Developing or Just Playing? Team Effects on Individual Performance in a Collegiate Summer Baseball League
Keywords:
Baseball, Development, NCAA, Collegiate Summer Leagues, Coastal Plain LeagueAbstract
Collegiate Summer Baseball Leagues offer development opportunities to college players. Overall, a significant number of Major League Baseball players once played in a summer league, suggesting at least some positive effect from the experience. However, teams within each league are individually owned and likely approach both business and baseball operations in different manners, leading to different opportunities for players based on their team affiliation. This investigative and exploratory study examines differences in player performance and from their collegiate season to their following collegiate summer league season. Results suggest that some summer league teams, such as the Savannah Bananas, have significant effects on individual player performance compared to their collegiate teams. Qualitative interviews with Bananas’ players are then conducted to add context and explanations for the quantitative results. Interviews suggest that the team environment in which they play improve their performance. Benefits to mindset, self-confidence, and goals to improve on and off the field are cited as beneficial.
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