What College Coaches Look For Pt. 1

Kelly Kulina: Your Link to the Colleges

Every day, we get closer to the high school and summer baseball seasons. There's plenty to be done before then, but I thought now was a good time to go over some of the characteristics that all college coaches look for in prospective players.

Academics:

One of the more consistent themes my blog entries have had is that academics can be more of a difference maker than players initially think. When I was recruiting for the University of Maryland, one of the first separators for my recruiting classes was whether or not they had the grades to get into the school. I attended many camps and showcases and immediately eliminated many players before they even picked up a baseball--nearly half my recruiting pool! With the addition of the Academic Progress Report (APR), coaches are more accountable for their team’s grades, retention and graduation rates. The NCAA has reported an improvement in team academics after enacting this policy, but one of the hidden consequences of the APR is that 1) coaches will no longer take a chance on a player with academic liabilities and 2) players with an excellent academic record will be more valuable to a team.

Physical

As I discussed in my last entry, different positions require different physical characteristics. On top of that, many college coaches' philosophies will differ, affecting the makeup of their team and, in turn, their recruiting needs. Some guys like size or speed, others go for hitting and some will just focus on pitching and defense. Your body type, weight, height and overall athleticism are all important to coaches and will be one of the first things that a coach will look at. On the technical side, your hitting ability, raw power, foot speed, arm strength and overall fielding ability make up who you are as a player. One or more of these are going to be a strength for you as a player--these are what coaches are recruiting. Your ability to showcase these skills, especially at the right position, will play a lot into your success in the recruiting process.

Psychological/Intangibles:

The first entry I wrote for the Baseball Factory Blog was about the mental tools that college coaches look for. How a player handles himself on and off the field is very important. Coaches don't want players who will create problems, regardless of ability! On the field, your attitude in dealing with failure and success mean a lot to coaches--they’re going to be with you when you face both, and they want to make sure that how you handle them will be in the best interest of the team. In addition, leadership skills, chemistry with other members of the team and overall comfort with the rest of the student body will play a part in the recruiting process. Finally, your “coachability” is an important aspect of the recruiting/evaluation process. When I ranked players on my recruiting depth chart, I took into account how easily the player could make adjustments, whether or not he believed that I could help him become better and whether or not he was willing to put the time in to improve.

Check back next week when I cover the second group of what college coaches look for!


Kelly Kulina is the Senior Vice President of College Recruiting at Baseball Factory. Kulina is a former Associate Head Coach and recruiting coordinator with the University of Maryland. As a former recruiting coordinator for ten years in the ACC, Kulina has vast contacts and is widely respected throughout the nation. From 1989 to 2000, Kulina coached 46 players who were selected in the MLB draft.