Independent Player evaluation

[InsidePitch]

DD's coach asked them what positions they'd like to play this year. Last summer and fall she seemed pidgon-holed at catcher and OF. Nothing in my mind wrong with either spot but she added 2nd to her list. As she is a second year
14U and a starter at both spots I wondered if she needed to try to get time at second. Has anyone every brought their kid to an independent evaluation for what positions they seem better suited to? I have been told that she has very fast feet, reaction time, aggressiveness and would do well at middle-infield but with two years playing behind coach's kids at IF she saw very little time there. She would have to spend a fair amount of time to get time with our existing IF.

 

[JAD]

Does your DD want to play softball in college? If she does, I would recommend you get someone who is knowledgeable and whose opinion you trust to tell you which position she should concentrate on mastering to get a scholarship. If she does not want to play in college, then just ask your DD what position she wants to play and have fun with it.

 

[Greenmonsters]

An independent evaluator may conclude that your DD is best suited for SS, but if there are 2 superstars (or coach's DDs) ahead of her at that position, she won't get much playing time there. In HS, and college if she wants/can continue to play, your DD will play where the coach believes she best fits his/her team's needs so I would let them make the independent evaluation. And the fact is that if she can hit, she will play even if she can't field a lick!

As a catcher she should already know what the responsibilities of every position on the field are so if you want to increase her postional flexibility and become an IF, then work on your own and take 1000s of groundballs and throw to IB from the different IF positions. But, the grass always seems greener elsewhere and time is limited so I would try to focus my efforts on hitting and 1-2 positions and become very good/outstanding at those, rather than OK/good at 3 or more. FWIW - my DD marketed herself to schools as a catcher who can also play corner IF/OF. So, of course, looks like she'll be playing 2B and backing up a strong senior catcher.

 

[InsidePitch]

She says she wants to play in college. I think she is starting to view middle infield as a choice spot...flashy or something. She is the number 1 catcher and a natural in CF having to put very little time there. At 14 I don't feel she is to old to master a new position and just wondered if anyone had ever gone for an eval. A friend of mine is talking about bringing his pitching DD to a combine. Has anyone done that and what kind of feed back do you get?

 

[MsDinosaur]

DD's primary position is catcher, but she needed a secondary position. She was getting put in the OF a lot, but didn't like it and didn't feel she was good at it.

I described her skills and body type and several folks here suggested she try 3rd. I've actually had in-person confirmation on that--an instructor who runs bb/sb clinics made an offhand comment to me that he didn't think she was cut out to be a middle infielder, but he thought she could do well at third.

And I did what you are considering. I specifically asked a HS sb coach/former college player who was giving her lessons to evaluate her and let us know what positions might be right for her. She also agreed that her range was an issue for MI and OF, but that third could be a good option for her... I think it's a great idea to have an independent evaluation. As GM says, practice time is a limited commodity, she might as well concentrate on the areas where she's most likely to excel.

 

[JAD]

If she wants to play in college, you need to get a trust source to evaluate her abilities. Once you have keyed in on one or two positions she is a good fit for in college, get on the best team in your area where she can play those positions.

 

[Sparky Guy]

The college recruiting pecking order goes pretty much like this. #1 Pitchers. Every coach is looking for strong pitching. #2 Catchers. Good pitching needs a strong receiver behind the plate who can direct the team on the field. #3 is a toss up between a great fielding shortstop and the girl who can tear the cover off of the ball no matter what her fielding skills are. After that players are selected per team needs. This is not an absolute, but you'll find it true in most cases.

If your DD can catch and play SS equally well she'll be high on a coaches watch list. If she's a strong hitter she'll be near the top. If she's got a 4.0 GPA as well she'll be lighting up a lot of coaches radars.

Concentrate on the catching and SS. The college coaches will feel if she can play SS well she'll be able to play most any position on the field.

 

[InsidePitch]

Unless she goes Ivy, she be saving any coach $$$ with academic money.

What is a strong hitter at 14? DD is hot and cold but bats north of .300 with a very good OBP. (luckiest kid when it comes to errors)

 

[GOINGDEEP]

What is a strong hitter at 14? DD is hot and cold but bats north of .300 with a very good OBP. (luckiest kid when it comes to errors)

We had a girl like that in travel, we called her Luck-E, amazing how often she got on by error.

These evaluations? I'm not sure if I've even seen proffessional evaluations done to figure out someone's playing position. I've been involved in quite a few evaluations as a player and later a liaison. Everyone of the evaluations was more to find what "level" of play was better suited for you.

Let's say an org has AA, AAA, and Majors levels for its travel ball. As a pitcher I'm being evaluated on my strengths vs weakness, and then vs other players evaluations. That determines what "level" of pitcher I am and where I need to be playing for the season.

Fielders were evaluated on and off the dirt according to speed, agility, arm strength, throw carry, mechanics. And then classified to a level.

Man it's been a long time, but I don't remember the evaluations being where they proposed you play ( position wise ). More of what level your skills were, what you needed to work on, and a recommendation of playing division. The coaches THEN decided where to play you by needs or "team practice" analysis.

But I'll admit the thread has me curious to see how some may offer different experiences.