What It Takes For Baseball Pitchers To Get The Attention Of MLB Scouts

As a high school or college pitcher, do you ever wonder what pro baseball scouts are looking for in terms of pitching talent? Do you ever wonder what physical skills are necessary to get drafted and started on your journey to professional baseball?

Pitchers have got to have a loose arm. More importantly though, they need to be able to throw a fastball for strikes. Personally, I like guys that throw a good curveball because I believe you can't learn how to throw a curveball, you are born to throw a curveball. But having a plus slider is great, and it can be very effective at the major league level if used correctly.

Pitchers also need to be athletic, have a good makeup. They need to be tough, and coachable. You may have the ability to make it to the pros, but to stay, you need to tough, coachable, and athletic.

Why Being An Average (Or Even Above Average) High School Pitcher Just Isn't Good Enough Come MLB Draft Time

As you look around at the players on your high school baseball team or at the players on your summer league or travel baseball teams, how does your pitching stack up? Are you an average pitcher? Below average? Above average?

When it comes to the MLB draft, you really have to be a lot better than average to get serious looks from pro scouts because you are not only competing against EVERY other high school player in the nation, but you're competing against EVERY college player in the nation, as well as prospects from Korea, Japan and Latin American countries, too.

Average in high school, average in college, average in Latin America, etc., usually just doesn't cut it.

Expand your playing field. You're not just competing against the kids in your neighborhood for a spot in the draft, you're competing against every non-drafted baseball player between the ages of 16 and 23. What are you doing to make yourself a little better today?

9 things you should know before going to MLB baseball tryouts

This article is part of an eight-article series on pro baseball tryouts and pitching in college.

• Q. "Who is in charge of your tryout camps?"
  A. Territorial scouts from the Major League Scouting Bureau sponsor the tryouts. They work for Major League Baseball and all 30 major league organizations.
      
• Q. "Are there any age requirements as to who can tryout?"
  A. All players must be at least 16 years old to participate.
      
• Q. "What should I bring to the camp?"
  A. Bring gear that you would practice or play a game in. (Hat, cleats, glove, baseball pants.) Bats and balls are provided at the workout. Catchers may want to use their own catching gear.
      
• Q. "Is there any cost involved to tryout?"
  A. The tryouts are free of charge. Transportation costs are those of the participant.
      
• Q. "I'm a center fielder and a pitcher. Can I tryout at both positions?"
  A. No, a participant will be asked to choose their best position.
      
• Q. "Can I go to other MLSB Open Tryout Camps?"
  A. Yes, participants can attend as many of the tryouts as they wish.
      
• Q. "Do I have to register for the camps?"
  A. Registration cards will be passed out prior to the beginning of each camp to identify each participant.
      
• Q. "Who watches the players at these camps?"
  A. All thirty major league baseball organizations are invited to the tryouts.
      
• Q. "If a team is interested in me after seeing the tryout, can they sign me to a professional contract on the spot?"
  A. No, the tryout camp must be finished and the participant cannot sign until he leaves the facility.

How pro scouts evaluate baseball pitching talent

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?

How to find a pro baseball tryouts where you live

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.

1. Locate the Major League Baseball Scouting Bureau's tryout camp schedule in the United States.
2. Locate the Major League Baseball Scouting Bureau's tryout camp schedule in Canada and Alaska.
3. Find a tryout camp for a specific major league baseball team.
4. Check out pro baseball tryout camp dates and listings at TryoutCamps.com.

Is professional baseball really best for your son?

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.

What scouts look for in pitchers

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

• Fastball: The first thing a scout looks for is a fastball with good velocity and movement. A fastball should sink, rise, slide or tail. A major league fastball is in the 89 to 90 mph range.
• Curveball: When grading a curveball, scouts look for a fast tight rotation on the ball. A good curveball will break both laterally and downward about two feet. A good curve ball gives the illusion of falling off the table with its sharp downward breaking motion as it approaches home plate.
• Slider: A good slider can be a tremendous compliment to a good fastball. A good slider will have a tight lateral spin, like a bullet. A slider will break about 6 to 18 inches as it approaches home plate. It should look like a fastball until it breaks across the plate.
• Changeup: A good change up can be a tremendous asset to any pitcher by making fastball seem that much quicker to the hitter. A good change-up should look identical to the hitter only it travels 15 to 20 mph slower than the fastball. It will make the hitter swing way out in front of the pitch.
• Pitching delivery: A pitchers delivery should be as smooth as possible. It should look effortless with no mechanical problems like: throwing across the body, landing on a stiff front leg, understriding, landing on the heel or his arm lagging behind the body. Any mechanical problems left uncorrected can lead to control and arm problems.
• Control- The ability to throw strikes on a consistent basis is vital for any pitcher to have success at the major league level. If the pitcher has less than overpowering stuff his control becomes even more important to his success. A good pitcher will be able to throw 70% of his pitches for strikes and can throw breaking pitches for strikes when behind in the count.

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.

• 8: 98 mph +
• 7: 93-97 mph
• 6: 91-92 mph
• 5: 89-90 mph
• 4: 86-88 mph
• 3: 83-85 mph
• 2: 82 mph -

Do you have what it takes to go pro?

Who's eligible and how the MLB Draft works

The Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft is held every year in June by conference call among the 30 Major League Clubs. The Clubs take turns selecting players in reverse order of their won-lost records at the close of the previous regular season. The order of selection is without regard to League.

The Major League Rules govern which players are eligible for selection in the Draft. These Rules are detailed, but the basic eligibility criteria can be described as follows:

Generally, a player is eligible for selection if the player is a resident of the United States or Canada and the player has never before signed a Major League or Minor League contract. Residents of Puerto Rico and other territories of the United States are eligible for the Draft.

Also considered residents are players who enroll in a high school or college in the United States, regardless of where they are from originally. Certain groups of players are ineligible for selection, generally because they are still in school.

The basic categories of players eligible to be drafted are:

• High school players, if they have graduated from high school and have not yet attended college or junior college
• College players, from four-year colleges who have either completed their junior or senior years or are at least 21 years old
• Junior college players, regardless of how many years of school they have completed

A Club generally retains the rights to sign a selected player until 11:59 PM (EDT) August 15, or until the player enters, or returns to, a four-year college on a full-time basis. A player who is drafted and does not sign with the Club that selected him may be drafted again at a future year's Draft, so long as the player is eligible for that year's Draft. A Club may not select a player again in a subsequent year, unless the player has consented to the re-selection.

A player who is eligible to be selected and is passed over by every Club becomes a free agent and may sign with any Club until the player enters, or returns to, a four-year college full-time or enters, or returns to, a junior college.

This description is a general one and the Major League Rules themselves, not this summary, govern eligibility issues. Players and coaches with questions about particular players are referred to the Baseball Operations Department at the Office of the Commissioner of Baseball.

Everything you need to know about the Major League Draft

Today's guest post is from Jeff Spelman of Team One Showcase. The article originally appeared in Baseball Parent magazine, but it has been updated to include information about the 2007 MLB draft June 7 and 8.

Thousands of senior baseball players are looking forward with great anticipation and hope to the Major League Amateur Free-Agent Draft June 7 and 8. This year is the first that it'll be televised. 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 the last couple years, several teams bowed out in the 45th round while others went beyond 80 rounds. But the later a player is drafted, the less likely he is to sign.

Of 1,666 players drafted on average, approximately 780 were high school players. Of the number drafted, usually 225 to 250 high school players sign contracts.

What's best for you or your son?

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? (Usually, people with college degrees make more than $1 million more in their "work life" than those who don't have a college degree.)
• If a high school player signs for a bonus of $100,000 (roughly fourth-round money), how long will it last?

Remember this: Uncle Sam claims 31 percent for taxes, leaving your son with $69,000. He may use $10,000 for 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.

How to deal 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.

As 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.

Decision time: Should you play college ball or sign a pro contract?

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.

Good luck on June 7.