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2023–24 NCAA Baseball Recruiting Rules and Calendar

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NCAA baseball recruiting rules regulate the way college coaches can recruit athletes throughout the year. It’s up to the coach to follow these recruiting rules, and it’s up to the family to familiarize themselves with the rules so they know what to expect throughout the process. The better families understand the NCAA baseball recruiting rules, the more smoothly they can execute their recruiting game plan. For example, recruits want to avoid planning their campus visits during a dead period, as the coach will not be able to meet with them during that time.

Why do NCAA baseball recruiting rules exist?

NCAA-member schools established recruiting rules to level the playing field for colleges who might not have the resources of some of the bigger and more popular schools. These rules spell out who is allowed to be involved in the recruiting process, when recruiting may occur and the conditions under which recruiting can be conducted, according to the NCAA website. These rules seek, “as much as possible, to control intrusions into the lives of student-athletes.”

When can college baseball coaches contact recruits?

One of the most frequent questions we get is, “When can college baseball coaches talk to me?” The answer is that it depends on the division level. The NCAA recently implemented new recruiting rules that prohibit any communication between Division 1 coaches and potential recruits before August 1 of their junior year in an effort to slow down the college baseball recruiting process. Phone calls, texts and emails from Division 2 coaches can begin June 15 after the athlete’s sophomore year. There are no restrictions regarding phone calls from coaches at the Division 3, NAIA and NJCAA levels, but typically they wait until an athlete’s junior year. 

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When can I contact a college coach?

Student-athletes are allowed to call or email a college coach at any time, but NCAA baseball recruiting rules restrict when and how a coach can respond.

How early recruiting works in baseball

In an effort to address early recruiting and slow down the process for student-athletes, the NCAA implemented a new recruiting rule in 2023 that prohibits any communication between Division 1 coaches, potential recruits, as well as anyone speaking on behalf of the athlete before August 1 of their junior year.

In previous years, recruits have shared that they received offers as underclassmen. An NCAA study found that 46% of DI prospects reported having their first recruiting contact with a DI coach before their junior year. If the NCAA recruiting rules prohibit a college coach from contacting a recruit before their junior year, how can coaches extend an offer before then?

In these cases, a college coach will most likely have worked with a recruit’s travel or high school coach. Because athletes can contact a college coach any time, the athlete’s current coach will set up a time for the athlete to call the college coach. This practice now violates the NCAA’s new rule, effective for the 2023-24 school year.

When can a Division 1 baseball coach contact me?

Effective starting June 2023, the NCAA prohibits any communication between Division 1 coaches, potential recruits, and anyone speaking on behalf of the athlete before August 1 of their junior year. This new rule was established to combat the rise in early recruiting and give student-athletes time to focus on their development without added pressure from college coaches.

Official visits: Student-athletes can begin taking official visits beginning August 1 of their high school junior year. Previously, official visits were not allowed until the recruit’s senior year.

Unofficial visits: College athletic departments—including coaches—are not permitted to be involved in a student-athlete’s unofficial visits prior to September 1 of their high school junior year. Before the rule change, underclassmen could take advantage of an unofficial visit to possibly get an early verbal scholarship offer. Under the current rules, should a recruit happen to come into contact with a coach on campus during an unofficial visit, no recruiting conversations can take place.

Camps: Recruiting conversations are forbidden between recruits and college coaches during camps prior to September 1 of the athlete’s junior year of high school. Before this new rule, coaches and underclassmen were not prohibited from talking about recruiting. There was nothing to stop coaches from extending a verbal scholarship offer to recruits.

According to the NCAA these rule changes were made to give prospective student-athletes more time to consider their college choice and avoid the pressures of early recruitment. The goal is for students to concentrate on their grades, take their ACTs or SATs, continue to grow as an athlete, research their target schools and maximize their high school experience.

How have the new Division 1 baseball rules changed recruiting?

The rule change hasn’t impacted the recruiting process for baseball players very much. The new rules make it clear the student-athlete must stay proactive in their recruiting journey and do their research up front. We strongly recommend that by August 1 of their high school junior year, recruits create their list of target schools, build their NCSA Recruiting Profile, produce their skills video and begin reaching out to college coaches. This will help recruits get on coaches’ radars, so they can hit the ground running come August 1.

NCAA Division 1 baseball recruiting rules

The NCAA baseball recruiting rules for Division 1 schools are the most regulated and strict of the college division levels. Specific forms of communication from coaches are allowed depending on your year in high school.

August 1 before junior year

September 1 of junior year

July 1 before senior year

Senior year

NCAA Division 2 baseball recruiting rules

NCAA baseball recruiting rules for Division 2 schools are less restrictive than those for Division 1 schools. Coach communication, off-campus contact and official visits can begin June 15 after sophomore year.

NCAA Division 3 baseball recruiting rules

In comparison to Division 1 and Division 2 schools, Division 3 schools have the most relaxed NCAA baseball recruiting rules.

NAIA baseball recruiting rules

Unlike the NCAA, the NAIA does not regulate or limit the contact and communication between a coach and a current high school athlete, nor does it regulate campus visits and tryouts.

Junior college baseball recruiting rules

Junior college coaches are free to contact prospective student-athletes at any time provided they have not signed a junior college letter of intent. There is no baseball recruiting calendar.

Baseball recruiting official visits

The official visit is a major step in the recruiting process. An invitation to visit a college campus generally means that coaches consider visitors as top recruits. Here are some of the most frequently-asked questions about official visits:

What makes a visit official?

A school visit is considered official if all or part of the trip is paid for by the institution.

How many official visits can a player have?

A recruit can make only one official visit per school and unlimited official visits in total to NCAA baseball Division 1 schools. Visits to Division 2 and Division 3 schools are unlimited.

Do most parents attend official visits?

Yes, parents are invited, and the school can pay for their round-trip transportation, three meals per day and tickets to a home game. We recommend that parents be there for support but let the athlete take the lead in asking questions. Coaches generally will include parents in the proceedings and will have questions for them, particularly about scholarships and finances. 

What do you do on an official visit?

Generally, an official visit will include a campus tour with the opportunity to attend a class, visit on- and off-campus housing, eat in the cafeteria and meet the coach’s staff and team members.

Division 1 baseball recruiting calendar

Contact period: College coaches may have in-person contact with student-athletes and their parents on or off campus. Coaches may also visit their high school or watch them compete. Campus visits by the recruit and their parents are also allowed. Coaches may write and phone during this period:

Dead period: At no time may a college coach have in-person contact on or off campus with student-athletes and/or their parents. The coach may write or telephone during this period:

Quiet period: A college coach is not allowed to have any in-person contact with a student-athlete or their parents off the college campus. They also may not watch them compete or visit their high school. Coaches may write or telephone during this period and student-athletes and their parents may visit a college campus during this time:

See the full D1 baseball recruiting calendar here.

Division 2 baseball recruiting calendar

Treat all dates that are not part of the dead period as a contact period.

Dead period: At no time may a college coach have in-person contact on or off campus with student-athletes or their parents. The coach may write or telephone during this period.

Division 3 baseball recruiting calendar

For D3 schools, there are no dead periods. The contact period is effectively year-round.

NAIA and junior college recruiting calendar

The NAIA and junior colleges do not regulate contact and communication for coaches. There is no recruiting calendar for either.