I am aware of the scholarship money, was hoping someone could share their experience with me, the do's and don'ts . I do plan on attending a camp or two there with him so he can talk to coaches and let them know what he wants to do.
Thanks!
Make sure that he is seen (camps, tournaments, showcases, etc.), but on terms that benefit him; make sure his strengths are showcased and his weaknesses are minimized. It is a little early in the game, but he (not you) needs to eventually reach out to the staff (emails, phone calls, social media). By the time the recruiting cycle gets to his class, the staff needs to be well aware of him, his skills, his academic achievements, and his desire to be a Vol. However, as I'm sure you already know, there is a thin line between doing one's due diligence in keeping in touch with the staff, and going overboard and putting off said staff. Leading up to my recruiting, I erred on the side of not enough communication (partly because electronic communication wasn't as mainstream then, and partly out of not understanding its importance), and it definitely hurt my chances with some of my preferred schools.
Assuming it is still held and is of the same format as when I was in high school (early 2000s), I highly recommend the week-long UT Elite summer camp (where the kids stay in the dorms rather than commute). Not only is there solid instruction, but standing out in that atmosphere is possibly the best exposure to the UT staff one can get.
As for developing and honing his skills - playing up the middle (C, P, 2B, SS, CF) is certainly a good start, but beware, most coaches generally are not looking to recruit a second baseman; they will typically recruit shortstops, converting some into second (and third) basemen. That being said, if he has the physical tools to play shortstop rather than second (footwork, foot speed, arm strength, quick release, etc.), my advice is to work on that as much as possible. If he does not, do not give up on playing second, but make sure his work in center is top-notch. At every major level increase, positions are changed out of necessity to compete and succeed at that next level.
I'm already posting a pretty big wall of text, so I'll cut it there, but if you would like to converse with me directly, let me know and we can connect via email/social media/etc.
-ET
