Last night, I held a free meeting for baseball families on the exact ways to start getting interest and offers, and how I walk my players through that process.
I’ve now helped over 510 players play college baseball.
If you missed the meeting and want to watch the recording, click here.
But the recording closes on Sunday.
And the message from last night ties directly into what we’re seeing in college baseball right now.
One of the biggest mistakes families make in recruiting is only paying attention to the biggest logos.
The SEC schools.
The ACC schools.
The Big 12 schools.
The programs they see on TV.
I get it. Those programs are exciting.
But the goal is not to chase the biggest logo.
The goal is to find the right fit.
That means the right fit athletically, academically, geographically, financially, and personally.
This year’s NCAA Tournament is a perfect reminder of that.
Here are three Division I programs every serious recruit should know about.
1. Troy University
Troy just reached its first-ever NCAA Super Regional.
And they did it the hard way.
After losing their opening game in the Gainesville Regional, Troy won four straight elimination games.
They beat Rider.
They beat Miami.
Then they beat Florida twice.
Florida was the No. 8 national seed and the host of the regional.
Troy beat them 16–11 to force the final game, then beat them again 10–2 to win the regional.
That is not luck.
That is a tough, competitive Division I baseball program.
Recruiting lesson:
Do not assume a school is “less than” just because it does not have the same national brand as Florida, LSU, Arkansas, or Tennessee.
For the right player, Troy could be an incredible opportunity.
2. Cal Poly
Cal Poly is officially California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.
Most families probably think of Cal Poly as a strong academic school in California.
But baseball-wise, they just made history.
Cal Poly won the Los Angeles Regional and advanced to its first Super Regional in program history.
They beat Virginia Tech.
Then they beat Saint Mary’s twice.
Over the weekend, they outscored their opponents 25–5.
Now they play West Virginia in a Super Regional.
That is big-time baseball.
Recruiting lesson:
A school can have strong academics, a great location, and competitive Division I baseball — even if it is not one of the programs every family talks about.
For the right player, a school like Cal Poly may be a better fit than a bigger-name school where he may never get on the field.
3. Little Rock
Little Rock may be the best lesson of all.
They were a No. 4 seed in the Hattiesburg Regional.
That means, on paper, they were supposed to be the long shot.
But they beat Southern Miss.
Then they beat Jacksonville State.
Then they beat Jacksonville State again to win the regional.
Now Little Rock is going to its first-ever Super Regional against Troy.
That is what college baseball is about.
Recruiting lesson:
Some of the best opportunities come from schools families barely talk about.
The right school is not always the biggest name.
Sometimes it is the school that needs your son’s position, values his skill set, and gives him a real chance to play.
The Bigger Recruiting Lesson
Your son should dream big.
But dreams need a plan.
If he only builds his school list around programs he sees on TV, he may miss the schools that are actually recruiting his position.
He may miss the schools where he fits athletically.
He may miss the schools where he can play early.
He may miss the school that could give him the best college baseball experience.
That is why recruiting cannot be about guessing.
It cannot be about hoping.
It cannot be about just attending more tournaments, camps, and showcases and waiting for the right coach to notice him.
It has to be about building the right target school list, getting in front of the right coaches, and communicating consistently.
That is what I help families do inside the Premier Athletes Program.
We help families build the right school list.
We help identify where the athlete fits.
We help players get in front of college coaches.
We help families stop guessing and start following a real plan.
And that is how we’ve helped over 510 players play college baseball.
If you want help figuring out where your son fits and how to get him in front of the right schools, schedule a call here:
Schedule an assessment call with Alex.
We’ll look at where he is now, what schools may make sense, and whether the Premier Athletes Program is a good fit for your family.
Alex Swenson
College Baseball Advisor
Former D1 Coach, Scout & Recruiter
P.S. The recording from last night’s free meeting closes Sunday.
If you missed it and want to see the exact ways I help players start getting interest and offers, you can watch it here.
And if you want personal help with your son’s recruiting plan, schedule a call here: Book your call with Alex here.
