Going pro after High School

Ok, so your players dream and goal is to play proball. The reality of this happening becomes quite real when you get those questionares in the mail, when the scouts begin to show up at games, begin calling home asking for home visits, etc., etc. The anxiety sets in when you think that this could possibly happen, the talk becomes serious, and for those coming out of HS it can become a big dilemma of what should he do or not do.

This is a very personal decision between the player and his family and his particular circumstances. Although I strongly believe that for most players, going to college first is the better option, it is and always should be a personal choice, not what someone else did or recommends. Everyone's situation is different.

For those that don't know, my son signed to go to school for a 90% scholarship, that right there put up a big concern for scouts, called signability. My son was a bit behind the 8 ball with that much in scholarship money, they knew that it would take a lot for him to give up going to Clemson, playing in the ACC under an A+ pitching coach and a successful head coach. Although he told most scouts he would consider going pro, I don't think that most really beleived him. They also knew that his parents were college educated and strongly believed that education is very important, so that was a negative also. We also were pretty honest, and probably pretty unrealistic (as most are) as to what it would take to sign out of HS (lots of money). Reality is, my son wasn't worth what he felt he wanted, and that is what it is all about. He had one offer to go pro, from the yankees, 125-150K and school, but not 90% of 3 years at Clemson. That amount for a projectible pitcher, throwing 90+ with more in the tank wasn't going to cut it for him. When he said no thank you, the scout said, good choice. He also was told that from quite a few other scouts, go to school, grow up, get bigger, get stronger, get faster, get most of your education and see what happens in 3 years. Most of them said, if you have it now, you will have it later. Just hope and pray you remain healthy. But we beleived that one has to move forward NOT being fearful but with positive thoughts, what will be will be.

Coming out of HS, son was ranked among the top 50 players in the country from his grad year, that changed weekly according to what publication you read or what scout talked to another. His projection was 5,6-10th round (the 125-150K was about 7th round money at that time). As much as I love Sully, I realize now with his contacts, he was most likely telling scouts, don't draft him. I asked him about that once, he just smiled his Sully smile and chuckled. Although we sought the advice of an advisor, the one person my son really liked said that he would NOT advise him out of HS. I didn't realize until later than he was a Clemson graduate, former player and drafted out of the program, and a very good friend of the Clemson coaches. But when all was said and done, when son was not drafted and showed up on campus, so did the advisor, who advised him through college and now his agent. For my son, going to school was a very good option, winning an ACC shampionship, playing in Omaha, playing at the cape, plus experiencing college life made saying no all worthwhile. He managed to stay healthy throughout college, and got drafted much higher than he would have out of HS. So for us, coming out of college with no debt, for him a second round recognition, and a nest egg was worth waiting 3 years, but I do realize, not all players have the win win situation he had.

As you go through this process, as a parent there are a few things I strongly suggest. First ask a lot of questions, all teams do things differently with young players. For example, the cards have an actual "rookie" team in the appalachian league that the player can go to, that is why so many from HS sign, some don't play in these types of leagues, so the player remains in their complex league. Complex ball is not a lot of fun. Up early, games within the league played early with long afternoons and evenings ahead of you. No one comes to watch.

Ask where each league is located, is sending your HS son across the country with no family close by going to make him happy, they all get homesick. Very homesick, even my college player going to the Penn League was homesick (not for home but for his coaches, friends at Clemson).

Is your player mature enough to go to work, because as great as it sounds, it's your job, you have to show up everyday, there's no calling in sick. Realize that baseball is an opportunity, but all opportunities are based upon your worth to the team and how they do business. And remember if you don't like your employer, you are not afforded the opportunity to go looking for another (employer).

Someone told my son something once, think about what might happen later on, if you are unhappy with the choice you made, would you rather be unhappy in school or unhappy stuck in the middle of nowhere. Of course my son's answer was that money would make him less unhappy, but he wasn't going to get what he wanted to make him happy. Money out of HS was the only motivation for him to sign. Some may say he really didn't want to play pro ball, but it is just that he took a different path.

Familiarize yourself with draft slotting, if there is talk he may fall in one round, understand that the bonus money can drop significantly after a certain round. Of course there are some players drafted low, who do end up getting what they want, but they should have been an early pick to begin with, they just fell in the draft, most likely for signabilty reasons.

Use an advisor only if your son needs one. That sounds strange but true, most do not need one to advise on the process, and make sure you trust that person. Too many stories of advisors talking to teams (which is actual representation), too many changes in the NCAA's stronger stance of what one can and can't do. Understand that for the advice given, your son will pay 4% (maybe less) if he agrees to use his services as an agent and sign. Is that advice going to be worth giving up some of his bonus money, he will need to depend on. I do suggest if anyone signs to make sure that agent is qualified to do business with MLB, that means at least ONE player on the 40 man roster. Some of these agents, have a stable of young ponies, but no real race horse (if you get what I mean), therefore, they cannot talk to anyone about your son. And a time may come when someone needs to talk to someone. The great part about having an agent you trust and knows his stuff is the he will be there for you asap when you call him, and that you can go about your job and he can take care of the baseball business. Priceless, IMO.

So I guess by now, you have figured out that I am for going to college first, but there are exceptions (nice bonus money) and sometimes position.