Youth Inc. Recommends: How Colleges and Scouts Discover Baseball Players

We’ve talked about tips for athletes to get recruited- but you might be wondering how scouts actually discover these impact players for their programs.  

Through a variety of ways, from seeing highlights on social media to good old-fashioned watching a game at a showcase- coaches have a variety of ways to build their teams. If athletes have a better idea of how players are getting recruited- they can aim to use these strategies to increase their chances of recruitment.  

To help players, coaches, and parents, the Youth Inc. team searched the internet to find the best resources to explain how college scouts discover baseball players. =We hear from recruiters, coaches, and parents in all forms of media.  

Here are twelve resources to help athletes and parents understand how colleges discover recruits:  

Quick Recruiting Advice On How To Go D1 

What it is: Coach RAC, coach and Savannah Bananas player, gives us simple tips on how to go D1.  

Why we like it: RAC wants players to focus more on development, rather than getting recruited. If you don’t have the fundamentals- D1 isn’t possible for you. It’s as simple as that.  

A Baseball Mom Explains How Social Media Helped Her Son Get Discovered

What it is: Yourfavoritebaseballmom on TikTok, sharing her experiences with social media in helping her son get multiple offers to play college ball. 

Why we like it: Social media is the obvious tool to help your athlete get noticed. Film practices, hitting sessions, games, weight training, etc. and post it on an X account dedicated to your athlete’s journey to recruitment. Coaches can see their improvement- and in a casual scroll through their feed.  

How College Scouts Find Baseball Players 

What it is: Recruiting with Alex gives us the eight ways coaches find players- and how players can get recognized.  

Why we like it: Players should reach out to coaches- through email or social media. When athletes express interest first, coaches will be more interested in talking to them because the athlete put themself out there.  

NCSA -- How To Get Recruited 

What it is: A blog about how to get recruited for baseball and Derek Blackmore’s experience using NCSA to get recruited for a D1 team.  

Why we like it: Using a recruiting coach can be helpful to a seamless recruiting process because they’re so knowledgeable. Blackmore acknowledged that his parents only know so much- so having a recruiting coach made things manageable and more secure for him.  

Here's What Scouts Actually Want To See 

What it is: A blog from Baseball America that asks scouts what skills they specifically look for in players.  

Why we like it: Athletes reading get a good idea of what they should be working on developmentally based on their position. Hitters, for example, should know that scouts are not only looking at bat speed- but also their general athleticism.  

A College Coach Shares Tips On How To Get Recruited 

What it is: A YouTube video from Coach Beede on how he recruits players and his suggestions for how players can get recognized.  

Why we like it: We like to hear advice from the people who are actually doing the recruiting! Beede explains the recruiting process for junior college and for D1 schools, giving us an idea of what exactly the process is like. He reminds viewers that D1 does NOT always have to be the final destination for athletes- D2 or D3 are great experiences as well.  

No-Nonsense Tips for Players

What it is: A YouTube video from former pro pitcher, Dan Blewett, and the best tips for players in their recruiting journey.  

Why we like it: “Save money until you’re physically impressive,” he says! Don’t spend a ton of money on your players until they’re close to college. In the meantime, let them continue to develop without sending them to expensive tournaments and camps.  

Tennessee Coach Tony Vitello On Evaluating Video 

What it is: A TikTok from TrueRecruits where we hear from the University of Tennessee baseball’s head coach on how he recruits through video.   

Why we like it: Video is great for recruiting- but if it’s taken on Dad’s iPhone 4, it’s not helpful to recruiting coaches. They want to see how you move and how you play- in good quality.   

Princeton's Coach Shares His Key Tips 

What it is: A YouTube video where we hear from Scott Bradley, baseball coach at Princeton University, and his tips for getting recruited.  

Why we like it: He stresses being “loose” on the field and who’s willing to not be perfect, but fearless. Being apprehensive can turn into nerves- which is a no-go for Scott Bradley when looking for recruits.  

Here's A Raw, No-Frills Look At The Recruiting Process 

What it is: An email exchange between a parent and recruiting coach from Next Level Ballplayer that shows the raw reality of recruiting.  

Why we like it: The recruiting process is not all perfect and communicated clearly! This email shows exactly how players are looked at and even if they are talented- they might just not be a good fit for a certain program. It’s as simple as that.  

An Athlete's Guide To The Recruiting Process 

What it is: Recruiting tips from Ken Waldichuk, Athletics player, and Josh Nashed, D1 coach at Saint Mary’s.  

Why we like it: Nashed said he looks for a “difference maker.” While strength training is important, you don’t need to be the tallest or strongest player on the field to be a “difference maker.” You just need to have the capability to perform well and make an impact every time you’re on the field. 

Tony Harper Explains Perfect Game, Recruiting & The Travel Process 

What it is: An interview from us at Youth Inc. of Greg Olsen and Tony Harper, youth operations director for Perfect Game Youth, on the recruiting process and the purpose of Perfect Game. 

Why we like it: We hear more about what Perfect Game is, and how it can help athletes get exposed. They track athletes from the time they’re playing 9U baseball to the time they get drafted to the MLB. Helping athletes build this profile is something that can really make an impact on their recruitment process.