•  The goal of TheBBR is to provide resources for helping each family to understand the professional baseball scouting-process.
•   Scouting is not a science. Scouting is subjective & individual scouting opinions will vary of every player.
• Professional baseball uses grading system which factors both current & future tools.
•  Profesessional baseball organizations strive to identify the best players & avoid all problem players.
• Scouts always target athletes because they typically turn into better baseball players than non athletes.  
• Do you have physical tools to play in major leagues?  
• Do you have mental tools (character & makeup) to play professional baseball?
• A bad game with scouts watching does NOT affect evaluation. Professional scouts evaluate tools & project future potential, not today’s performance.
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Professional Baseball Tools  (Physical Ability)

• Professional baseball players require minimum standard of position specific physical ability (Tools) to play professional baseball.
• Players that grade “above average” for all tools are referred to as "5-tool players."
• Most professional baseball organizations won’t draft players lacking "2" projected major league pitches or "2" projected major league tools for position players.
• If scouts see potential to develop a 3^rd pitch or tool, they'll grade player higher based on potential.

    Evaluating Position-Players:

• 1. Arm Strength
• 2. Speed
• 3. Bat (Hitting Ability)
• 4. Power (Hitting for Power)
• 5. Fielding

    Evaluating Pitchers:

• 1. Arm Strength (Fastball Velocity)
• 2. Quality Breaking Pitch (Curveball or Slider)
• 3. Other Pitch (Change Up Preferred). 
• 4. Delivery & Arm Action (Genetic) 
• 5. Body Type & Frame (Genetic)

    Tool Grades:

• Scouts use 20-80 scale or 2-8 scale to grade players.
• 2 or 20 is bottom of scale & 8 or 80 is top.
• Scouts grade with "2" numbers. The first number is current grade on 2-8 scale and 2^nd number is projected future grade.
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•     2: Poor
•     3: Well Below Average
•     4: Below Average
•     5: Average
•     6: Above Average
•     7: Well Above Average
•     8: Outstanding

    OFP #: (Overall Future Potential)

• Measures player's potential for future baseball success & value to professional baseball organizations.
• Evaluating & grading current tools is easy. However, projecting future tools is difficult.
• Future grades are determining factor for player evaluation.
• Tool Grades are added & multiplied by "2" to calculate OFP#.
• OFP# for professional baseball prospects ranges from 40-80.
• Players with OFP of 60+ are drafted in 1^st round.
• Players with 58-59 OFP drafted in 1^st & 2^nd round.
• Players with 55-57 OFP drafted in 2^nd to 4th round.
• Insignificant differences in prospects’ OFP after 5^th round.
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•     70-80   MLB All-Star
•     60-69   MLB Regulars
•     50-59   MLB Averages
•     40-49   Fringe MLB Players
•     30-39   Organizational / Minor League Player

Intangible-Qualities  (Character & Mental Makeup)

• “Intangibles” measure how player will respond under pressure to failure & adversity on way to major leagues. 
• Athletes with history of problems are slotted downwards on draft boards.
•  Player's attitude & body language on field shows scouts player's makeup.
•  Avoid showing tattoos, body piercings, & outrageous hair styles.

    Professional Baseball Emphasis:

• Work Ethic & Dedication. 
• Self Motivated & Disciplined. 
• Mentally Tough 
• Confidence & Belief in Ability. 
• Aggressive. 
• Solid Person & Good Teammate. 
• Leadership Qualities. 
• Coachable 
• Competitive 
• Maturity 

Projected Physical-Changes

• Scouts project future body type for future power & velocity with added strength and physical maturity.
• Dynamic Balance & Body Control
• Explosivene Speed & Agility
• Has player reached full height yet? 
• Can player gain or lose weight? 
• Will player become faster or slower? 
• What is player's injury history?
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