Roger, what is the advantage of a player going to JC who could go to a 4 year program and leave for the pros after a year? This happens all the time in basketball. Is there something different about NCAA baseball and MLB that prevents this? I'm thinking about Marshall deciding not to go to LSU and go to a JC instead. Thx.
Hi Tony! Thanks for prodding me with this question! I think I'll need to go in and edit and explain this. The short answer is that freshmen and most sophomore's at 4 yr colleges aren't eligible for the draft due to an agreement between NCAA and MLB. Players at 4 yr colleges must have either completed their Junior year or be 21 years old the year of the draft. "Draft-eligible" sophomores are typically guys who have red-shirted due to an injury or were older graduates from high school. Players at Junior Colleges on the other hand, are eligible from their very first year. For Marshall, had he gone to LSU in 2014, he wouldn't have been eligible to be drafted again until 2017. By going to JC, he was eligible immediately again the next year.
Thx. So JC in baseball can be an option for a high school senior who wants to go pro but didn’t like where he was drafted, got hurt or something and doesn’t want to wait two years to be drafted as a college player. Do I have that right?
That's right. There are even cases, Bryce Harper probably the most famous, where high school guys reclassified by taking GED tests and jumping into Junior Colleges before their senior year in high school.
Again, really well researched and written. I had high hopes for Mac; I hope his health allows him to take his shot and compete as a professional.
Thanks Lyle! Feel free to suggest subjects for future ones. I'm open to ideas!
Off the top of my head, how about Sean Roby or Joey Marciano? Pat Ruotolo? Jake Wong?
Love this set of articles. All great deep dives.
Thanks!
Roger, what is the advantage of a player going to JC who could go to a 4 year program and leave for the pros after a year? This happens all the time in basketball. Is there something different about NCAA baseball and MLB that prevents this? I'm thinking about Marshall deciding not to go to LSU and go to a JC instead. Thx.
Hi Tony! Thanks for prodding me with this question! I think I'll need to go in and edit and explain this. The short answer is that freshmen and most sophomore's at 4 yr colleges aren't eligible for the draft due to an agreement between NCAA and MLB. Players at 4 yr colleges must have either completed their Junior year or be 21 years old the year of the draft. "Draft-eligible" sophomores are typically guys who have red-shirted due to an injury or were older graduates from high school. Players at Junior Colleges on the other hand, are eligible from their very first year. For Marshall, had he gone to LSU in 2014, he wouldn't have been eligible to be drafted again until 2017. By going to JC, he was eligible immediately again the next year.
Thx. So JC in baseball can be an option for a high school senior who wants to go pro but didn’t like where he was drafted, got hurt or something and doesn’t want to wait two years to be drafted as a college player. Do I have that right?
That's right. There are even cases, Bryce Harper probably the most famous, where high school guys reclassified by taking GED tests and jumping into Junior Colleges before their senior year in high school.
Jesus!
Bryce Harper just hated school! :)