The Outer Black: Late Winter Madness
March 6, 2018
This edition of The Outer Black takes a quick glimpse back at what February threw at us here at PBR-NY and glimpse ahead at what's in store for March. Consider this the "State of the State" address from the back offices of PBR-NY.
February - The Blur that was
The shortest month on the calendar seemed even shorter as we kicked off the first 4 days in Chicago for the annual Prep Baseball Report Summit which was culminated by the Super 60 that feature 3 New York players in Matt Hogan (Half Hollows Hills East / Vanderbilt Commit), Henry Davis (Fox Lane / Louisville Commit) and Charlie Mack (Williamsville East / Clemson Commit). All three performed well on the national stage in front of 3-5 scouts from every MLB organization.
In a span of 14 days we ran one Winter Open, two Rising Star instructional showcase events and four Preseason All-State events (Western NY, Downstate, East and Long Island). Exactly 357 players were in front of President Dan Cevette and Scouting Director Jared Carrier's eyes in that time. If it wasn't for the flu and some injuries the final tally would have pushed 375 players over that span.
The Rankings
We have decided to make the rankings "inactive" from today (March 6) until we re-release them starting March 12,13 and 14. With the influx of new players and many returning players making huge strides in the off-season we feel that it's only fair to cleanup the structure of the rankings so we can truly "shape the state".
Spring Scout Blog
As we approach late March and early April we are already assembling our spring scout blog staff. We are overly excited as we feel we have several quality "boots-on-the-ground" staff who are ready to get after it across the entire state.
PBR-NY Coaches Convention Registration
This past Monday (March 5th), the first day of HS practices across the state, was also the release of our convention registration. While we did not think that we would have any registrations so early, six came through the first day, including 4 college coaches! We are beyond excited for this event on November 1st and 2nd at the Resort World Catskills in Monticello, NY. We are offering a 10% discount code to the first 100 registrants on our registration page.
New York State Games
On March 15th our first wave of invites for the prestigious NYS Games on June 25-27th will go out. Players that receive that invite will have 2 weeks to register before the second wave of invites go out. We are beyond excited after our preseason events, as we have seen a number of players that will surely stand out at this event that is hosted at Binghamton University and the surrounding areas.
Call to the Hall
Our featured event for 2019-2021 committed grads is already 40% full. The day will feature a morning workout followed by a 1:30pm game at Doubleday Field in downtown Cooperstown, NY, less then a 1/2 mile from the Baseball Hall of Fame. The July 24th date leads into the Hall of Fame weekend that starts Friday July 27th. Players that have registered have committed to the following programs:
Texas Tech
Maryland
UCONN
Xavier
Stony Brook
St. Johns
Canisius
Niagara
Elon
Farleigh Dickinson
Fordham
Iona
Summer Campus Series
As April approaches we will be announcing this year's locations for the popular Campus Series that will canvas the state each week from early July though mid August.
ARTICLES AND FEATURES GALORE
Prior to the craziness of February we were in the midst of daily features and articles, with our dedication to our events and the extensive travel that went with that there was a slight disruption. Have no fear, we are storming into March like a lion. Be on the lookout for the following features, some new and some old, as we approach the spring season.
Top Performer Spotlight: We select individuals from our February events who stood out.
Rookie Review: First time attendees that got their name circled on a few clipboards.
Progress Report: The staff favorite, highlighting players that have made statistical jumps from past events.
The Outer Black: The article that covers all the hard to get to content, informing the masses.
Blood Lines: A new feature that looks at siblings that have gone through or currently within the PBR database.
First Thoughts: Recap of events, split up by positions and those who were top performers.
Headed North: Players on the rise on the field and in the rankings.
NY Week in Review: A compilation of the past week's articles on a state and local level.
Empire State Rewind: A look back at articles one year ago that week.
Player Spotlight: We take a look at some of the recent committed players and break down their game.
Inside Rankings: An in depth discussion on players that have made noise within the rankings.
Unsigned Senior Spotlight: Highlights of a 2018 grad that is still on the market.
Pitching 101: 11yr pro and PBR-NY Dan Cevette visits the mound with some insight.
Perform Like a Pro: PBR-NY contributor Stephen Gamma discussing the off-the-field topics to help you maximize your efforts.
Recruiting Board: We highlight NYS College programs and their upcoming recruiting classes that include NY players.
Commitment Corner: A sit down conversation with a recent college commit.
Let's not forget the national features that often include PBR-NY players:
Draft HQ: Your epicenter for all draft related coverage
JUCO Wire: News and notes from the Junior College scene across the country.
Digging In: Executive Director Sean Duncan and his thoughts.
In the Weeds: National Crosscheck Shooter Hunt canvases the country looking for hidden gems.
On the Hunt: Shooter Hunt highlights top underclassmen across the country.
The Hotlist: Nathan Rode covers a variety of topics, highlighting recent standouts at events.
The Rode Show: Nathan Rode hits all the hot spots and mega events with mega players.
The Buzz: A compiled list of college commits across the country, released weekly.
Coffee and Curveballs: Video featured with Shooter Hunt and Nathan Rode chopping it up on a weekly basis.
Recruiting Essentials: PBR-North Carolina Scouting Director Brandon Hall with incredible insight on the recruiting process.
