The article below was written by Missouri Scouting Director, Ethan Silverman.  I thought it was good food for thought for our players in Michigan. Part of my job is to better educate on the recruiting process; what it takes, what occurs, and what college and professional scouts are looking for. Enjoy.

-Mike Penn 

By Ethan Silverman
Missouri Scouting Director

When showing up for a showcase, are you the player who shows up in baseball pants, jersey, and hat or the player who shows up in shorts and sandals? Are you clean-shaven or have stubble? Earrings or no earrings? When checking in, do you seem ready for the event or not excited to be there?

From the time you arrive at a showcase until the time you are finished, you are being judged. Before you step foot on the field, we are already seeing players who, regardless of ability, look and act the part of a talented player, and making judgments on those players. Every player who attends a showcase wants to make an impression on the staff, coaches, and scouts in attendance, and that impression starts the second you get to that event. 

After that impression is made, it is up to the individual player to continue to give efforts to the best of their ability to stand out. If you are an undersized 5-foot-8, 150-pound middle infielder who caught our eye before stretch and has smooth fielding mechanics with an accurate arm, that will stand out before we even know the velocity across the diamond. On the flip side, if you are 6-foot-1, 195-pounds and lazy to the ball, even with good arm strength, that generally will not stand out in our minds. Regardless of position or physical make up, we want to see your best efforts, not just go through the motions. Once again, you are being judged not only by your tools, but by your efforts as well.

Time and time again, we see players who have tremendous talent, but don’t look ready to perform, and that shows in their performance. We have all seen players who are top notch talent, but don’t give the efforts to separate themselves from the rest of the pack, and that is taken into consideration when talking to college coaches or pro scouts. Whether you are the No. 1 ranked player or trying to crack the rankings, we expect you to put your best efforts on display, every second of every event you attend and game you play.

We want you to get noticed as much as you do, help yourself by making a good first impression and follow that up with showing the best of your ability. It is true what they say; you never get a second chance to make a first impression.