Coaches Round Table: Andy Schatzley Harding University
December 21, 2015
By: Zac Bottoms
Arkansas Scouting Director
All college programs have different ways to evaluate talent and come to their final decision on who to recruit and when they recruit them. I have sat down with Coach Andy Schatzley from Harding University to discuss how his program works through the recruiting process.
PBR: At what grade do you start evaluating players for recruiting purposes?
Coach Schatzley: A lot of that depends on where we are in our cycle, and the size of each class. For the most part, evaluation starts the summer after their sophomore year.
PBR: What are some of the biggest factors for you to recruit a student-athlete?
Coach Schatzley: Obviously, we have to sign talented athletes, but intangibles such as character and competitiveness play an equal if not greater role in the evaluation process. Other intangibles that play a substantial role include intelligence, work ethic, leadership, and most importantly the type of teammate someone may or may not be.
Grades also play a huge part. With Division II schools only having 9 scholarships, students who qualify for substantial academic packages allow us to stretch our scholarship money further.
From an athletic standpoint, the simplest answer is a player’s athleticism relative to the demands of their position. Actions and fundamentals are important, but not as important as overall athletic ability and tools.
PBR: What are some of the reasons you would not recruit a student athlete?
Coach Schatzley: One thing people need to understand is by signing someone, coaches are making a financial investment. Just like anything else, we try to make the safest investments possible. Therefore, any off the field or character-based issue adds risk to your investment and is one of the most common reasons coaches decide not to recruit a player.
Also, projectability and ceiling are huge factors. Coaches are doing their best to evaluate and invest based on a player’s future, not necessarily the player they are right now. If coaches feel like a player is “maxed out” ability wise or athletically, they are much more likely to pass.
The last thing and maybe most important reason is timing. Choosing to not recruit someone, often times does not mean you dislike them as a player. Most of the time, it has much more to do with the program’s current roster needs and scholarship availability.
PBR: What is the one skill a position player must have for you to recruit them and why?
Explosiveness or “urgent athleticism.” Strength matters, however, if the movements are slow and dull they do not translate and their ceiling is limited. This does not always have to do with straight-line speed. Exit velocity, shuttle runs, and broad jumps can also indicate fast twitch ability.
PBR: What do you value more from a pitcher, pitch-ability or power and why?
Coach Schatzley: The bottom line is guys have to be good at what they do. It all boils down to how effective they can be based on their skill set. So to specifically answer the question, we value effectiveness regardless of the pitcher’s velocity. We also try to make sure our staff is balanced and diverse when it comes to velocity and style.
PBR: What advice do you have for student athletes that have a desire to play college baseball?
Coach Schatzley: Don’t become consumed with actions and trying to be perfect. Coaches love to see players who play the game with a lot of athleticism, aggressiveness, and energy. Enjoy playing and make sure your effort level reflects your goal of playing college baseball.
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