A GOOD Baseball Video Will Grab Coaches' Attention
A baseball recruiting video holds pivotal significance within the recruitment journey. Consider it a powerful self-marketing tool, amplifying athletes' visibility among college coaches. This video showcasing baseball skills is a compelling entry point for athletes to engage with coaches, kickstarting the evaluation process.
Refining Your Baseball Recruiting Video: Essential Guidelines
Creating a compelling baseball recruiting video requires a strategic approach that effectively showcases an athlete's skills. Coaches seek genuine talent displayed on the field rather than an overproduced video laden with flashy effects, dramatic music, or rapid editing.
Consider these key filming tips:
- Highlight Strengths: Your baseball skills video should immediately spotlight your strongest assets, capturing the coach's attention. Whether it's lightning speed, a blazing 92 MPH fastball, or the ability to make impressive outfield throws, emphasize what sets you apart.
- Stable Filming: A tripod, ideally positioned about 5 feet off the ground, is used to stabilize the footage. Whether using a professional camera or a smartphone, steady video enhances the viewing experience for coaches, preventing them from skipping unstable footage.
- Positional Showcase: Coaches want to see an athlete's prowess at their designated position. According to a 2018 survey of college baseball coaches, key elements they look for in a skills video are mechanics, speed, athleticism, power, and body language.
- Clear View: Avoid obstructed views caused by filming behind fences or backstops. The camera's view should be unimpeded for optimal visibility.
- Warm-Up: Before filming begins, ensure a proper warm-up to appear relaxed and natural while displaying your skills.
- Dress Appropriately: Wearing a uniform is preferred, but if not available, attire like spikes, pants or shorts, a tucked-in shirt, and a helmet are recommended for a professional appearance.
- Leave Them Wanting More: Keep the video concise, under five minutes, showcasing your best skills at the video's outset. Captivate coaches from the start to leave them eager for additional glimpses of your abilities.
By adhering to these guidelines, athletes can create impactful baseball recruiting videos that effectively highlight their talents and make a lasting impression on coaches.
Distinguishing Between a Baseball Recruiting Video and a Skills Video
In baseball, the distinction between a recruiting video and a skills video is rather nuanced. While in several other sports, a recruiting video typically compiles a player's standout moments from actual games, baseball coaches lean towards observing specific actions from practice sessions to grasp the mechanics effectively. Game footage often fails to provide the desired camera angles that coaches seek, which limits their ability to assess crucial details. Below, we delve into the precise shots and perspectives coaches desire when crafting a recruiting skills video.
Crafting a baseball skills video stands as a potent method to capture a coach's attention. Remarkably, these videos don't necessitate specific locations or high-end equipment, making them relatively straightforward to produce independently.
Perfection isn't the priority for these videos. Coaches primarily seek a showcase of technical prowess, which includes:
- Fundamental drills include live BP, tee work, and front toss throws.
- Comprehensive catching techniques, encompassing receiving and blocking.
- Display of footwork, arm strength, and release.
- A range of 8 to 10 repetitions featuring multiple angles (back, side, or any perspective highlighting the mechanics of the play).
Maximizing Visibility for Your Baseball Recruiting Video Among College Coaches
When it comes to getting your baseball recruiting video noticed by college coaches, strategic placement is crucial. Here's a comprehensive guide to ensure maximum visibility:
- YouTube or Vimeo Upload: Kickstart your outreach by uploading your baseball skills video on platforms like YouTube or Vimeo. This approach serves a dual purpose: making it discoverable for coaches actively seeking such content and providing you with a shareable link. This link becomes a valuable asset for inclusion in emails to coaches and sharing across social media platforms.
- Utilize Social Media: Engage with coaches and programs from your targeted schools on social media platforms. Following and befriending these entities increases the chances of your video gaining views and shares among relevant audiences.
- Prospect On-Deck Recruiting Profile: Optimize your exposure by creating a comprehensive recruiting profile that incorporates your video highlights and skills. Studies reveal that profiles featuring such videos are significantly more likely to capture coach attention. The athlete’s profile on PROSPECT ON-DECK also offers essential information coaches seek when evaluating potential recruits.
- Consider Hard Copy DVDs: While digital communication is efficient, it's also inundated. To stand out, consider sending coaches a hard copy DVD. This old-school method might seem unconventional but could make a lasting impression amid the deluge of emails coaches typically receive—offering a tangible and memorable way to showcase your skills.
By strategically leveraging these platforms and methods, you enhance the visibility of your baseball recruiting video, significantly increasing the likelihood of capturing the attention of college coaches.
Recruiting video for pitchers
Begin recording these pitches after a complete warm-up. The person filming should make sure they show the catcher catching the ball at all times. There are two different camera angles to film pitches from: behind the mound, and behind either the right-handed pitcher’s box or left-handed pitcher’s box. Film half of the pitches from one camera angle and half from the other.
For RHPs, set up the camera three feet to the right and five feet behind the mound to be able to see ball movement. LHPs should be to the left. Show:
- Ten varied pitches out of the wind-up, with fastballs being at least five of them
- Ten varied pitches out of the stretch, with fastballs accounting for at least five of them
The next set of pitches should be filmed with camera set up three feet behind the right-handed batter’s box for RHP and three feet behind the left-handed batter’s box for LHP. Show:
- Ten varied pitches out of the wind-up, with fastballs being at least five of them
- Ten varied pitches out of the stretch, with fastballs being at least five of them
Recruiting video for catchers
Film with the camera angle 10 feet in front of the catcher and show:
- Four framing pitches (two pitches on each corner)
Film with the camera angle positioned two feet to the left and five feet in front of the mound to show:
- Blocking pitches (five directly in front of you, five to your left, five to your right).
Film with the camera angle positioned three feet behind the second baseman for half and two feet behind the catcher for half. The film must show the second baseman catch the ball from all camera angles. Show:
Film with the camera angle positioned three feet behind the catcher. The film must show the third baseman catch the ball. Show:
Film with the camera angle positioned three feet behind the plate. The film must show the first baseman catch the ball. Show:
- Mock bunts and throws to 1B (three balls up the 1B line)
- Mock bunts and throws to 1B (three balls up the 3B line)
Recruiting video for shortstops and second basemen
Film with the camera angle positioned four feet to the left of the mound for half of the video and four feet behind short stop for half. The first baseman must be seen catching the ball. Whether the athlete plays SS or 2B, they will need to take their ground balls at SS in order to maximize range and arm strength. Show:
- Four feeds to 2B for double plays
- Four feeds from the second baseman coming across the bag and making the throw to 1B. (Can also turn it as a second baseman receiving from the shortstop if you are a second baseman.)
- Four slow choppers hit directly at you
- Four ground balls hit 8–10 feet to your right
- Four ground balls hit 8–10 feet to your left
- Eight ground balls hit directly at you
Recruiting video for third basemen
Film half the video with the camera angle positioned four feet to the right of the plate. The other half should be filmed four feet behind the third baseman. The first baseman must be seen catching the ball. Show:
- Four slow choppers hit directly at you
- Four ground balls hit directly to your right/backhand
- Four ground balls hit directly to your left
- Eight ground balls hit directly at you
Recruiting video for first basemen
Film with the camera angle positioned four feet to the left of the plate. (Half of the ground balls should be off the bag and half should be holding a runner on.) Show:
- Four ground balls hit directly at you
- Two ground balls hit directly to your left
- Two ground balls hit directly to your backhand
- Two slow choppers hit directly at you
Recruiting video for second basemen
Film with the camera angle positioned four feet behind the first baseman. (Half should be off the bag and half should be holding a runner on.) When throwing to 2B, the baseball skills video must show the second baseman catch the ball. Show:
- Four ground balls hit directly at you
- Two ground balls hit directly to your left
- Two groundballs hit directly to your backhand
- Two slow choppers hit directly at you
Athletes should also include their feeds to the pitcher in some of the above actions.
Recruiting video for outfielders
CF, RF, and LF should take their ground balls and fly balls in the right field. Film with camera positioned 15 feet in front of the athlete (in the direction of home plate) and five feet left (toward center field), focusing on the athlete’s movement in the field. Show:
- Three ground balls hit directly at you and thrown to 3B
- Two ground balls hit to your left and thrown to 3B
- Two fly balls hit to your left and thrown to 3B
- Two ground balls hit to your right and thrown to 3B
- Two fly balls hit to your right and thrown to 3B
Film with camera behind 3B, showing both the outfielder and the third baseman. The focus should be on the athlete’s throwing accuracy and arm strength. Show:
- Three ground balls hit directly at you and thrown to 3B
- Two ground balls hit to your left and thrown to 3B
- Two fly balls hit to your left and thrown to 3B
- Two ground balls hit to your right and thrown to 3B
- Two fly balls hit to your right and thrown to 3B
Film with camera angle behind home plate, showing both RF and C, focusing on throwing accuracy and arm strength. Show:
- Five ground balls hit directly at you and thrown to home
- Five fly balls hit directly at you and thrown to home
Recruiting video for hitting
The pitcher should throw batting-practice-type fastballs. Families can also use a pitching machine. Footage should be filmed outside on a diamond or in a cage with a pitcher throwing batting-practice-type fastballs—no soft tosses. Take seven swings max at a time. Then, step out and rest for a few minutes. Use an aluminum (never wood) bat. Show:
- Fifteen swings with the camera behind the catcher area
- Fifteen swings with the camera five feet directly to the right of the plate (for right-handed hitters) or left of the plate (for left-handed hitters)
Record Verified Measurables
Ensuring the accuracy of your physical measurements and numbers is crucial for coaches. Typically, these metrics are verified when coaches observe your performance or during visits. However, you can simplify the process for coaches by proactively verifying your measurables through recorded videos beforehand.
Your verified measurable videos should include:
- Height.
- Weight.
- 60-Yard Dash Time — preferably with stopwatch verification.
- Radar readings, exit velocities, and other important metrics.
