Of all college sports, baseball is the most unique when it comes to recruiting. Not only are schools competing against each other to land the best available talent, in many cases they also must contend with the allure of pro ball.
All high school baseball graduates are eligible for the annual MLB Draft, and quite a few get selected during what is currently a 20-round draft. Based on where they get picked, the signing bonus offered to pass on college can reach seven figures.
That’s the predicament Arizona finds itself in with incoming freshman Blake Wolters, a right-hander who in the past year has gone from relatively unknown to one of the fastest-rising prep prospects in the country entering next month’s draft.