The number of high school baseball players differ from one state to another. Texas, Florida, and California are well-known for professional baseball. A strong baseball tradition and favorable weather have been critical in churning out baseball players.
Here is a look at the number of high school baseball players that are there. We also look at what affects the numbers and whether the high school baseball players proceed to college-level baseball.
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The Number of High School Baseball Players
There were approximately 492,000 high school baseball players in the United States between 2016-2017.
The NFHS conducted a High School Athletics Participation Survey. The survey shows that the number of high school baseball players stands at 482,740 in 2018.
The number of US high school baseball players between 2019-2020 stood at 512,212. The number of college baseball players stood at 61,211.
Out of 482,740 high school participants, 2.9% get to NCAA Division III, 2.2% proceed to NCAA Division II, and 2.2% go to Division 1. There are 36,011 NCAA participants out of 482,740 high school players.
High school baseball can have 20 players in a team. These teams include players at the 9th-grade level. Playing baseball at this level is the best way for them to learn how to practice and compete in a high school setting.
Competition at the junior varsity level provides baseball players with insight. It helps them understand the high-level skill learning and dedication it takes to continue playing baseball beyond high school.
What Percentage of High School Baseball Players Get into College Baseball?
Baseball scouts have certain factors that they use as recruiting guidelines. They check for speed, fielding range, arm strength, hitting for power, among other aspects. College scouts try to determine how well a player will compete at the college level.
High school baseball involves some form of physical training and strives to improve their game. College baseball involves intense strength and conditioning. College level baseball also evaluates academic skills. Further, college baseball can reveal how a player handles challenging situations in life and on the field.
High school baseball players that play college baseball stands at 5.6%. That means it’s less than three in 50. Also, less than 11 in a hundred or 10.5% of NCAA baseball players get into the Major League Baseball team.
Statistics also show that only 0.5% of high school boys playing baseball get to an MLB team.
For example, in the school year 2016-2017, there were close to 492,000 high school baseball and 52,000 college baseball players. That indicates that only 9% of high school players proceeded to compete at the college level.
It’s essential to focus on the recruiting process at the freshman level of high school. Getting right into it ensures that one makes the most of the time they have in high school. Being proactive during this period is paramount.
What Does The Major League Baseball Evaluate When Making Selections?
MLB or Major League Baseball decides which players will make it for selection in the draft. A player needs to be a resident of the U.S. or Canada, and they need to not have signed a minor or major league contract.
Players enrolled in a high school in the U.S. are also considered regardless of their origin.
However, specific groups of players do not qualify for selection because they are in school. Those eligible are high school players that have graduated from high school but haven’t attended junior college or college.
College players that are 21 years old and have completed a four-year college are eligible for drafting. Junior college players don’t need to meet a certain number of years to qualify.
Another thing to note is that a player who is eligible but does not join a club becomes a free agent. He can sign with any club until he gets back to college full-time or goes to junior college.
The below video offers insight into the secrets to college base recruiting for high school players. Players get to understand the aspects of base running, throwing, fielding, and hitting.
For 2019, MLB.draft data shows that there were 1217 draft picks. Only 791 of those picked from the draft. Out of the 791, 686 of the selected made it to Division I, while Division II had 95, and Division III had 10.
Note that not all the students drafted proceed to play professional baseball and most draftees fail to get to the Major League.
Conclusion
The number of US high school baseball players as of 2019-2020 stood at 512,213. That’s an increase from the previous year that recorded 482,740.
The number of baseball players that proceed to the college-level is low. The evaluation criteria check speed, fielding range, pitch velocity, arm strength, hitting for power, and more.
