No D1 Offers? What You're Really Getting Wrong About D1 Recruiting

Summary

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Podcast Summary: Most Valuable Agent with Matt Hannaford

Episode Title: No D1 Offers? What You're Really Getting Wrong About D1 Recruiting
Date: April 15, 2026
Host: Matt Hannaford
Guest/Producer: Mike Liguori

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Episode Overview

This episode is a Q&A focused on one of the most pressing concerns for amateur baseball players and their families: how to get recruited to play Division 1 (D1) college baseball. Drawing from Matt Hannaford’s 26+ years of experience as an agent and player advocate, the conversation dives deep into the realities of D1 recruiting, alternatives to the D1 route, myths about showcases, the impact of the transfer portal, and honest evaluations of talent. Real-life listener questions serve as a launchpad for practical, candid advice.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. "Why Am I Not Hearing from D1 Schools? Are Showcases the Answer?" (Starts at 00:35)

• Listener Question: A junior pitcher from North Carolina throws 87 mph but has no D1 offers or interest; coach recommends more showcases.
• Matt’s Response:

  • Visibility vs. Ability: If you're performing at events and are "good enough," you will get seen. "Word of mouth is key." (01:10)

  • Real Talk on Showcases: Going to more showcases isn't always the answer. It's important to have a real conversation with coaches about what may be missing in your game.

  • Evaluating Fit and Ability: Ask coaches specific, honest questions about what’s lacking in your play. Don’t just seek out a checklist.

  • D1 Obsession: Many players wrongly fixate on D1 as the only path. Playing time and development may be better achieved at a junior college (JUCO) or other levels.

    "The key more than just playing for a D1 program is you want to go to college and play baseball, but you want to play. It doesn't do you any good to get an opportunity to go play at a D1 program and then not see the field. That's not going to be good for you." – Matt Hannaford [03:07]

  • Velo Myth: Throwing 87-90 mph is still common in D1; it's not the sole determinant for recruitment.

  • Action Steps:

    • Make a list of events attended and schools that have seen you.
    • If exposure isn't the issue, seek honest feedback on your game.
    • Be cautious about falling into the "just do more showcases" trap—it’s often expensive and not always productive.

    "If you're looking at a number of schools and a number of events that you've gone to and there's still no interest, then that tells you they're seeing something that they don't like... We need to solve that problem first." – Matt Hannaford [04:32]

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2. "Committed to D2, Still Dreaming of D1: Am I Too Late?" (Starts at 05:04)

• Listener Question: Parent from Arizona; son is a senior committed to a D2 program, but still hopes for D1. Can he transfer up? What's the right strategy?
• Matt’s Response:

  • How Recruiting Has Changed: Pre-transfer portal, players would pay their dues and eventually play. Now, with the portal, you must compete immediately for a D1 job, and transferring is more common.

  • Value of D2/JUCO: Attending a D2 is not a negative if it means you develop your skills and actually play. Success at a lower level can open D1 transfer opportunities (and is preferable to sitting the bench at a D1).

  • Parental Role: Parents often over-strategize; honest conversations with the player are crucial to align on goals.

    "If he's not good enough to go to a D1 program and to play every day, then I would rather him stay at the D2 program, get better, work on his game, and then if he goes out and has a monster season, then you can transfer at that point into a D1 program." – Matt Hannaford [06:20]

  • Avoiding the Transfer Trap: Transferring because you want to is always better than because you have to after failing to secure a role at a D1.

    "That's a much better pathway than the reverse, which is going to a D1, not playing, being forced to transfer not because you want to, and then having to go to a D2 program... Like, that's not the more advantageous position to be in." – Matt Hannaford [06:52]

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3. "No Responses After 50 Emails and 3 Camps: What’s Wrong with Our Approach?" (Starts at 07:47)

• Listener Question: Family in Ohio, son is a 2027 shortstop. They've sent 50 emails and attended 3 camps with no D1 responses. Are they doing outreach wrong?
• Matt’s Response:

  • Typical Expectation: Surprising to get zero responses; even disinterested schools usually reply.

  • Honest Self-Assessment: The consistent lack of response could be a sign that a realistic evaluation of talent is needed.

    "You need to look in the mirror and really figure out: how good is my son? ...if your son is being seen at events, if you're sending emails to schools and you're saying he's good enough, if he's good enough, you will hear from schools, they will reach out to you." – Matt Hannaford [08:37]

  • Seeking Real Feedback: Parents can be biased—it's essential to get third-party evaluations from coaches or others in the know.

  • No Secret Formula: There’s no magic way to send emails that guarantees a reply. If honest, informed evaluation says the player is D1 caliber, opportunities will come.

    "More likely than not, sometimes the parent isn't necessarily being honest with himself about how good their son is and instead just wants to hear... 'No, no, my kid's good enough and he's getting screwed somehow.' That's not necessarily the case." – Matt Hannaford [10:54]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On D1 as the Only Goal:
  "I think everybody is obsessed with playing D1 baseball... The key more than just playing for a D1 program is you want to go to college and play baseball, but you want to play." – Matt Hannaford [03:07]
• On Unrealistic Expectations:
  "It's not a conspiracy, right? ...if your son is being seen at events, if you're sending emails to schools and you're saying he's good enough, if he's good enough, you will hear from schools..." – Matt Hannaford [08:45]
• Advice to Parents:
  "As parents, I think sometimes we try to figure things out behind the scenes, maybe before we talk to our son. And the problem could have been solved from the jump by talking to your son..." – Matt Hannaford [07:27]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:35 – 05:04: Reality check on showcases, D1 obsession, importance of self-evaluation and honest feedback.
• 05:04 – 07:47: Transfer portal dynamics, strategic advantages of D2/JUCO pathways, parents’ roles in career decisions.
• 07:47 – 11:30: Effective communication with coaches, why you may not be hearing back, and the necessity of unbiased talent assessment.

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Tone & Final Thoughts

Matt maintains a candid, honest, and pragmatic tone throughout, challenging common misconceptions with both empathy and the firm voice of experience. He repeatedly emphasizes honest self-assessment, the importance of playing (not just being on a roster), and the need for clear parent-son communication. Families are encouraged to focus less on prestige and more on sustained opportunity and personal growth.

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For further questions, Matt encourages listeners to DM him on Instagram or email [e-mail].

Transcript

[A]

Welcome back to another episode of the Most Valuable Agent podcast. Today we have a special episode. We are going to do another Q and A. So I appreciate you guys joining me. I am joined by my producer, Mike Liguori. But before I go there, this episode is going to be centrally focused on how you can get recruited to play D1 baseball. So, Mike, talk to me about some of the questions that we have.

[B]

Yeah, we got some really good ones today. So let me fire the first one at you. This is from a junior in North Carolina and he writes, hey, Matt, I'm a junior, I throw 87, and I haven't heard from a single D1 school. My travel baseball coach says I just need to do more showcases. Is that true or am I missing something about how this process actually works?

[A]

Yeah, I mean, okay, so if you want to play D1 baseball, part of how you need to go about doing that is there's a few things. So there's the forward facing thing, which is what does your performance look like in various tournaments? Okay. And I know you brought up showcases, but I'm going to get there in a second. How do you look in various tournaments? If you are attending really any events, being seen by anybody and you are good enough, you will be seen. That's just how this goes. Trust me. And I've been doing this for 26 years. Like, word of mouth is key. Now, that doesn't mean that if you're not a good player and you go to events that that miraculously is going to, you know, equate to you getting a D1 offer. And I don't. I'm not trying to offend you. I'm not saying that you're not good, but you just want to be realistic with yourself as far as the question that you're. Or as far as the answer that your coach is giving you as far as, well, you need to go to more showcases.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

I mean, on some level, it. For me, it's. It's more than that. I think maybe a better question is, hey, coach, I haven't gotten any offers or any interest from any D1 programs. Can you walk me through why you think that is? Can you evaluate me as a player and tell me what are those things that I need to work on? Okay, that's the first thing. And then the second thing that I want to just encourage you to is, or encourage you with is I think everybody is obsessed with playing D1 baseball. And D1 baseball, I recognize that is a very, very good go. But you don't have to go directly from high school into playing for a D1 program. The key more than just playing for a D1 program is you want to go to college and play baseball, but you want to play. It doesn't do you any good to get an opportunity to go play at a D1 program and then not see the field. That's not going to be good for you. Right. And so for me, as an example, I wanted to continue playing baseball. I didn't have an opportunity to go play D1 baseball. And so I chose to go to a really, really good junior college. And it was through that junior college that not only did I improve as a player, I played and then was able to go to a university after that just so happened to be D1. Now, for me, I decided to quit after that. But that. That was a much better path. Rather than just becoming really focused and obsessed on, like, I just. I want to go to D1. So, like, what do I need to do? Give me the tricks of the trade and let me just do these things and go to a D1 program. Like, that's not really how it works. And so, again, I want to encourage you, have a conversation with your coach. If there are other people that you work with, maybe it's a pitching coach that you work with who has insight. I think it would make sense to talk to them. Right. What. What is it about what I'm doing that isn't attractive to a coach? And. And trust me, you brought up that you throw 87. I think it is very easy to take the bait and to say the reason I'm not getting an offer is because I throw 87. And while V is extremely important and probably more talked about now than ever, there are plenty of guys that, funny enough, are in D1 programs that throw 87 to 90 miles an hour. And so those things still exist, those players still exist. That is not the determining factor. But it's what type of player are you? You need to get more insight into that. And I would have more. I would have more questions for my coach when he says, well, we just need to go to more showcases. Well, why? I mean, if you've. I would almost make a list. What events have I gone to, what schools have seen me play? And if you're looking at a number of schools and a number of events that you've gone to and there's still no interest, then that tells you they're seeing something that they don't like that they think you're missing. We need to solve that problem first. I don't think it's a matter of we just need to go do more. I think that's always the answer that gets thrown to players is it's like, check a box, Just, just go to more, do more. If you're seeing more, it'll work. No, I, I don't buy it. And if anything, that is the more expensive route, too. And I'm not saying this is why your coach is telling you to do that, but I think you need to be mindful of that component to this as well. So hopefully that, that answers the question.

[B]

All right, Second question we have is from a dad in Arizona with a son who's committed to a D2 program. He writes, hey, Matt, my son committed to a D2 program but still dreams of D1. He's a senior now. Is it too late for him? Can he transfer up after a year, and if so, what would he need to do between now and then to make that happen?

[A]

Yeah, I mean, so this is a little bit of a continuation of the question that I just answered, and I know I touched on some of the D1 versus other Avenue component. So let's, let's. Let me answer this question by saying the following. So if you go back 10 years, right, maybe even longer before really the transfer portal, the way that college looked, college baseball looked was you would go to a program and let's just say it was a D1 program and you would be there for your freshman year. And more than likely, you're probably not going to play. You're going to get experience, though. You're going to, you know, figure out the culture, and you're going to build a relationship with the coaching staff. You're going to continue to work on your game. The junior that plays your position, he's going to leave, and then you're going to then take over your sophomore year. You're going to play a couple years, maybe you're going to get drafted. And that's kind of how things went now with the transfer portal. What happens is you pretty much have to show up being ready to compete from day one, and you need to fight for a job. And if you don't win that job day one, then you may have to even transfer out after that first season. And so I would look at going to a D2 as not necessarily a bad thing. Right. It depends on your son's skill level. But if he's not good enough to go to a D1 program and to play every day, then I would rather him stay at the D2 program, get better, work on his game, and then if he goes out and has a monster season, then you can transfer at that point into a D1 program. That's a much better pathway than the reverse, which is going to a D1. Not playing, being forced to transfer not because you want to, and then having to go to a D2 program next or an even worse D1 program. Like, that's not the more advantageous position to be in. And so I wouldn't look at the being committed to a D2 as necessarily a bad thing, But I think you just need to be honest with yourself and evaluate. Yeah, I mean, how good is my son? Should he have the ability to go to a D1 and play every day? And if he has that ability, then I think you need to talk to your son about it. What does he want to do? You know, as parents, I think sometimes we try to figure things out behind the scenes maybe before we talk to our son. And the problem could have been solved from the jump by talking to your son, because maybe he'd tell you right away, like, hey, dad, I'm not. I'm not going to a different program. Like, I want to be at the school. That's why I committed there. So hopefully that answers that question for you.

[B]

And then the final question that we have today is from a family in Ohio with a son that is graduating in 2027, and he plays shortstop. And so they write, we keep hearing that camps and emails to coaches are the way to get on a D1 radar. But we've sent probably out 50 emails and have gone to three camps and have heard nothing back. What are we doing wrong? Is there a right way to reach out that actually gets a response from these programs?

[A]

It's a little surprising that you would send out that amount of emails and not get anything back. I'm not sure why that would be. I mean, typically, even if a school is uninterested, they would at least respond. So I'm not sure if it's going to your spam folder, but, you know, what is the right way to kind of handle the communication with schools? Here's what I would. This would be my advice for anybody kind of in. In this similar circumstance, you need to look in the mirror and. And really figure out how good is my son. Right. I think sometimes, and we've talked about it often, parents can, you know, fall in love with how good their kid is, and it's not really rooted in any sort of reality. And so I think it makes sense to have conversations with whether it's your travel ball coaches or other individuals kind of in your circle of influence that know what they're talking about and get their perspective and their opinion on how good your son is, okay? If you do that and the feedback that you're getting is that your son is really, really good, then I don't believe it's going to be difficult for him to get opportunities to play in college. But if they're telling you this and for some odd reason you're going to events and no one is interested, then I would take that as. As maybe the coaches are not wanting to hurt your feelings. It's not a conspiracy, right? I mean, if your son is being seen at events, if you're sending emails to schools and you're saying he's good enough, if he's good enough, you will hear from schools, they will reach out to you. If you're not hearing from schools, I don't know if there's something that you're saying in the email that is making them feel like they don't want to respond to you. But most of the time, even if a school is disinterested, like, they're still going to respond and appreciate you for reaching out and say, you know, we'll keep an eye on them for next time, but we don't have interest in this moment. So, yeah, I don't. I don't. I don't think there's anything that you need to do as far as sending out the email in a different fashion. I would basically just start with having a conversation with someone in your sphere and really ask the question, you know, I don't want you to tell me something that I want to hear. Tell me how good my son is. Just be honest with me. Does my son have the ability to play in college? Does my son have the ability to play D1? And if not, do you think he has the ability to play anywhere in college? Right. Could he go to a junior college and play, like, be honest with us. That's how I would start that conversation. And I would imagine if you have people kind of in your area that at least have some semblance of an idea of what makes a good player, I think they're going to give you something. Right. But more likely than not, in situations, and I'm not saying this is your situations, but in situations like this, more likely than not, sometimes the parent isn't necessarily being honest with himself about how good their son is and instead just wants to hear, you know, what they believe with their own eyes that, no, no, my kid's good enough and he's getting screwed somehow. That's not necessarily the case.

[B]

All right. That's all we got for today.

[A]

All right. Well, everybody, I appreciate you joining both Mike and I here on the podcast. As always, if you have additional questions, you can send them to me via DM on Instagram or you can email me at Matt, the most valuable agent dot com. And as always, you know, if you like the podcast, like, subscribe, send this to other families that you think it would help. That certainly helps us impact more families and get this information to more families. So I appreciate you guys. Our goal, as always, is to make a, you know, a smarter player and a stronger family. So I hope today we've done that. And until next time, we will see you. Have a great day.