NCAA Baseball : New Recruiting Rules

The new rule making the biggest impact seems to be the 35 man cap on NCAA rosters. Apparently this is making it harder for the big schools to recruit top talent. In the past a powerhouse program could sign an unlimited number of top players knowing that many of them would opt out and sign minor league contracts and, even if more players reported then were expected to, the team could still carry all of them on their roster and just give out smaller scholarship awards. However, now that teams can only have 35 players on their roster it will be much harder for schools to extend dozens of offers. The schools must have some plan to accommodate the players on their roster and with a minimum 25% scholarship if they do come to campus. Taking this situation one step further than Fit, I think these new rules may lead college baseball recruiting in one of two directions.
The top few hundred recruits will always be fine. The group that will most be affected are those good but not great recruits. High school grads who are choosing between playing at the NCAA level, signing a minimum bonus minor league deal or deciding to focus on life after baseball. The new rule will presumably mean that more of these good players will sign professional contracts out of high school. If a good player wants to go to a top school that will groom him for the pros and that school cannot promise him support the uncertainty factor will make the professional contract appear more attractive. Or an alternative way this could play out....
If the top programs start telling recruits that they are not guaranteed a scholarship, or even a roster spot, these players might then find other colleges, presumably smaller programs, to sign on to.
The second option is the one the NCAA likes. We'll just have to see how this plays out. I am not sure that a good player with his heart set on playing for a Big-12 team who instead finds his only secure option is to instead go to a regional school will not just decide to by-pass college ball and take his chances in the minors.

College Athletics Recruiting Process Presentation

College Athletics Recruiting Process Presentation

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