Question on ages??

Showcase type teams list the teams as their graduating year. Is there any flexibility with this? My son is a young 9th grader (stupid us for starting him early). He is baseball age 14. Most of his friends and teammates are baseball age 15 and in the 9th grade. So, technically he would be on a 2013 team. Are there hard rules about the ages? Would he be eligible for a 2014 team? Just curious.

 

Some organizations have multiple teams that are age specific. Your son would be playing with the 2013 team, but there are tournaments that are age, not grade specific, 18-U---14-U that he could play with his (age) peers. But honestly, very few kids ever want to play down. He will be evaluated by his graduating date, not his age.

 

I myself have been in your sons shoes, I am younger then my graduating class. Your son is better off, as braves said, playing with his graduating class, for more then just not wanting to play down to get the best competition. But, because when scouts are looking at the schedule and they see 2014 they are going to wait a year later to see your son play if there is a chance of watching an older team instead because of the age difference. So, if your son was to stick with that said 2014 team all the way through his senior year, few coaches will come to see your son play due to graduating class because they have another year still before they can talk to your son, when in reality they don't.

To summarize, play with your graduating class because scouts often do not see the roster and age until they are at the game and receive them. Playing with your graduating class is the best bet. However, if you cannot find a suitable team for your son in his graduating class, do not worry, as a freshman he will most-likely get few looks anyways because of age, you should worry more about your team and class your fall season junior year. JMO.