College and pro baseball scouts look for young men with the right tools and intangibles. Pro scouts, in particular, often are searching for needles in haystacks. According to former Major League Baseball pitcher Steven Ellis, only 5 to 6 percent of players who are drafted by major league teams make it to the top level. The elite players drafted in the first round by MLB teams have an inconsistent record as well. Just 60 percent of first-round picks play even a single day in the majors.
Pro vs. College Scouts
Pro scouts often are searching for potential -- it usually takes a player drafted out of high school five to seven years to make it to the big leagues. College scouts, usually the head coach, are looking for the same tools and intangibles as pro scouts, plus the ability to succeed academically. A college coach can offer scholarships to players who might excel at the college level without necessarily having the tools of a potential big league athlete. In fact, pro scouts often advise marginal prospects to go to college or junior college while they polish their talents.
Position Players
Infielders and outfielders are evaluated in five areas -- throwing ability, hitting for average, hitting for power, speed and fielding ability. A prospect who earns high marks in all areas -- a grade of 5 or better out of a top grade of 8 represents major league potential -- is said to be a "five-tool player" or prospect. Scouts will time your speed to first base, your 60-yard dash speed, your throwing ability from the outfield to home plate or from deep in the hole if you are a shortstop.
Pitchers
Since pitching is of utmost importance at all levels of baseball, scouts examine pitching prospects with a jeweler's eye. Pitchers are evaluated on the basis of height, hand size, fastball velocity, fastball movement, off-speed pitch quality, command of the strike zone, command of pitches, mound presence and baseball instinct. Ellis says scouts downgrade pitchers who wear glasses or contacts and those who may be injury prone. Sometimes, gems are overlooked by scouts and teams who are too rigid in their evaluations. Tim Lincecum was considered too small and his pitching motion too unorthodox by a number of teams. Yet the San Francisco Giants took a chance and were rewarded with an ace who won the Cy Young award in 2008 and 2009 and led the Giants to victory in the World Series in 2010.
Intangibles
Scouts evaluate more than just physical tools. A baseball coach wants to know if a recruit will succeed academically while respecting the game, his teammates and the institution. A pro scout wants to know even more. How does the prospect stack up in terms of work habits, composure, desire and leadership? How does a prospect handle failure, which is inevitable at the higher levels of the sport? How does a young players cope with life in the minor leagues, when he might be away from home for the first time? Mental toughness is a crucial attribute, and it is often hard to evaluate in a player who has had significant success as a youth player and in high school.
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