What's so great about a showcase?

A college coach arrives at a showcase, clipboard in hand. On his clipboard, he has a list of all the players who are in attendance. For the rest of the day, he will be on the lookout for talented athletes. First, the athletes showcase their speed by running a 60-yard dash. One player, who is particularly fast, runs his 60 in 7 seconds flat. The coach raises his eyebrows and circles the athlete's name, writing "fast" in the box designated for notes.

After 60 times, the players take groundballs at their position. Their throwing velocity is being measured using a radar gun. The college coach likes what he sees and circles a few more names. After fielding, the pitchers throw bullpens. After bullpens, everyone hits a couple of rounds of batting practice. By the end of the day, the coach goes home with a handful of new names and begins to research. What the coach chooses to do with those names can vary from directly contacting the player to keeping him on a list of potential recruits.

In one day, a player has the opportunity to grab the attention of multiple college coaches. This highly contrasts with alternative methods of being recruited. You don't have to spend an entire summer playing (and paying) on a travel team, hoping that you happen to be playing during a game where a scout happens to be in the stands. Travel teams are great for a number of reasons, but for recruiting purposes, they don't compare.

We believe that showcases are the most effective way to gain exposure from college coaches. Simply put, it requires the least amount of time commitment, it costs the least amount of money, it is the most direct form of exposure, and there are showcase opportunities all over the country happening year-round. If you are looking to play at the next level, you should attend a handful of showcases before you graduate.

Now that you're convinced, there's one big thing you should consider. Showcases alone are not enough. While they are the best way to get a coach's attention, the recruiting process involves much more than "getting attention." If you find yourself on a coach's radar, they will want to know a lot about you. Stats, character, and future interests are all things he's going to want to know before recruiting you. The more you do to make this information accessible to the coach, the better chance you'll have of ending up on a college roster. At Beeps Baseball, we are the bridge between high school and college baseball. Our goal is to open doors for young players and create opportunities for them to play at the next level. Our primary means of doing so? You guessed it. Showcases. Check out the info for our upcoming showcases at beepsbaseball.com/showcase .