Transfer portal has completely changed high school recruiting in baseball

DOVER — This time of year, they’re scattered all over the country.

You might find Delaware’s top high school baseball players anywhere in the South — or in any other state where a showcase tournament is being held.

It’s been that way for a while now.

“Georgia, Florida, Alabama — it’s constant,” said Cape Henlopen High coach Ben Evick, who has turned out several college recruits in recent years.

“I’ve got guys down there right now. They’re putting in the time and spending a lot of money to be seen.”

But the prize they’re all chasing — some kind of college scholarship — has suddenly gotten much more difficult to earn.

Local high school coaches say the NCAA Transfer Portal has changed everything.

Now, instead of signing high school recruits, NCAA Division I college coaches are picking up veteran players who already have a few years experience.

“It is killing recruiting, honestly,” said Evick,. “It’s really had a trickle-down effect on recruiting. Unless you’re a pitcher or a ‘P5’ (Power Five conference) guy, it’s hard right now. ... It’s changed the entire landscape of recruiting.”

“The transfer-portal thing has just basically been a free-for-all,” said Dover Nick Spadafino. “And it changes (high school) recruiting, for sure.

“These college coaches are basing their high school recruiting off of who they did get, who they didn’t get and who they lost because of the transfer portal.”

Scholarships in short supply

To be clear, college scholarships in baseball have always been difficult to land.

NCAA Division I programs can award as many as 11.7 full scholarships, most of which are divided up. They can give a partial scholarship to as many as 27 players.

Now getting some of that money is just a little tougher.

Downstate coaches say players who once would had some strong interest from colleges recruiters are now getting a wait-and-see approach.

“You have to kind of temper your expectations,” said Caesar Rodney assistant coach Zach Candeloro. “This kid, a couple years ago, might have gotten all these offers. But now it’s changed completely.

“I think it’s a bad game right now and a lot of these baseball coaches that I talk to, they’re still trying to learn it too. It’s just a confusing situation.”

CR’s Steven Donigan will be a senior in the fall. As a left-handed pitcher who’s coming off his best high school season, he’s got some things going for him.

Donigan has been out there playing in travel-ball tournaments and posting videos online this summer. But he’s finding out that it’s a very competitive business right

“I’m a coach at the high school level, so I’m mad for my guys,” said Candeloro, who pitched for Delaware State. “But I also played at the college level and I understand it.

“You’ve got to win to keep your job. So are you going to bring in a high school kid or are you going to bring in a kid (from college), who’s transferring down to a mid-level school? I’m taking that kid. It’s a tough situation.”

This year, college players had until July 2 to enter the Transfer Portal.

In 2023, a total of 1,328 players put their names in the portal. That was 252 more players than just two years before.

And of those 1,328 players in the portal last year, 76 percent ended up at Division I programs.

The University of Delaware had 13 transfers listed on last year’s roster, including five from junior colleges.

Coaches say players may have to consider a school like Georgetown’s Delaware Tech program as a stepping-stone to a bigger program.

“It you’re not a Power Five guy, you’re kind of put on the back burner.” said Evick. “I’ve talked to a lot of those coaches and I’m getting the same feedback. They’re waiting for the portal to close and guys to figure out where they want to be.”

Small-school transfers find success

Of course, when a player from a smaller college program has success at the highest level, that’s only going to get more coaches to look at those transfers.

North Carolina, which reached the College World Series this season, just picked up three Division III transfers and one from junior college.

Of the 20 players who took the field for Connecticut in an NCAA regional in June, seven were Division III transfers.

The Henlopen Conference has its share of high-level baseball players right now.

Sussex Central junior pitcher/shortstop Osiah Kelley is considered the state’s top recruit in his class while teammate Joaquin Rodriguez-Costa, a senior first baseman/pitcher, has already verbally committed to Delaware.

From Cape Henlopen, recent grad Gage Joseph is also headed for the Blue Hens while senior catcher Jase Mitchell has committed to Kentucky.

Among this year’s grads from Delaware high schools, 10 are listed as going to Division I programs — including three to Delaware State. That list also includes Dover’s Austin Chambers, who spent his senior year at Combined Academy in North Carolina.

If a recruit is talented enough, scouts seem to find them, though.

Cape Henlopen grad Luke Johnson ended up at UMBC, which has had a good Division I program but may not be considered as flashy as some others. He was just drafted in the 10th round of the MLB Draft by the Washington Nationals on Monday.

“There’s absolutely nothing wrong with going to UMBC, or a mid-major like that,” said Evick.

Evick remembers it was only a few years ago that colleges were getting verbal commitments from talented high school freshmen or sophomores.

“They were committing kids in eighth grade,” he said. “I’m like, ‘This is crazy.’ “
Now recruiters seem more likely to wait for that prospect to have spent a couple seasons in college.

Remember, since they don’t have to sit out a season now, transfers can fill an immediate need for another school.

Dream might be a little different

High school coaches, of course, don’t want to see their players work any less hard to accomplish their dreams.

Living those dreams may just take a little longer now.

Candeloro hopes his players don’t get discouraged by the way the system is working at the moment.

“I tell them to just keeping doing what you do and working hard,” he said. “Talk to every school that talks to you. You can always move up if the money’s not right.

“I don’t tell them to change their mindset or anything,” Candeloro added. ”Just go play, get your offers, do what you’ve got to do and enjoy the process. There’s still opportunities.”

Spadafino points out Jacob Ference, who went from Division III Salisbury to being the starting catcher and batting .350 for highly regarded Virginia this spring.

“Obviously these kids have these lofty goals and where they want to go,” said Spadafino. “But just saying you go to Salisbury out of high school doesn’t mean you can’t be playing in the ACC Tournament in two to three years.”

“There isn’t one path in this game,” said Evick. “You can take many different paths that get you where you need to be.”