When it comes to climbing the ladder in baseball—whether you're moving up from junior varsity to varsity, or aiming for a college roster spot—the weight room can be your best friend. It's a reality that at every new level, there's a huge pool of average-sized, average-strength players. Coaches aren't necessarily on the hunt for another 5'9" player.
What sets you apart is showing that you're not just another average player. If you're not a naturally tall or lanky outfielder with a ton of built-in projection, then the way you prove your potential is by being a strong, explosive athlete. Baseball doesn't just reward height or natural size; it rewards those who can use their strength and speed effectively.
In other words, the weight room is where you build the physical metrics that catch a coach's eye. If you can demonstrate that you've turned yourself into a physically impressive athlete—stronger, faster, more explosive—then you're giving yourself a unique edge. And that edge can mean the difference between being overlooked and being the athlete who stands out in a coach’s recruiting lineup.
So, if you're not hitting certain physical benchmarks yet, focus on that first. Build yourself into the kind of athlete who makes a coach think, "This player has potential to play at the next level." Once you do that, you’ll know exactly which coaches to reach out to, because you'll have something special to show them.