I wonder, given the scholarship situation in Div 1 baseball, what impact it really has on baseball compared to say basketball. I mean players go Juco to either save money or keep open draft options. Very good Div 1 players are looking at getting drafted after junior year, so why would very good players play an extra year after Juco? And if money was incentive to go the Juco route, not sure a partial scholly is going to make Wake very attractive to such a student athlete.
Going the Junior College route gives all those guys who aren't way up at the top of the draft an extra opportunity to be drafted. That extra opportunity is after completing junior College. That opportunity is not available to baseball players who go from HS to four year college. They have to wait until after completing three years at the four year college.
Some kids want to hedge their bets. Go to JuCo, continue to play baseball, and get an education. Some of those don't get drafted high enough after JuCo, and want to continue their education at a four year school, and continue baseball. Maybe they are 15th round pick, which is top 500 player. Players at this level can be significant contributors on a college team, all the while hoping to get a single digit round pick next go round.
A player has to be drafted in the 6th round or better to get $300,000 in bonus money. Minor league salaries are paltry, ranging from a little over $1,000 per month in short season low A to nearly $!0,000 per month for those in AAA and on the 40 man roster. Those in A ball are not making federal minimum wage and only get paid for the months of the season.
That is why it is particularly attractive for players drafted outside the first 10 rounds to go to JuCo to try and improve their draft status, while only investing two years of college before being able to test the waters. Then they can transfer to a four year college, and get another shot at being drafted following their junior year, then a third bite of the apple after graduating from a four year college.
Some kids get told by scouts that more seasoning in college will help their draft stock. In baseball, kids can get drafted and as long as they don't sign a contract or with an agent, go to college, no problem. With slotting of draft bonuses and the minor league salary scale readily available, it is easy for a kid to see how much he will get. Then it becomes both baseball and financial decision making time.
Junior College is also a lot less out of pocket cost for families, particularly if the player can live at home and commute to school. Costs at JuCo without any financial aid<<Cost of Wake on half scholarship.
Another consideration is that players drafted after some college may start higher in the minors than those just out of high school. And they may move up faster because of the experience gained in college, either JuCo or four year or both.