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Posted: **09 Jun 2025 08:25 am**

So last night watching my Tigers play they made the comment that 55% of MLB players played college ball. Except for the fact that in some cases for top prospects the bonus is too good to pass up or they actually have the chance to play at the MLB level in a year or two ( this only applies to a few players at best), I don’t know why any high schooler would skip college. Good coaching, NIL, better travel conditions, in some cases better facilities, etc.

I’m wondering if in 10 years minor league teams go away or levels such as A maybe AA are eliminated or teams reduced. Much cheaper in organizations to let college pay for the training. I would like to see colleges revert back to wood bats. Also there would have to be more flexibility in draft eligibility allowing plays to come out earlier.

Thoughts?

Posted: **09 Jun 2025 08:34 am**

Jatalk wrote: ↑09 Jun 2025 08:25 am So last night watching my Tigers play they made the comment that 55% of MLB players played college ball. Except for the fact that in some cases for top prospects the bonus is too good to pass up or they actually have the chance to play at the MLB level in a year or two ( this only applies to a few players at best), I don’t know why any high schooler would skip college. Good coaching, NIL, better travel conditions, in some cases better facilities, etc.

I’m wondering if in 10 years minor league teams go away or levels such as A maybe AA are eliminated or teams reduced. Much cheaper in organizations to let college pay for the training. I would like to see colleges revert back to wood bats. Also there would have to be more flexibility in draft eligibility allowing plays to come out earlier.

Thoughts?

Nice write. You make good points. Maybe eliminate most all at or below A level.

Posted: **09 Jun 2025 08:36 am**

Jatalk wrote: ↑09 Jun 2025 08:25 am So last night watching my Tigers play they made the comment that 55% of MLB players played college ball. Except for the fact that in some cases for top prospects the bonus is too good to pass up or they actually have the chance to play at the MLB level in a year or two ( this only applies to a few players at best), I don’t know why any high schooler would skip college. Good coaching, NIL, better travel conditions, in some cases better facilities, etc.

I’m wondering if in 10 years minor league teams go away or levels such as A maybe AA are eliminated or teams reduced. Much cheaper in organizations to let college pay for the training. I would like to see colleges revert back to wood bats. Also there would have to be more flexibility in draft eligibility allowing plays to come out earlier.

Thoughts?

You don’t know why someone would postpone college to fulfill a lifelong dream? Really?

Posted: **09 Jun 2025 08:55 am**

ecleme22 wrote: ↑09 Jun 2025 08:36 am
Jatalk wrote: ↑09 Jun 2025 08:25 am So last night watching my Tigers play they made the comment that 55% of MLB players played college ball. Except for the fact that in some cases for top prospects the bonus is too good to pass up or they actually have the chance to play at the MLB level in a year or two ( this only applies to a few players at best), I don’t know why any high schooler would skip college. Good coaching, NIL, better travel conditions, in some cases better facilities, etc.

I’m wondering if in 10 years minor league teams go away or levels such as A maybe AA are eliminated or teams reduced. Much cheaper in organizations to let college pay for the training. I would like to see colleges revert back to wood bats. Also there would have to be more flexibility in draft eligibility allowing plays to come out earlier.

Thoughts?
You don’t know why someone would postpone college to fulfill a lifelong dream? Really?

oooooor maybe.. some kids don't want to go to college

and honestly the term 'student athlete' is a joke these days

and I think it's ridiculous to mandate kids have to go to college to play pro sports. looking at you NFL

Posted: **09 Jun 2025 09:24 am**

ecleme22 wrote: ↑09 Jun 2025 08:36 am
Jatalk wrote: ↑09 Jun 2025 08:25 am So last night watching my Tigers play they made the comment that 55% of MLB players played college ball. Except for the fact that in some cases for top prospects the bonus is too good to pass up or they actually have the chance to play at the MLB level in a year or two ( this only applies to a few players at best), I don’t know why any high schooler would skip college. Good coaching, NIL, better travel conditions, in some cases better facilities, etc.

I’m wondering if in 10 years minor league teams go away or levels such as A maybe AA are eliminated or teams reduced. Much cheaper in organizations to let college pay for the training. I would like to see colleges revert back to wood bats. Also there would have to be more flexibility in draft eligibility allowing plays to come out earlier.

Thoughts?
You don’t know why someone would postpone college to fulfill a lifelong dream? Really?

If I knew I was going to minors and could go to college I would choose college most likely.

Posted: **09 Jun 2025 09:49 am**

Looks like even more money will now be made available to college athletes in addition to the NIL dollars. I don't know what that looks like yet, but more changes coming to make college look even more attractive, at least for the sports generating positive income for their schools.

Posted: **09 Jun 2025 10:55 am**

Jatalk wrote: ↑09 Jun 2025 08:25 am So last night watching my Tigers play they made the comment that 55% of MLB players played college ball. Except for the fact that in some cases for top prospects the bonus is too good to pass up or they actually have the chance to play at the MLB level in a year or two ( this only applies to a few players at best), I don’t know why any high schooler would skip college. Good coaching, NIL, better travel conditions, in some cases better facilities, etc.

I’m wondering if in 10 years minor league teams go away or levels such as A maybe AA are eliminated or teams reduced. Much cheaper in organizations to let college pay for the training. I would like to see colleges revert back to wood bats. Also there would have to be more flexibility in draft eligibility allowing plays to come out earlier.

Thoughts?

Interesting. Though I would like to see the breakdown of American-born players. I suspect few players with college experience are from PR, the DR, or other Latin or South American countries.

Posted: **09 Jun 2025 13:05 pm**

Players from other countries who do not attend college but get signed make up a decent amount of the op statistic.

Posted: **09 Jun 2025 13:09 pm**

Jatalk wrote: ↑09 Jun 2025 09:24 am
ecleme22 wrote: ↑09 Jun 2025 08:36 am
Jatalk wrote: ↑09 Jun 2025 08:25 am So last night watching my Tigers play they made the comment that 55% of MLB players played college ball. Except for the fact that in some cases for top prospects the bonus is too good to pass up or they actually have the chance to play at the MLB level in a year or two ( this only applies to a few players at best), I don’t know why any high schooler would skip college. Good coaching, NIL, better travel conditions, in some cases better facilities, etc.

I’m wondering if in 10 years minor league teams go away or levels such as A maybe AA are eliminated or teams reduced. Much cheaper in organizations to let college pay for the training. I would like to see colleges revert back to wood bats. Also there would have to be more flexibility in draft eligibility allowing plays to come out earlier.

Thoughts?
You don’t know why someone would postpone college to fulfill a lifelong dream? Really?
If I knew I was going to minors and could go to college I would choose college most likely.

There are players every year that could get a lot of money to go pro but go onto college and never amount to anything or make nearly the same amount by the time they are draft eligible. You can always go back to college, but you can’t always become a pro. I also wouldn’t be so quick to say that all college coaches are “good coaching”.

Posted: **09 Jun 2025 13:12 pm**

Jatalk wrote: ↑09 Jun 2025 08:25 am So last night watching my Tigers play they made the comment that 55% of MLB players played college ball. Except for the fact that in some cases for top prospects the bonus is too good to pass up or they actually have the chance to play at the MLB level in a year or two ( this only applies to a few players at best), I don’t know why any high schooler would skip college. Good coaching, NIL, better travel conditions, in some cases better facilities, etc.

I’m wondering if in 10 years minor league teams go away or levels such as A maybe AA are eliminated or teams reduced. Much cheaper in organizations to let college pay for the training. I would like to see colleges revert back to wood bats. Also there would have to be more flexibility in draft eligibility allowing plays to come out earlier.

Thoughts?

If they did away with the minor leagues or reduced them the quality of play at the major league level would be far worse than it is now

Posted: **09 Jun 2025 13:27 pm**

You can always go back to school.

You go on, take the money and run

Posted: **09 Jun 2025 13:34 pm**

moose-and-squirrel wrote: ↑09 Jun 2025 08:55 am
ecleme22 wrote: ↑09 Jun 2025 08:36 am
Jatalk wrote: ↑09 Jun 2025 08:25 am So last night watching my Tigers play they made the comment that 55% of MLB players played college ball. Except for the fact that in some cases for top prospects the bonus is too good to pass up or they actually have the chance to play at the MLB level in a year or two ( this only applies to a few players at best), I don’t know why any high schooler would skip college. Good coaching, NIL, better travel conditions, in some cases better facilities, etc.

I’m wondering if in 10 years minor league teams go away or levels such as A maybe AA are eliminated or teams reduced. Much cheaper in organizations to let college pay for the training. I would like to see colleges revert back to wood bats. Also there would have to be more flexibility in draft eligibility allowing plays to come out earlier.

Thoughts?
You don’t know why someone would postpone college to fulfill a lifelong dream? Really?
oooooor maybe.. some kids don't want to go to college

and honestly the term 'student athlete' is a joke these days

and I think it's ridiculous to mandate kids have to go to college to play pro sports. looking at you NFL

That's a good point, it's what makes baseball stand out from the other sports. There are a lot of roads to make it, which makes the MLB truly the highest collection of talent from all sources around the world. It is a world game. NFL is too institutionalized. Football, College, the American dream, shiny new half-ton pickups, trips to the store to stock up on alcohol and carb heavy feasts as if every day is Thanksgiving, arguing about drinking bud light vs miller, and screaming incoherently at a televised football game. It's good for those in their 30's+ still trying to glorify the frat party lifestyle.

Posted: **09 Jun 2025 16:19 pm**

Jatalk wrote: ↑09 Jun 2025 08:25 am So last night watching my Tigers play they made the comment that 55% of MLB players played college ball. Except for the fact that in some cases for top prospects the bonus is too good to pass up or they actually have the chance to play at the MLB level in a year or two ( this only applies to a few players at best), I don’t know why any high schooler would skip college. Good coaching, NIL, better travel conditions, in some cases better facilities, etc.

I’m wondering if in 10 years minor league teams go away or levels such as A maybe AA are eliminated or teams reduced. Much cheaper in organizations to let college pay for the training. I would like to see colleges revert back to wood bats. Also there would have to be more flexibility in draft eligibility allowing plays to come out earlier.

Thoughts?

I think you are overselling college for a lot of baseball rats. Bonus babies take a really big chance to miss out on a giant payday. So much can happen in college and it isn't all good. Teams won't pass on the opportunity to sign HS kids and develop them thru to the majors.

There is an element that should take the college experience. Another one that won't.

Posted: **09 Jun 2025 16:51 pm**

JDW wrote: ↑09 Jun 2025 09:49 am Looks like even more money will now be made available to college athletes in addition to the NIL dollars. I don't know what that looks like yet, but more changes coming to make college look even more attractive, at least for the sports generating positive income for their schools.

That money isn’t going to baseball. Men’s football and basketball getting the lion’s share of that.

Posted: **09 Jun 2025 16:52 pm**

Jatalk wrote: ↑09 Jun 2025 09:24 am
ecleme22 wrote: ↑09 Jun 2025 08:36 am
Jatalk wrote: ↑09 Jun 2025 08:25 am So last night watching my Tigers play they made the comment that 55% of MLB players played college ball. Except for the fact that in some cases for top prospects the bonus is too good to pass up or they actually have the chance to play at the MLB level in a year or two ( this only applies to a few players at best), I don’t know why any high schooler would skip college. Good coaching, NIL, better travel conditions, in some cases better facilities, etc.

I’m wondering if in 10 years minor league teams go away or levels such as A maybe AA are eliminated or teams reduced. Much cheaper in organizations to let college pay for the training. I would like to see colleges revert back to wood bats. Also there would have to be more flexibility in draft eligibility allowing plays to come out earlier.

Thoughts?
You don’t know why someone would postpone college to fulfill a lifelong dream? Really?
If I knew I was going to minors and could go to college I would choose college most likely.

YOU would. The collective is a mixed bag. Lots of kids would way rather get started playing ball rather than go to college.

Posted: **09 Jun 2025 18:53 pm**

Jatalk wrote: ↑09 Jun 2025 09:24 am
ecleme22 wrote: ↑09 Jun 2025 08:36 am
Jatalk wrote: ↑09 Jun 2025 08:25 am So last night watching my Tigers play they made the comment that 55% of MLB players played college ball. Except for the fact that in some cases for top prospects the bonus is too good to pass up or they actually have the chance to play at the MLB level in a year or two ( this only applies to a few players at best), I don’t know why any high schooler would skip college. Good coaching, NIL, better travel conditions, in some cases better facilities, etc.

I’m wondering if in 10 years minor league teams go away or levels such as A maybe AA are eliminated or teams reduced. Much cheaper in organizations to let college pay for the training. I would like to see colleges revert back to wood bats. Also there would have to be more flexibility in draft eligibility allowing plays to come out earlier.

Thoughts?
You don’t know why someone would postpone college to fulfill a lifelong dream? Really?
If I knew I was going to minors and could go to college I would choose college most likely.

100% of former pro ballers who initially skipped college can always go back to college.

I like those odds…

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