In the United States there are over 1,600 college baseball programs and 34,500 total college baseball players. This massive number demonstrates the widespread nature of America’s pastime. With so many programs and so many choices for high school players the process of finding one place to play baseball can be overwhelming and difficult. Additionally, there is no way to know how those first years within a college program will play out. So, there exists a process used by countless players across the country, the process of transferring.
For baseball, and most college sports, there are many routes that fall under the umbrella of transferring. A common route is attending a junior college for one or two years and then transitioning to a NCAA program, whether that be division one, two or three. Many athletes transfer within NCAA college baseball as well, across divisions or within a division. We hear about it in football and basketball especially, but this transfer portal has grown exponentially in recent years, with so many college athletes having the freedom and ability to choose the school they want in the offseason. Because of these various options, the process is daunting and takes incredible effort for a player to find the right fit.
The Sonoma Stompers have several players currently looking to transfer or ones that have already gone through the process. This gives a unique perspective into the experiences of the players themselves going through it, a topic usually passed by in mass media. Namely, outfielders AJ Carter and Jack Scheri give us two distinctive looks into the process of transferring.
Carter just finished his second season with the College of San Mateo Bulldogs, a junior college located in the Bay Area. He now looks to transfer, wanting to continue playing in college. When talking to him, I got a sense of the many considerations that have to be made when making such a decision. The former Bulldog listed out various things, like the number of players already on the roster at his position, location of the school, coaches, and connections made with such programs.
He and his father, Antonio Carter, both comment that education is the number one priority however, wanting to find a college that has the major he’s looking to pursue. His father said that “as an athlete you can get so focused on just athletics, like tunnel vision. Well, there’s other components outside of athletics that you need to take into consideration.” Education is one of the most important of those other components. While the corner outfielder notes “no school is perfect,” finding one with many of these considerations checked off is a goal of the process.
Carter also brought up the importance of connections and networking in the process. He commented that the difference between now and when he was coming in as a freshman is “the exposure you get, because college coaches know a lot of other colleges.” He also noted the role of many junior college coaches as well, where he said, “their job is to get you to that next level.” Thus, he is attempting to connect with as many people as he can because the more opportunities, the more chance of finding the best fit.
When asked about his experiences in the process, Carter mentioned the patience he’s developed saying, “it’s a process.” In the chaos of it all, with many players committing at many different times, he looks to be “patient with it…sticking with it, sticking through it by staying true to what you do, and not letting that affect your game.” As the Stompers embark on the thick of league play, his teammates, and everyone, can learn from this level-headed mindset.
While Carter exemplifies the junior college route, Jack Scheri gives us a different look into transferring. Scheri played for the Creighton Bluejays last season (redshirting in the 2022 season), but is currently in the portal, looking for another D1 school to keep pursuing his dream. Scheri notes that he loved Creighton as a school but “the baseball situation just didn’t work out for me.” After deciding to transfer he discussed the school side of things, where counselors at Creighton helped with forms and considerations like transferring school credits and staying on track in terms of class requirements.
The outfielder has been in the portal for about a month and a half at this point, noting that things have “settled down” since he first entered his name. “Right now I am narrowing down what schools I am interested in visiting”, he says. When making this decision, he comments “One, I want to go to a place where I know I can play” because this is needed “to keep chasing my dreams and live the life I want to.” He also discussed the role of his future manager, as he wants a leader that not only believes in him but has a strong connection with his team, where he can enjoy going out and playing for him everyday.
For the former Bluejay, baseball was his focus. His love for the game is evident and the desire to continue playing at a high level was forefront for him. He talked about how this time around in his recruitment, he is looking at more of the “mid-majors” of NCAA baseball, which are considered the smaller division one programs. But, it is still high level baseball, and these programs still compete (and can beat) the more well-known schools.
Since joining the team, Scheri commented that the Stompers have been helpful in the transfer process, saying that “[Manager Zack Pace] knows my situation, and has reached out to schools.” Both Carter and Scheri have brought up this fact, that coach Pace has many connections and does reach out to schools, as well as vice versa. Additionally, the former Bluejay said “I have met teammates that play at universities, who have also helped me get in contact with their coaches.” He also commented on the work of interns in the Stompers organization that have collected “trackman data to send out to universities…as well as cameras and the use of synergy” which help schools get a better understanding of Scheri, and his strengths that may attract them. This demonstrates the massive networking web that is college baseball, showing the importance of having many connections to produce the most opportunities.
The Sonoma outfielder added that throughout the process it comes down to just baseball, and to keep playing “because you never know when the next opportunity will come, so you have to make the best of it.” He has continued to develop his mindset of “day in and day out just competing, while also staying relaxed and confident.” Scheri carries this with him every game. He demonstrates a strong belief in the process, trusting that his work will pay off and that he will end up in the spot where he’s meant to be.
AJ Carter and Jack Scheri not only give us a glimpse into the life of a transfer player but demonstrate their positive mindsets that baseball has helped develop. The ideas of staying level-headed and patient are used by both athletes. From the massive numbers of schools, to the educational considerations, to team culture, transferring is chaotic. The qualities that these men have developed has led them through it all, while allowing them to continue playing baseball with success. Lucky for our Sonoma community, they continue their excellence with the Stompers and look to be big contributors as they work towards the goal of a CCL championship.