Has anyone participated in Perfect Game or Baseball Factory showcase events?

[WaxPax]

Has anyone participated in either the Perfect Game or Baseball Factory showcase events? The reason why I ask is my son received an “Invitation” to attend an upcoming Baseball Factory National Tryout event here in Florida.

He just began HS this fall and turned 15 on Halloween. He did play with the local HS JV team over the summer on an instructional team that participated in local tournaments, he has not officially tried out yet (HS tryouts are Jan 2013) or made the team yet.

My question is this, are these types of events worthwhile even at this level. Meaning, he’s not yet begun to play HS ball, so is it worth it just for the experience and to gauge his performance versus other HS players.

The event is next month in Fort Myers. He has been playing Fall Ball which is ending next week so he is still in “Game Shape”.

 

[19braves77]

Yes, I went three times with my brother in law. I went to get autographs and give my support.

Couple of tips:

1. Only go if you are 100% healthy and have been playing year round.

2. His college camp offers ranged from some crazy places. Alabama State to BYU. He lived in Florida

3. You will get flooded with spam in the mail but he got some very cool offers from traveling teams.

One thing he quickly realized that he was playing against the best and that this was a business for Perfect Game. He batted against Karsten Whitson who he played against in middle school and Dillion Maples in back to back games. He went the first time as a freshman and did very well that they invited him back for the Christmas event. The next year he went injured and it was downhill from there. You basically only get one chance to impress and he could never get back the attention. My advice is if he gets a grade of 7.5 to 8 not to go to any more events but rather concentrate on college camps afterwards from the offers that the Perfect Game exposure will give him. He is now going to umpire school from a connection he made at the last event his senior year. It is amazing who you will meet down there.

This was his first scouting report:

Strong athletic build, body projects well on the mound. 3/4 arm slot on the mound, clean arm action, balls comes out of the hand well, good feel for 11-5 curveball, locates his pitches well, good feel for pitching. Consistent hard contact at the plate, line-drive approach, squares the ball up well, good pop to all fields, disciplined hitter. Arm works easily in the field, good around the bag, hands work.

He was graded a 7.5 which is college player with possible draft pick with devlopment.

His last scouting report:

a large frame, hits from a square stance, pull approach, line drive swing plane with lift, has power potential, makes consistent contact, defensively, circles ball well, fields ball out front, accurate throws, also pitches, 3/4 arm slot, locates fastball, 11-5 curveball shows good depth, flashed a splitter with late movement, good student.

His grade was 6.5 which means college player.

After that, the offers stop coming and he decided to enjoy his Senior season knowing he would be attending UWF on a academic scholarship and starts umpire school in January.