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Neumann University Head Coach John Fleming Talks About Recruiting

December 11, 2012

By Greg Williams
PA Director of Scouting

The early signing period has come and gone and many of the unsigned seniors are beginning to feel a bit uneasy. At the same time, Class of 2014 players have just begun the process and many prospects in this class are searching for answers as to how the process works.

John Fleming is entering his fifth season as the head baseball coach at Division III Neumann University with an impressive 102-66-2 overall record. He led the Knights to the NCAA tournament in 2012, and a No. 20 ranking in the NCAA D3 rankings. D3baseball.com recognized Fleming as the Mid-Atlantic Coach of the Year in a season that he reached his 100th win. Fleming has coached two players who have gone on to play professional baseball in his first four years at Neumann.

Prep Baseball Report was able to speak with Fleming regarding the recruiting cycle, the advantages of considering DII and DIII programs and his own personal experiences going through the process with his own baseball playing son.

PBR:  How is the 2013 recruiting class shaping up for the Neumann University baseball program and what needs are you still looking to fill?

Fleming: Our 2013 class is coming along slowly at this point. We have a couple commitments, but we tend to jump in a little late as we look to recruit the low level DI/II player who was overlooked. Our 2013 class is our most important class to date because we need to replace 13 seniors, nine of which are pitchers. This class is a big reason why we have seen the program improve from a six win program before I arrived to 102 wins over the past four years. Last year's season included a trip to the NCAA regional’s and a 32-15 record.

PBR: Can you take us through the typical recruiting cycle of a single prospect you may recruit?

Fleming: We begin in the summer/fall of that year's graduating class and attend a number of events looking to identify players that can fit into our program. From there we will start to contact players and set up a visit on campus and/or identify where we can see them again. After confirming they would have interest in us and that we offer their major, we will then offer them a visit on campus with a parent. After visiting on campus we also offer an overnight visit where they can stay with a current player in the dorm. This allows them to get a feel for some of the players and the campus life if they would choose Neumann University.

PBR: Often times college prospects fall in love with the number behind the Division (DI, DII, DIII). Can you talk about the strengths in your opinion of attending and playing baseball at a DIII school?

Fleming: Depending on the program, DIII baseball can usually offer the player a better and quicker chance of playing college baseball right away than the higher levels where red shirts are allowed. I had a son go through the process and we always believed it was more important to find the best fit in regards to having the best college experience as opposed to only looking at DI schools. A potential recruit needs to look at a number of items when evaluating a school's baseball program. I would suggest that the recruit look at a program's ability to get to the post-season (conference playoffs, regionals, World Series) and whether or not the coach helps players get into summer collegiate leagues. 

As an example, my No. 1 starter is a kid who could pitch DI, but he might have been a mid-week guy. Instead, he came to Neumann, started as a freshman and after three years holds almost every pitching record at our school. He pitched in three different summer collegiate leagues and is projected to be drafted in the June 2013 draft. He had a number of friends who went DI who have never experienced what he has.

So my theory is to find a college program that will offer the best experience and when deciding do not wear blinders that block out DII and DIII athletics.

PBR: Do you have any advice to underclassmen that are just beginning the process of looking at schools and trying to gage a potential college coaching staff's interest?

Fleming: That is a tough question, because the landscape is always changing. I think the best advice is you can never get started soon enough.  Also, remember that someone is always watching and eyes are everywhere. I also believe that a player should play travel baseball to learn how to compete. Exposure is not guaranteed at every travel baseball tournament because there are too many events for coaches to be everywhere. Camps and showcases are where a player will get the greatest exposure. Remember, regardless of what level you sign to play you will need to perform at a high level. If you do not, coaches will find someone else. Use the travel baseball to learn how to compete against the best and you will be better prepared to compete in college when you arrive.

PBR:  Pennsylvania has more college baseball programs than any state in the country. How do you go about competing for recruits with that number of schools all recruiting the same pool of prospects?

Fleming: That is probably the most difficult part in the entire process. Recruiting against a number of great programs in the area, we have found the key is to show potential recruits that Neumann University can give them the experience they are looking for. There is no wrong decision, but some decisions are better than others. Feeling comfortable and being part of a winning environment seem to be what most recruits are looking for.

PBR: PBR Pennsylvania arrived on the scene in late April of 2012. How have you been able to utilize the information that Prep Baseball Report offers to your advantage?

Fleming: For me Prep Baseball Report has been a good resource for seeing some of the top talent in the state. The PBR website allows me to identify guys in the area and the PBR staff is very easy to work with. It is clear that PBR is concerned about the player’s best interest. We cannot say that about all the recruiting services out there.

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