Coaches Round Table: Jon Ubbenga Arkansas Fort Smith

December 29, 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 Jon Ubbenga from University of Arkansas at Fort Smith to discuss how his program works through the recruiting process.

PBR: At what grade do you start evaluating players for recruiting purposes?

Coach Ubbenga: We typically start bearing down on players their Junior and Senior Year. A lot can change for a player between their Freshman and Senior Year of High School so we will typically not recruit heavily until after that. That doesn't mean we won't write some names down to keep on our radar when they are Freshman and Sophomores but that is so we can follow them as they get older.

PBR: What are some of the biggest factors for you to recruit a student-athlete?

Coach Ubbenga: The number one factor in recruiting a player is finding guys who can make our team better. So often you hear coaches say they are looking for good character when they recruit while in reality I don't know of any coach that recruits purely off character. At the end of the day the player has to bring something to our team that makes us better. The assets have to outweigh the liabilities and the assets can include different things whether it is talent, work ethic, leadership, fundamentals, etc. If we judge that the player could help our program then we look into grades, character, work ethic, etc. If we do not trust that the player can come and represent our team and university well both on and off the field we just will simply not recruit him. There are enough players out there that we do not have to take many risks to find good players.

PBR: What are some of the reasons you would not recruit a student athlete?

Coach Ubbenga: Like I said before, if their negatives outweigh their positives then I won't bother. I've watched players before at showcases who had a good swing or a good arm and I decide I want to give them a call. Before I call them on the phone I check their Twitter or Facebook to get more information. Sometimes it will give me extra information on his family, interests, other visits, and hobbies. Sometimes the information I gather their will tell me I don't want to recruit the player. If the player has pictures of him partying, drinking, excessive swearing, etc, I will cross him off the list. At that point the player will probably never know I even thought about calling him.

PBR: What is the one skill a position player must have for you to recruit them and why?

Coach Ubbenga: That will greatly vary by position. Catcher and SS we want above average defenders and can be lighter with the bat. By that I mean can handle the bat and still fit in to our offense and possibly be at the top or bottom of our lineup. CF we want a speed guy who can cover ground and hit towards the top part of our lineup. Everywhere else, we want guys who can hit in more than they let in. I guess the common denominator is that most all the players have to be able to hit or if not need to be able to at least handle the bat. Athleticism is another big factor, we don't like one dimensional guys who aren't very versatile.

PBR: What do you value more from a pitcher, pitch-ability or power and why?

Coach Ubbenga: It's hard to just say one where it has to be a combination. We typically like guys with athletic deliveries and quick short arms although we need some different looks. If a guy is a sidearm pitcher and a strikethrower with some deception and a good slider, we don't care about the velocity. If the pitcher is a 3/4 RHP with a pretty straight fastball he either needs to have some velocity or at least project that he will gain velocity. If a team is filled with a bunch of pitchers that look the same, it will really help the other team settle in and be comfortable at the plate.

PBR: What advice do you have for student athletes that have a desire to play college baseball?

Coach Ubbenga: My advice is to look to find the right fit. There are plenty of options for you to play at the next level and get a great education if you will just do some research and find those places. It might not be a D1 or even a school all your friends have heard of, but there are lots of options! Be realistic and don't just dwell on your dream schools. Lastly, you must promote yourself rather than waiting for schools to come knocking. A large majority of colleges don't have the means to go out and watch every player that sends them an email. Make sure you have video included in your email as well as academic information. Make a short, concise, personalized email to that school in order to get on their radar.

Coaches Round Table: Jon Ubbenga Arkansas Fort Smith

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