Baseball Camps: Everything You Need to Know
Baseball camps give you the opportunity to showcase your skills and talents in front of college coaches. You may ask, how do I find baseball camps near me? NCSA has compiled a list of college baseball camps across the country. You can use NCSA’s list below to find a baseball camp near you. You can also get answers to top questions about baseball camps.
1 results
Ages / Grade Level: 10yr – 18yr
Search all baseball recruiting events here.
Post your event schedule on your NCSA Recruiting Profile, so college coaches can see where you’re competing. Start your FREE profile!
BASEBALL TRAINING CAMPS
Train like the top baseball players in the country at IMG Academy’s baseball camps. IMG Academy sport camps provide athletes with the platform to maximize potential, offering customizable programming options unique to one’s age, skill level, and athletic goals. IMG Academy baseball camps are led by industry-leading coaches within a world-class, all-inclusive campus.
Top questions about baseball camps:
- How do you find the right baseball camps?
- Are college baseball camps worth it?
- When should you attend a baseball camp?
- What should you expect at baseball camps?
- What are day camps and overnight baseball camps?
- What are baseball prospect camps?
- What are the best college baseball camps?
How to find the right baseball camps
How to find the right camp to attend depends largely on your grade level. See our recommendations below:
Underclassmen
Attending a college baseball camp as a freshman or sophomore is primarily to learn more about a program, meet the coaching staff and evaluate the campus. When deciding on camps, the most important factors are:
- You have a genuine interest in playing for the program.
- You feel like you have the skill level needed to play at that college.
- You and your family have time to tour the campus and experience college life.
Upperclassmen
For upperclassmen, the best way to decide on college camps is to figure out how interested coaches are in you as a prospect. The most important factors when deciding on camps as an upperclassman are:
- If the program is recruiting for the athlete’s position in your grad year
- If the coach has contacted you to talk about their program.
- If the coaching staff evaluated your recruiting profile and video
Which college programs will attend the camp? Recruits can determine this by attaining a list of participants prior to the event. If there are only one or two programs on the list, then it may be better to attend one of their individual college camps.
4 reasons college baseball camps are worth it
- Skill development. College camps provide athletes, especially underclassmen, a chance to develop new skills and sharpen skills they already excel.
- Gain exposure to college coaches. College camps offer the unique opportunity to work closely with college coaching staff and have your athletic ability and character evaluated.
- Evaluate the coaching staff. The recruiting process isn’t just about college coaches evaluating athletes. Recruits also need to evaluate coaches to determine if their coaching style and team culture are a good fit for them.
- Size up your competition. Camps bring together athletes from all over the country. That’s why camps are a great place for athletes to size up their recruiting competition. Athletes can also talk to other recruits about their recruiting process and what schools they are targeting.
Insider tip: A majority of NAIA coaches recruit college baseball players from camps. By going to the right camps, you can get your name out there so that you can potentially get noticed.
When is the best time to attend a baseball camp?
When to go to a camp depends on your recruiting goals, but it’s a good rule to start attending camps as a 7th and 8th grader to begin working on your skill development. Attend baseball summer camps if you’re looking to impress college coaches. Attend camps during the off season if you are seeking skill development. Below is a breakdown of camps by season.
Fall baseball camps
College coaches typically look to fall baseball camps as an opportunity to drive revenue, rather than recruit. For underclassmen, fall camps offer strong fundamental and technique training. If you’re an upperclassman, you’re better off attending a camp near the end of the high school season or the summer when you’re fully conditioned.
Winter baseball camps
College baseball camps during the off-season are typically instruction focused, rather than evaluations and exposure. Many of these are scheduled during winter break at different universities and colleges. If you’re looking for ways to get in shape for the upcoming spring season, attending a winter camp is a great way to sharpen up your skills. For unsigned seniors, winter baseball camps are often a last chance to play in front of college coaches to secure an unfilled roster spot for the upcoming year.
Summer baseball camps
Summer baseball camps are where college coaches focus most on evaluating talent. If you are an upperclassman attending a summer camp, attend a college camp where the coach has previously shown some interest to make the most of your experience and money. And if you’re interested in a program that you haven’t spoken with, be proactive and reach out to the coach to introduce yourself. For tips on how to send an introductory email, check out our guide to contacting college coaches.
What to expect at baseball camps
Though each camp is slightly different, most baseball camps follow a similar format: Check in and introductions, group warm-up, rotational skills and drills groups, and gameplay.
Some common drills that you might run through at a camp include:
- Infield drills: Short hop and double barrel fielding drills
- Outfield drills: Triangle and fly ball rep drills
- Catcher drills: Blocking and receiving drills
- Pitcher drills: Seven and ones and team infield/outfield drills
Camps held on a college campus are usually run by that program’s coaching staff and player. During the camp, you will receive a skills evaluation and suggestions for improvements. Some camps invite college coaches from multiple programs to provide skill development and exposure to more than one coach.
Baseball overnight camps and Day camps
We outline some of the differences between these types of camps below and why you may attend one versus the other.
Day camps
Day camps typically run for three to five hours a day and can last a few days to a full week. These types of camps are best if you live near the camp that you want to attend. Day camps tend to be less expensive than overnight camps.
Overnight camps
These camps offer a full-day experience and can last from one to three weeks. Overnight camps are ideal if you want to combine the experience of staying on campus and attending a camp.
baseball PROSPECT camps
Baseball prospect camps last one day and give athletes the opportunity to work closely with and compete in front of college coaches. The main benefits of a baseball prospect camp include:
- Exposure to college coaches
- Technical training
- Evaluate coaching style
- Evaluate current team culture
Position-specific camps
These camps are for athletes looking to focus on position-specific skills for any of the nine baseball positions. The most common position-specific camps are hitting, catching and pitching. Offered at the college level and locally, these camps include fundamental training, gameplay and competition drills.
Third-party camps
Many outside organizations host camps. They provide athletes with exposure to a broad group of college coaches and scouts. Typically, hundreds of athletes attend these camps, which makes it unrealistic for coaches to evaluate every athlete. Third-party camps can be more expensive than other camps, but if athletes do their homework, they can be beneficial. Like baseball tournaments, athletes should make sure they are on coaches’ radars before the event.
What are the best college baseball camps?
- Nike baseball camps are in 20 states throughout the U.S., as well as in the Netherlands and the Dominican Republic. Camps are located at many different colleges and universities in the U.S. and provide high school students the opportunity to hone their skills, learn from college coaches, and highlight their abilities.
- ABC Sports Camps are at a variety of different colleges and universities that are located across the U.S. Individual camps are directly hosted by the staff and coaches of the universities and colleges where they are held.
Conclusion
Baseball camps offer you the opportunity to develop your skillset, gain exposure and explore campus. What camps to attend and when are based on your individual recruiting goals. Use our event finder to find baseball camps near you or create your free recruiting profile! An NCSA Recruiting profile helps you receive and respond to college camp invites.
Learn more about the different types of baseball events: