Inside the College Baseball Recruiting Process with Dave Mumper
A candid conversation with one of Colorado’s most respected baseball minds on academics, JUCO, recruiting mistakes, how parents can help your player, and finding the right college fit.
Navigating high school and college baseball can be confusing, expensive, and frustrating. HitStreak's Scott Vatter sat down with Dave Mumper, one of Colorado's most respected baseball minds, to discuss the path to playing college baseball and key questions such as recruiting mistakes families make, how a player can help themselves during the process and how recruiting has changed in the last several years with NIL, transfer portals and more.
Mumper has coached, scouted, and seen it all in a Colorado baseball career that includes stints at Highlands Ranch High School, ThunderRidge High School, Douglas County High School, Mountain Vista High School, Regis University and scouting for the Marlins, Twin, White Sox, and Nationals. Among other honors, he was named the Denver Post Baseball Coach of the Year, 1st Annual Marc Johnson Award Winner and is in both the ThunderRidge and Highlands Ranch High School Athletic Hall of Fame.
Now, Mumper is lending his experience and insight through HitStreak’s Inside Scoop Program. Families can work one-on-one with Dave Mumper to gain honest insight, realistic expectations, and a personalized plan built around both baseball and academics from someone who’s been there at every level.
“It can be the greatest experience in the world and I really mean that,” Mumper says. “It can be a great experience for your entire family.”
The value of a family utilizing Mumper’s guidance can be instrumental, as Vatter explains: “Everybody’s situation is different and they’re going to be hearing opinions of other parents or their high school coach and I think sometimes having that third-party who doesn’t have a dog in the fight is extremely valuable. Being able to talk to somebody who’s been there and been successful can save families a lot of time, effort, energy, money.”
The college baseball recruiting landscape has changed dramatically over the last decade, making it more complex—and more overwhelming—for players and families to navigate on their own. Between evolving roster management and scholarships, the transfer portal, and increasing competition at every level, having clear, experienced guidance matters more than ever. If you’re a player who wants to compete at the next level—or a parent trying to support your athlete through the process—this is a must-listen conversation.
College Baseball Recruiting Insights & Highlights from Dave Mumper
How important are academics? (4:55)
“Academics play a huge role. The purpose of going to college is to get an education. Academics can open some doors through financial aid and scholarships, but it can also close some doors. Some people believe that if you’re an athlete, you will get it in. That’s not the case at a tremendous number of schools…there are many very good coaches who believe that if you don’t perform in the classroom then it’s going to be very difficult for you to perform on the athletic field.”
“Very few people get a full ride. What most schools have the opportunity to do is stack scholarships. So I may give you 25% from our baseball money, but you may get 60% from academic money including scholarships and grants. There will almost always be more academic money than athletic money.”
On the different avenues of playing college baseball and benefits to each. Why might a player choose JUCO? (14:00)
“There can be more opportunity (at Junior Colleges). The truth is at a Division 1 school, with practice limits and so on, the walk on process is very difficult because they don’t have a lot of time and energy to recruit a lot of walk-ons. They’ve got to get their team ready to play.
There are 401 junior colleges that offer baseball, 295 D1, 258 D2, 285 D3 and 184 NAIA.
A lot of times Junior Colleges are really good for the late developer who just started to come on as a Junior or Senior in high school and has really developed in the last year. It gives them another year to improve themselves physically as well as athletically. They aren’t always in metropolitan locations and that’s really difficult for some of our kids. They don’t like the rural areas where some of the locations are. If you are looking for a good education and the opportunity to get better at baseball, junior college is a tremendous opportunity.
You have to be honest with yourself as a player. As an 18-19 year old kid, are you ready to compete with someone who may be 24 years old just by the mere physicality? That’s a difficult task. The junior colleges have great coaches. Sometimes people dismiss JUCO’s, and I would really argue that. It can allow them a great chance of being successful.”
Are certain questions that player or parent should be asking the coach? (19:51)
“I think you’ve always got to ask the question about the academic situation first. Not everyone is going to have a professional baseball career. What do you want to do post baseball and what is that going to provide you academically to provide you the opportunity to do?”
What should a younger player focus on if they want to play college baseball? (28:02)
“I think the game has become so much more athletic than it used to be and you better be a good athlete and be able to show them you’re a good athlete. Now every player on the field is a good athlete. It’s about as much athleticism – as well as much strength – that you can bring to the table. When you watch a college game that’s something you need to focus on is the speed and physicality of those athletes and how strong and powerful they really are and how you compare to that athlete as you become a junior or senior. You need to stay healthy and the best way to stay healthy is to be athletic.”
On the importance of travel sports at each level (40:00)
“Travel is not the answer. I think a lot of times people think ‘we have to travel because the competition is better.’ I remember telling some of my teams, ‘We don’t have to travel across to get beat really bad. Within 20 minutes of our high school we can get beat and see great competition.’”
On the importance or necessity of showcases (41:42)
“We used to laugh that we’ve created a generation of showcase kids. They’re really good at running 60-yard dashes…throwing the ball from right field to third base, from throwing the ball from deep shortstop to first base…creating exit velocity when hitting off the tee…taking BP. At the same time, once the game starts, they’re not really good players but they can showcase skills at a showcase that people get excited about.
A perfect example of that, going across sports, is someone like Nikola Jokic who might be one of the greatest basketball players ever but is not going to exhibit any of those skills in a showcase type environment.”
On finding opportunities in college (48:46)
“For most kids, there is an opportunity to play somewhere. If you have the passion and the belief that you can be successful, I think there’s an opportunity. You may have to dig it out and find it. For the most part, I think there is an opportunity to play at the next level if they do the homework and the legwork and have that passion. Coaches are always looking for good players.”
Want to learn more about The Inside Scoop?
HitStreak’s exclusive program with Dave Mumper helps baseball families navigate the high school to college transition.