A message to high school baseball players: Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve seen an alarming number of players reopening their recruitment after previously making verbal commitments to college programs. There’s a reason this is happening, and I think young players need to understand the reality of college baseball today. With the transfer portal, roster limitations, increased competition, and coaching staffs constantly evaluating their programs, college baseball has become more competitive than ever. Programs are making difficult roster decisions, and unfortunately, some of those decisions impact high school players who thought their futures were already secured. Here’s the reality: A verbal commitment is not a binding guarantee. Until the appropriate paperwork is signed, your commitment isn’t formally secured. And even after the paperwork is signed, that doesn’t guarantee you a roster spot, playing time, or a long-term future with that program. But there’s a bigger lesson here that goes well beyond recruiting. Your work ethic should NEVER change because you’ve reached a milestone. Getting a college commitment isn’t the finish line. Your first day on a college campus isn’t the finish line. Becoming draft eligible isn’t the finish line. Hearing your name called in the MLB Draft isn’t the finish line. Signing your first professional contract isn’t the finish line. Every level of this game presents a new challenge, and every time you advance, the competition gets better. I’ve seen far too many talented players become comfortable once they’ve received the recognition or opportunity they’ve been chasing. The same consistency, discipline, and work ethic that helped you earn that opportunity are exactly what you’ll need to keep it. This is also why I’ve been so vocal about the importance of high school players continuing to COMPETE. Development is critical. Strength training, skill work, recovery, and preparing your body for the next level all matter. But there is a part of player development that simply cannot be replicated outside of competition. You need to learn how to make adjustments against quality pitching. You need to learn how to execute when the game is on the line. You need to experience failure, manage adversity, and figure out how to compete when things aren’t going your way. You need to learn how to show up and perform when the guy across from you is just as talented as you are. You cannot replicate all of that in a cage, bullpen, or weight room. I’m not suggesting players need to compete year-round without rest or that more games automatically make someone better. I’m saying that meaningful competition against quality opponents needs to remain a priority throughout your development. Too often, I see players become so focused on protecting their ranking, draft stock, or commitment that they start avoiding situations where they might struggle or get exposed. But what happens when you show up for your first day of college baseball? You’re surrounded by players who were the best on their high school teams. Some are older, stronger, and more experienced. Some have already competed against high-level college competition for multiple years. And if you’re fortunate enough to play professionally, that competition becomes even more demanding. Your first day of college or professional baseball should not be the first time you’ve been consistently challenged by players at or above your ability level. That’s why I believe competing is such an important part of preparing for the next level. The goal isn’t simply to accumulate games. It’s to put yourself in environments that force you to make adjustments, handle pressure, and become a better baseball player. And understand this: There is always someone working to take your spot. That’s not meant to scare you. That’s the reality of competitive athletics. Continued 🧵

There’s been a lot of conversation surrounding my post about the WWBA World Championship in Jupiter. Some great perspectives, some legitimate questions, and quite a few people completely missing the point. Let me clarify a few things. 1. WHO I’M ACTUALLY TALKING ABOUT When I reference highly regarded players, I’m talking specifically about the top 100 or so high school baseball prospects in the country. The players with significant college and professional interest, legitimate draft potential, and opportunities to compete at the highest level. I’m NOT talking about every high school baseball player in America. I’ve seen situations where players are encouraged by advisors, agents, parents, or even their own internal concerns to avoid certain events because of the possibility of hurting their ranking or draft stock. Think about that for a second. We’ve reached a point where some players are more concerned about protecting their perceived value than testing their actual ability. If you’re truly one of the best players in the country, why wouldn’t you want to compete against the best? And if the concern is that facing elite competition might expose weaknesses in your game, isn’t that exactly what you SHOULD want to find out? I’d rather evaluate a player who competes and struggles against elite competition than one whose reputation is built around avoiding difficult matchups. 2. DO PLAYERS REALLY NEED TO COMPETE IN OCTOBER? This seems to be one of the biggest arguments in the comments. Again, we’re talking about a very small percentage of high school baseball players. The elite prospects preparing to enter major college baseball or professional baseball. The demands of those environments are significantly different from what most high school players experience. College players have fall competition, an intensive spring season, summer baseball opportunities, and year-round development expectations. Professional players face an even longer competitive calendar. If you’re an elite high school senior preparing for that transition, I think there’s a legitimate conversation to be had about whether you’re getting enough meaningful game experience. I’m not suggesting every player needs to chase 100 games just to reach an arbitrary number. Workload, recovery, position, and physical development all matter. But there’s a difference between accumulating meaningless innings and competing in high-level environments that force you to make adjustments. You can throw all the bullpens you want. You can hit off machines, track exit velocities, and train in controlled environments all winter. All of those things have tremendous value. But none of them completely replicate facing an elite opponent with the game on the line. There’s a reason professional baseball players spend years accumulating game repetitions throughout the minor leagues. Development happens in training. Development also happens through competition, failure, and adjustment. You need both. 3. THE ARGUMENT THAT THIS IS ABOUT MONEY I’ve seen several comments suggesting this opinion is somehow about getting families to spend more money on travel baseball. That argument completely misses the population of players I’m discussing. Many of the nation’s highest regarded prospects receive opportunities to compete with national programs at little or no direct team cost. In certain situations, travel and lodging assistance may also be available. That’s not the reality for every player or family, and I’m certainly not suggesting anyone should put themselves in financial hardship to attend a baseball tournament. But the players I’m referencing often have opportunities that look very different from the traditional pay-to-play model. My position has nothing to do with selling another tournament. It has everything to do with the value of competing against elite talent and being willing to expose weaknesses in your game.