Watch College Baseball

The NCAA Regionals are played continuously from Friday to Sunday on ESPN U, ESPN 3, and the SEC Network. Can’t make it because you have games all weekend? DVR a few of the games and watch them Sunday night.

Take this yearly opportunity to learn about your potential competition. Analyze the physical attributes of each player, how they play the game, how fast they run, how hard they throw. So often I work with players who want to play college baseball, but have no idea what the talent pool is like at that level.

Check out the rosters of some of the known powerhouses. For instance, Texas has only 4 players listed under 180lbs. Of the 17 pitchers on their staff, Texas has only 1 that is under 180lbs, and he is a freshman. Weight is not the end all be all for baseball players, but it is absolutely one indicator of how well someone is built (assuming the athletes are lean). Adding muscle mass is one of the easiest ways to increase mph on the mound, decrease injury risk, and raise your overall athletic potential.

Why bodyweight is important for pitchers

The speed of the college game is often surprising for high school athletes, especially at the high echelon DI programs. In 2013, Perfect Game published this list of the fastest high school sophomores, juniors, and senior 60 yard dashes.

Averages: High School Senior 7.31 | Junior 7.44 | Sophomore 7.56

Top Performers – 60-Yard Dash – Class of 2014

RK Time Name Event School City State
1 6.28 Carl Chester National Showcase Lake Brantley Longwood FL
2 6.31 Denz’l Chapman National Showcase Serra Los Angeles CA
3 6.35 Jared McKay Southeast Top Prospect Showcase Chamblee Charter Stone Mountain GA
4 6.36 Evan Holland Mid Atlantic Top Prospect Showcase Timber Creek Erial NJ
5 6.37 Jack Flaherty National Showcase Harvard-Westlake Burbank CA
6 6.42 Clay Lane Sunshine South Showcase Kaufman Kaufman TX
7 6.43 Michael Gettys National Showcase Gainesville Gainesville GA
8 6.44 Derek Hill National Showcase Elk Grove Sacramento CA
9 6.45 Connor Brady South Top Prospect Showcase Plano Sr. Plano TX
10 6.46 Matthew Collins National Showcase Memorial Houston TX
10 6.46 Trenton Kemp National Showcase Buchanan Clovis CA
12 6.47 Troy Stokes, Jr. National Showcase Calvert Hall College Baltimore MD
12 6.47 Stone Garrett National Showcase George Ranch Sugar Land TX
14 6.48 Tristan Rojas Sunshine Northeast Showcase James Monroe Bronx NY
15 6.49 Landon Morgan South Top Prospect Showcase Lubbock Christian Levelland TX
15 6.49 Giovanni Abreu National Showcase George Washington New York NY
15 6.49 Jeren Kendall National Showcase Holmen Holmen WI
15 6.49 Alexis Pantojas Caribbean Top Prospect Showcase Puerto Rico Baseball Academy Vega Alta PR

Top Performers – 60-Yard Dash – Class of 2015

RK Time Name Event School City State
1 6.44 Satchel McElroy Jr National Showcase Clear Creek League City TX
2 6.45 Demetrius McAtee South Underclass Showcase Parkway Bossier City LA
3 6.46 Alex Shaver Jr National Showcase George Ranch Sugar Land TX
3 6.46 Bakari Gayle Jr National Showcase Martin Luther King, Jr. Stone Mountain GA
5 6.50  Eric Cole South Underclass Showcase Southlake Carroll Southlake TX
6 6.51 Connor Smith Ohio Valley Showcase H.H. Dow Midland MI
7 6.54 Roman Millem Ohio Valley Showcase North Oldham Prospect KY
7 6.54 Jimmy Herron Jr National Showcase La Salle College Harleysville PA
9 6.55 Daniel Little National Underclass Session 3 Lexington Catholic Nicholasville KY
10 6.57 Demi Orimoloye Jr National Showcase St. Matthew Orleans ON
10 6.57 Bakari Gayle Southeast Top Prospect Showcase Martin Luther King, Jr. Stone Mountain GA
12 6.59 Tyler Williams Jr National Showcase Raymond S. Kellis Peoria AZ
12 6.59 Shane Selman Sunshine South Showcase Alfred M. Barbe Lake Charles LA

Top Performers – 60-Yard Dash – Class of 2016

RK Time Name Event School City State
1 6.62 Vincent Ramos Caribbean Underclass Showcase Colegio Bautista Toa Baja, Levittown PR
2 6.64 Nicholas Rowland Mid Atlantic Underclass Showcase Chestnut Hill Academy Blue Bell PA
3 6.67 Ryan Mejia Sunshine East Showcase Alonso Tampa FL
4 6.72 Matthew Meisner Sunshine Northeast Showcase Salem Salem NH
5 6.78 Christian Moya California Underclass Showcase Bishop Amat Chino Hills CA
6 6.79 Cameron Locklear Atlantic Coast Underclass Showcase Jack Britt Fayetteville NC
7 6.82 Tyrik Jones Southeast Underclass Showcase The Galloway Stone Mountain GA
8 6.83 Corbin Bice Southeast Underclass Showcase Chilton Co. Clanton AL
9 6.83 Aidan Elias Ohio Valley Showcase Sayre Lexington KY
10 6.84 Kace Massner Midwest Underclass Showcase Burlington Community Burlington IA
11 6.85 Isaac Collins Midwest Underclass Showcase Maple Grove Maple Grove MN
11 6.85 Austin Bodrato Sunshine Northeast Showcase St. Joseph Regional Northvale NJ
11 6.85 Ashton King Atlantic Coast Underclass Showcase Christiansburg Christiansburg VA

  Source: http://www.perfectgame.org/Articles/View.aspx?article=9177

As you can see, the average senior in high school ran a 7.3 60-yard dash, which is not overly impressive. That 7.3 average is largely made up of athletes who will never step foot on a college ball field. Of high school varsity baseball participants only 5.6% will play at the collegiate level.

What is impressive is the fastest sophomore ball players run between a 6.44 and 6.85. That is blazing fast for an underclassman. To even come close to breaking the top 15 for the senior class you must run under a 6.5, which is plus speed for an MLBer.

So how do you stack up?

Not sure how hard you throw? Get on the gun at your next outing.

Not sure how fast you run? Go to a track and video tape your 60 yard dash. Video does not lie, handheld timers do.

Be analytical with the games you are watching this weekend and see how you would compare against the competition and what aspects of your game need the most work.

Have questions or comments about playing at the next level? Leave a comment below.

Related posts:

  1. Scribner Documentry
  2. Screening and Program Design for Baseball Players
  3. Add Muscle Mass, Get Recruited and Drafted
  4. Qualities Needed to Throw 90+MPH