The Truth About Junior College Baseball
By: Jeff Brazier, Personal Recruiting Director at Baseball Factory
There has always been a myth surrounding Junior College baseball, in that it serves
as a last resort for aspiring college players. This thought couldn't be further from
the truth. Junior college baseball can serve as the perfect fit for some high school
players. It all depends on each individual player's standing, both academically and
athletically, and in many cases, a junior college will end up being an ideal fit for the
player for his first two years of higher education.
A junior college might be an excellent place for a player to start if he needs to work
on his academics. If a player is ineligible to play Division I, II, III or NAIA, a good
junior college can serve as a stepping stone to help catapult the player's grades, so
that he may be eligible for a different college program in the future. And while the
player is working on improving his grades, he will have the opportunity to progress
on the field as a member of the respective baseball program. Going to a junior
college also helps a player to finish his prerequisites, so that he may decide on a
major. Prerequisites are meant to give young students a chance to explore many
different academic areas, so they will know what
they want to concentrate on in their studies as
they advance towards a degree. The junior
college route may also be a good choice for
players who, on an initial attempt, did not get
accepted into a particular school of their choice.
In other words, just because you are
academically eligible does not mean that you will
automatically be accepted to the particular
school. It simply means that you can play
baseball IF you are accepted. For example, you
could have a 3.0 GPA and a 1050 on your SAT
which would make you eligible to play baseball in
college, but that wouldn't guarantee acceptance into an Ivy League school.
The junior college path may also prove to be ideal for a player if the player is not
getting the attention that they want from four-year universities. If a player has
aspirations to play Division I ball but is not being heavily recruited, then a junior
college may help him develop his skills. A lot can happen in two years at a junior
college. You can get bigger, stronger, and quicker, all of which may impress a DI
coach who may not have recruited you initially. When players are not receiving the
attention that they are hoping for, Junior College can be a very good route to take.
A player also has a much better chance of improving if they are continually playing
and working hard. Going to a four year university and sitting your first couple of
years will not help your development as a baseball player. You certainly will get all
the practice that you can, but it is the game type scenarios that define a player and
help the player to truly mature.