't have a problem with D1, D2, or D3 schools, just giving you my opinion about JUCO's. Hopefully someone could help me out with first-hand experiences about D1, D2, or D3 schools. Good luck to your brother and I hope all works out for him.

 

Thanks a lot for comments and thoughts. The JUCO that wants him is one of the top in the nation and they said that he could compete for a starting role next year. The D1 and D2 schools also told him that he would be thrown in right away. I don't know for sure what his draft possibilities are. There have been some pro scouts at his games already and others have called to find out when he would be pitching. I think that if he does get drafted this year that it would be very late and that wouldn't matter all that much anyway.

 

Just some thoughts about this:

- first, there are no wrong decisions
- The pro guys may want to Draft and Follow; if that's the case, they will steer you to a particular (Juco) school
- Juco is an excellent route if the player did not apply himself in HS. It's a good wake up to what 4 year college will be like.
- Many Juco programs have excellent baseball teams. But many are warehouses, too. Lefty is correct...you must produce very quickly!

- The (we want you to compete from the start) is applied at any level and at any place. If they didn't believe you could contribute, they probably wouldn't make an offer.

The bottom line is to go to a school (any school) that one feels comfortable in the environment and feels wanted by the coaches...but be leery! Many players that are attending the school of their choice, only spoke with the HC during the recruiting process...and 2 years later, still haven't spoken with him.

Do your homework!!!!!!

 

Speaking of homework, I don't suppose that since we are talking about an athlete that course of study or the actual education aspect matters to the selection of a college to anyone?

 

[QUOTE = Braves]The bottom line is to go to a school (any school) that one feels comfortable in the environment [/QUOTE]

As we have spoken about the importance of this subject (Education) countless of times, I took that as a given

 

Ok, but so many times its all about the program, playing time, and whether they can get to the pros.

 

You are absolutely correct. It's also why you see so many transfers as well...which digresses our point about education.

 

kids who go to d1 schools from hs are typically more developed in their skills. a d1 coach must win games. a juco coach or pro team for that matter has more time to develope a kids tools. oftentimes a pro team will draft a player who simply is outstanding in tools such as running, throwing etc. these guys may not know how to play the game but the tools are there. the pro team has this kid year round around the clock to develope him and if it takes a few years to sink in that may work for them.a d1 coach needs a player who can help him now. he does not have 3 yearsto get a player ready to play