Wanna See Greg Maddux's Scouting Report When He Was In High School?
Click on images to see a larger version of Greg Maddux's scouting reports.
Click on images to see a larger version of Greg Maddux's scouting reports.
This article originally appeared in Baseball Parent magazine. It's part of an eight-article series on pro baseball tryouts and pitching in college.
At a point in some baseball players' lives, the sport ceases to be a hobby and becomes a job. The first hint of that shift may come at pro tryout camps.
Such camps aren't all fun. They're business. A few hours into a camp, the players may hear disappointing words of rejection from the scout running the camp as he makes the first cuts: "Maybe you had a bad day. Maybe I did. But I hope to see you in the future."
On the other hand, often times the scouts conducting such camps recommend players who won't be drafted to junior colleges, NAIA, Division I, Division II, or Division III universities.
Some camps restrict the ages of players, say from 15 to 22 years old. From 10 to as many as 700 players can show up at one camp. Some teams conduct only a handful of camps while others hold 80 or more across the U.S. each summer. They may be held in sparsely-populated, hard-to-get-to areas or sections of the U.S. that aren't heavily scouted.
According to the Major league Scouting Bureau, the California Angels, Cincinnati Reds, Florida Marlins, Kansas City Royals, and Pittsburgh Pirates are among the clubs that conduct the most camps.
But the Royals hold more tryout camps than any other major league team, according to Art Stewart, Director of Scouting. This summer, the Royals will hold 82 camps, at which aspiring big leaguers will demonstrate their baseball tools - speed, arm strength, fielding ability, hitting ability, and, for some, pitching ability. Certain players are asked to yet other invitation-only camps.
The Arizona Diamondbacks, Atlanta Braves, and Philadelphia Phillies will also be conducting camps this summer.
Player information cards are filled out on each player. They include name, address, telephone, school, graduation date, height, and weight; whether he bats left, right, or switch-hits; his marital status; the number of games played last season; the number of innings pitched; his summer team's name; and whether or not he wears contacts or glasses.
Players are usually asked to bring their own glove, shoes, and uniform, and not to attend in shorts or cutoffs. They are given numbers after registration and the scout in charge of the camp usually orients them to the events of the day, which amount to various judgments about the mechanics, not the past performance, when judging players. In some camps, however, simulated game situations allow pitchers, for example, to throw an inning or about 20 pitches. All attendees stretch, jog, and are timed in the 60-yard dash. Even pitchers, says Stewart, for example, may end up being position players and vica versa.
Outfielders' arm strength is tested by throwing from, say, right field to third base. Infielders other than first basement field ground balls hit directly at them, to their right and left, plus slow rollers, then throw from short to first. First basemen throw to third. Catchers' throwing times to second are checked in steal-simulation drills.
Pitchers throw to catchers and some are asked to throw batting practice, depending on how many are at the camp and the weather conditions, among other things.
Just who will be asked to hit live pitching will depend on how many players attend the camp, the position played, and grades on various skills.
If fewer than 100 players attend a Royals camp, Stewart likes to have his scouts running the camps choose two teams and play a game to see certain players in game situations. Batters can strike out in these games, but can't walk.
A variety of grading systems are used by major league teams. One grading key scores players this way; 80, outstanding; 70, well above average; 60, above average; 50, average; 40, below average; 30, well below average; and 20, poor. Fielders are graded on their arm, fielding, running, hitting, and power. Pitchers are graded on control and on their fastball (for both movement and velocity), curveball, change-up, slider, and knuckle ball.
Such camps allow big league teams to see players early in their development and to follow certain players through high school. Ultimately, says Stewart, clubs may then make wise decisions about players.
This article is part of an eight-article series on pro baseball tryouts and pitching in college.
So you want to know how to be the one pro scouts notice at your next pro baseball tryout?
One last thing: Don't "buddy up" to the scouts that are there. Pro baseball scouts don't hold tryout camps to make friends. They're there to evaluate talent. I'm not trying to be harsh, but when at a pro baseball tryout camp, let your skills do the talking.
Trust me. The scouts will buddy up to you if you've got something they like!
This article is part of an eight-article series on pro baseball tryouts and pitching in college.
This article originally appeared in Baseball Parent magazine. It's part of an eight-article series on pro baseball tryouts and pitching in college.
For baseball pitchers, scouts look at a few things, some of which you can control (for instance, your attitude, your work ethic), others you cannot (for instance, your height, your hand size).
Pro scouts generally use a grading scale by which they rate skill on a curve from 2 to 8. Two is "poor," while 7 and 8 are "very good" and "outstanding," respectively.
Most baseball players who score around a 5 have a shot at getting drafted by a big league team.
In pitching, some or all of the following garner high scores on the 2 to 8 grading scale: fastball velocity, fastball movement, off-speed pitch movement, overall command of the strike zone, command of pitches, poise on the mound (called mound presence), and baseball instinct (for instance, does the pitcher know where to go and what to do on the mound?).
However, pro baseball scouts also want to know if you wear glasses or contacts (which they rate poorly). They want to know about previous injuries (which, again, they rate poorly). Are your parents married or divorced? Has anyone in your family been drafted professionally by a baseball team before? And finally, scouts want to know if you'll sign easily. (If so, for how much?)
Do you have what it takes to go pro?
This article is part of an eight-article series on pro baseball tryouts and pitching in college.
Thinking about trying out for a professional baseball team but don't know where to find a tryout camp? A great spot to begin the search in is your local newspaper, in the sports section. Start looking in late spring and early summer.
Although the Major League Baseball's amateur baseball draft takes place during the first week of June each year, pro baseball teams typically continue to hold tryout camps through the end of July in the hopes of snagging free agents to round out minor league baseball rosters.
Pitchers have the distinct advantage as being the most likely to get drafted at pro tryout camps. That's because every team needs baseball pitching.
MLB has an excellent online resource for locating pro baseball tryouts. It's divided into three parts. Each link below takes you the specific MLB Web page in a pop-up window.
Today's guest post is from Jeff Spelman of Team One Showcase. This article originally appeared in Baseball Parent magazine. It's part of an eight-article series on pro baseball tryouts and pitching in college.
Thousands of high school senior baseball players look forward with great anticipation and hope to the Major League Amateur Free Agent Draft in June.
Four or five seniors will become instant millionaires. Perhaps a hundred or so others will be very happy with the draft. All others will likely be disappointed because they were chosen late or not selected at all.
Major league teams can make as many selections as they want. In 1995, several teams bowed out in the 30th round while others went beyond 50 rounds. But the later a player is drafted, the less likely he is to sign. Of 1,666 players drafted in 1995, approximately 780 were high school players. Of the number drafted, usually 225 to 250 high school players sign contracts.
You need to be realistic and look at the numbers. Pro teams thrive on players who think they will overcome the long odds against becoming a major league player. Actually only 5 to 6 percent of drafted players ever play a day in the major leagues. And about 40 percent of first-round draft picks never make it either.
If your son chooses a pro career, he is at least significantly delaying if not giving up a college education. Questions to consider: What's a degree worth, and how far will he be behind his peers if he enters the work force four years after they do?
If a high school player signs for a bonus of $100,000 (roughly fourth-round money), how long will it last? Uncle Sam claims 31 percent for taxes, leaving your son with $69,000. He may use $10,000 far a down payment on a car. That leaves $59,000. His minor league salary will be about $850 per month-during the six-month season only. So if he wants to live on $20,000 a year, he'll have to use his bonus money. At that rate, he'll use it up in four to five years. By then, he'll be out of baseball, still be making $15,000 a year in the minors, or possibly be in the major leagues.
On the other hand, major league teams do offer players entry into professional baseball at a younger age, which can translate into earlier high earnings and additional benefits. And although many college coaches disagree, Major League Baseball says the best baseball instructors in the world are available to your son.
When dealing with scouts, always be honest and consistent. But remember, you do not have to give them direct answers to all their questions. For example, scouts commonly ask if your son wants to sign out of high school and how much money it would take to get him to sign. Don't give a figure or a range. Many parents simply respond, "My son would definitely be interested in signing if it's the right offer."
Teams not only draft for talent but also for signability. If you do not want your son to sign a pro contract out of high school and you let scouts know that, then be prepared for the fact that he probably won't be drafted at all. Players who have signed scholarships to top academic universities often go undrafted or get chosen later than expected because teams are worried about their signability.
If your son may be a high draft pick, you'll notice large numbers of scouts at his games late in the high school season, and a major league team's top scouts – regional supervisors, crosscheckers, and even the scouting director - will attend.
If you're a parent of a potential draft pick, try to keep your son from being distracted by all the hype. The only way he can enhance his draft status is by performing well on the field-and distractions can hurt his performance.
Prepare your son emotionally for what might or might not happen in the draft. It's nice to dream, but you and your son need to be realistic.
Always consider not taking a team's first offer. Many players earn more by holding out a week than they would have earned in a whole season had they taken the first offer. However, this strategy may have diminishing returns if the hold out lasts too long.
Deciding between college and an immediate pro career can be a difficult decision. There's no magic formula. Look at all your son's options, which may include a couple of years of college first, and discuss them with him.
And enjoy the attention your son receives. It's a once-in-a-lifetime experience. So be sure you're prepared.
It's summer, which means pro tryout camps are just getting underway. But not all pitchers are evaluated the same way. Baseball scouts will be looking for different things if they are observing a high school pitcher verses a college pitcher.
That's because a high school pitcher does not need to be as polished as a college pitcher. The scout is looking for "potential," meaning, what he may have to offer 6 or 7 years down the road. A college pitcher does not have this luxury. His time is running out and he needs to be more polished.
If a scout is scouting a high school pitcher he is looking for some key things: desire, size, injury free, and, probably most of all, a live arm that can produce a 90 mph fastball for a right hander or 87 mph for a left-hander.
Desire is important because he will be away from his family and friends, most likely for the first time. Organizations do not want to spend a lot of time and money on a player who will not have the mental toughness to make it to the next level. Size matters because bigger pitchers usually have more stamina, more power, and is less injury prone -- according to the decisionmakers in most baseball organizations. Injury free, because this will be a high risk pick. Moreover, a live explosive arm, it is harder to teach a good fastball than it is for breaking balls.
A college pitcher needs to be more polished for a scout to consider. A college pitcher must have all what the high school pitcher has plus a few other intangibles. Like control in and out, not just for strikes. Also, movement on the fastball and a good out pitch. Meaning a pitch that can be devastating. A change, splitter, slider, whatever. A pitch that is especially hard to hit on 0-2 or 1-2 counts.
What scouts look for:
High school pitching
College pitching
Do you have what it takes to go pro?
This week, I got a number of questions pertaining to the MLB draft. The No. 1 question many of you had was what scouts look for in baseball pitchers. Here you go...
When scouting a pitcher, the first quality a scout will look for is arm strength. To an extent, this is a God-given talent. But you can improve it to a degree by following a strengthening program such as TUFFCUFF.
One game under a radar gun will tell if a pitcher has the arm strength to be a major league prospect.
There are two basic models of radar guns used to clock the speed of fastballs. The Stalker Gun will pick up the speed of the fastball after it has traveled 2 feet. A fastball will lose 8 mph from the time it leaves the pitcher's hand to the time it crosses home plate. The average major league fastball is 89 to 90 mph on a Stalker Gun. Pro scouts rarely sign pitchers who do not throw at least 88 mph on the Stalker Gun.
CHECKLIST FOR GRADING PITCHERS
As you may know, pitching prospects are graded on a scale from 8 to 2. 8 is hall of fame caliber. 7 is MLB all-star material. 5 is major league average. 4 or below and you severly hurt your chances of being drafted. (See chart below.)
PITCHING VELOCITY SCALE (STALKER GUN)
The number on the left is the "score" a scout will grade you. The number on the right is pitch velocity as recorded by the Stalker Gun.
Do you have what it takes to go pro?
Matt Merullo, an Arizona Diamondbacks area scout, welcomes any opportunity to clear up the "mystery" of scouting and baseball's amateur draft.
First, he said "everybody is getting more exposure than they realize." Then he explained, "true physical ability is more important than statistics." The latter is "confusing because statistics are what we read in the papers, how we rate major leaguers. Still, the only place statistics don't lie is the majors and sometimes it is even confusing there."
The Diamondbacks went into the draft, his seventh, with a dozen names from Merullo's area (New York-New England). It is the result of his seeing about 100 games in 85 days and a trip to Arizona to talk up his choices with the scouting department.
Scouting techniques and philosophies vary in a changing game. Merullo leans toward the old school, the ex-player who relies more on intuition than a bunch of text-book learning (there is actually a scout school now) and mechanical aids (radar guns, computers, etc.).
Arizona has picked a dozen of Murello's recommendations including pitcher Matt Torra, a first round pick last year out of the University of Massachusetts. University of Connecticut pitcher Tim Norton was on his list this year. (The Yankees drafted him in the seventh round).
This is not a great area for prospects. Weather and scheduling are major problems. "You find a lot of good pitchers and some physically strong, gifted kids," he said. "You don't find a lot of shortstops and centerfielders. You find a lot of catchers in New England and some power hitting prospects now and then."
When he finds them, he works hard for them. "I want to go into their house with the money they deserve, sign them to a contract and start them on their way in professional baseball," Merullo said. The prospects - the list started with 80 - are "the kids I want and will find easy to deal with."
Tryout camps, now called showcases, are equally influenced.
Truth is, it is not a world for the faint of heart. "Nobody deserves to play pro baseball," Merullo claimed. "It is a privilege to have the ability and you either want to go after it and develop it or you don't but nobody deserves to play pro ball because of their heart or soul or determination."
Before you declare somebody a prospect "you have to be familiar with what a real prospect looks like, you have to have seen it," Merullo went on. The real ingredients including physical size and quickness are often overlooked [by the host of folks] trying to tell scouts how to do their jobs.
He probably is already aware of the prospects in the area. "You got to see a single player but you're looking at two teams," Merullo explained. "You make a note when you see a skilled freshmen running around."
He would just as soon do his job undetected. "Some guys like it but I can do without the hype," said Merullo, who admits to sometimes actually avoiding people. "You don't want to see an act. I want to see pre-game preparation, the intensity level of getting ready. Hype is not a good thing."
Scouting is involved with looking ahead but it starts with determining if a prospect has what it takes to survive within a basic baseball truth: the speed of the game picks up the higher up you go.
"Once I identify a kid as a player I want to start talking to his family, feeling out the kid a little bit. Finding out where his head is," he continued. Interestingly enough, how a prospect will deal with failure is a big part of Merullo's report. Prospects, often big fish in little ponds, are not terribly familiar with failure.
"You have to know the organization you work for and you really have to know the kid," explained Merullo. "Every kid has his own set of circumstances. You are the doorway that leads the kid into the system. You have to have an idea of how he's going to adapt to mechanical changes they're sure to make. How is he going to react to failure when that happens?"
Most prospects are looked at several times - "you got to have something to keep us coming back" - and Merullo hopes at least one of the visits is on a bad day.
Merullo has to determine, especially with high schoolers, "what is that kid's life going to be like when he goes off into pro baseball? Is the kid ready for Yakima, WA (Pioneer League) or Missoula, MT (Northwest League)" - the bottom rungs in Arizona's system....
Pete Zanardi, a freelance writer from Chester, writes about a variety of subjects for Shore Line Newspapers. Read the complete article here.
A complete workout program
for baseball pitchers
of all ages
A training guide for baseball pitchers
8-13 years old
Learn how to throw pitches using different baseball pitching grips
Learn baseball pitching drills and techniques to develop rock-solid mechanics
Learn baseball pitching strategies to outsmart
any hitter or team
Learn pro-level baseball pitching instruction for experienced players
Learn essential baseball
pitching tips for young
players
A dynamic baseball warm up for position players, pitchers and catchers
Welcome to StevenEllis.com, where every day you can get free baseball pitching tips from former Chicago Cubs pitching pro Steven Ellis. You'll find 600+ baseball tips in the blog archives. But you can read the most popular pitching articles here. Have a specific question? Get it answered on the discussion forums.
Recent Comments