The NCAA classifies a student as a prospective college baseball player once they start taking classes in the ninth grade. However, some sports can classify a student as a prospective student-athlete prior to ninth grade. This would be the case if an NCAA institution verbally commits to providing the student or their family with athletic-related financial assistance or benefits not offered to standard prospective students. An individual remains classified as a prospective student-athlete until one of the following occurs:
- The student registers and enrolls as a full-time student at a college institution and attends classes in any term.
- The student participates in a standard team practice or game at a four-year NCAA institution before the start of any term.
- The individual attends required athletic activities during the summer before the initial full-time enrollment at the NCAA institution.
- The individual attends an orientation session at the institution, that is available to all incoming students, within 14 calendar days of the opening day of classes.
The Recruiting Journey
When a player becomes a prospective student-athlete, it often means the start of their recruiting journey. The NCAA defines recruiting as any effort made by an institutional staff member or a representative of the institution’s athletics interests to encourage a prospective student-athlete or their family members to enroll and participate in the institution’s intercollegiate athletics program.
We recently shared an article that takes a deeper look at the indicators that you are being recruited, but the items below are some of the main ones you should be aware of:
- Offering the prospective college baseball player an official visit
- Arranging a face-to-face meeting off campus with the player or the player’s family members
- Providing a player with a National Letter of Intent, which presents a player with athletic related financial aid
You’re likely a future college baseball player if you stumbled upon this article. TeamFacts offers a free resource for aspiring college baseball players to aid in their search for the perfect college baseball program. Our tool includes valuable information such as roster insights, coaching details, recruitment forms, admissions information, costs, and much more from hundreds of four-year baseball schools.
