Across the country, high school baseball and softball players are packing their bags, boarding flights, and chasing the elusive promise of college exposure. National showcases and tournaments have become a fixture of the recruiting process, with families spending thousands in pursuit of a college roster spot. But while the allure of showcasing your talent in front of coaches is strong, the reality is that the biggest impact these events have is on parents’ wallets.

Recent data shows that many families are spending upwards of $15,000 annually on travel and tournament-related expenses. While a targeted approach to attending out-of-state prospect camps can be valuable—a topic we will explore later in this article—many of these events fail to deliver. Fewer college coaches attend than advertised, and players are often lost in the shuffle of large rosters, struggling to stand out with limited opportunities. Time and money wasted.

Here’s what the travel showcase industry doesn’t want you to know: most recruiting exposure happens at home. College coaches are far more likely to recruit from states they consistently pull talent from rather than uncharted regions where they don't have as many established connections. Often times, the best way to get noticed isn’t by hopping on another plane—it’s by dominating your own backyard.

While everyone else is guessing on where and how to earn exposure, Eagleclaw went straight to the source. We analyzed the rosters of every single four-year college baseball and softball program—about 1,200 schools each—to see exactly where they’re pulling their players from. Then, we built a custom list for each state, showing every college that has at least three players on its roster from that state. Hours of work, wrapped up in a simple, downloadable PDF—for just $25. Before you grab your state's list, let's discuss how to make the most of it.

Take California, for example. As one of the nation’s largest baseball and softball talent pools, it has over 200 recruiting pipeline schools—meaning there are more than 200 colleges, both in-state and out-of-state, that have a consistent history of recruiting California players. These programs aren’t just clustered on the West Coast; they extend across the country. Even in the Ivy League, thousands of miles from California, more players come from California than any other state. This isn’t random—coaches at these schools have long-standing relationships with West Coast high school coaches and advisors, ensuring a steady flow of talent year after year.

Every state has its own web of connections, and not all of them are local. Southeastern University in Florida, for instance, naturally recruits heavily from its home state, given Florida’s reputation as one of the biggest baseball hotbeds in the country. Yet, their roster also features multiple players from Colorado. Why? Because their current recruiting coordinator used to coach at UC Colorado Springs and maintains strong ties with the area’s coaches. This is how recruiting works—coaches lean on trusted networks, and the more they successfully recruit from a certain area, the more they return.

That’s why it’s so important to go straight to the source rather than guessing. This pipeline school list isn’t just a scatterplot of random schools—it’s a proven map of where your state’s players are getting recruited. It’s one of the most valuable resource you’ll have as you navigate your recruiting process.

Not every state has 200+ pipeline schools

While California boasts over 200 pipeline schools, not every state has the same level of reach. The number of schools consistently recruiting from a given state varies widely—Colorado, for example, has 29 pipeline schools, while North Dakota has just 8. If you’re in a smaller recruiting market like Colorado, it can be helpful to look at your neighboring states pipelines as well. If your home state doesn’t have a large number of pipeline schools, not to worry, you can access neighboring states’ lists as part of your single $25 purchase.

What if a school you’re interested in isn’t on your state’s list?

If a school of interest isn’t included on your state’s recruiting pipeline list, that’s not the end of the world—it simply means there’s no significant history of players from your state going there. But every year, players attend schools that aren’t considered pipeline programs. It just takes a little extra effort to earn that exposure.

As mentioned earlier, a targeted approach to prospect camps can be a great way to get in front of coaching staffs at non-pipeline schools. The goal isn’t to eliminate travel completely—it’s to be strategic about where you spend your time and money. Prospect camps are one of the best ways to be seen by a coaching staff, but between travel, lodging, and camp fees, costs can quickly add up. That’s why it’s essential to be selective and only attend camps at schools that are a realistic fit for you both athletically and academically.

Our Total Student Athlete Advising service can help with this. We’ll work with you to identify your best-fit schools—whether they’re pipeline programs or not—and help you build a targeted plan to get in front of the right coaching staffs. Whether through prospect camps, direct outreach, or alternative exposure methods, we help ensure that your time and money are spent effectively in the recruiting process.

Your next step? Download your state’s list for just $25 and take an informed look at where established recruiting pipelines exist. Once you’ve reviewed your options, we encourage you to reach out for a consultation. Whether you find schools of interest on your list or not, our Total Student Athlete Advising service will help you build a targeted recruiting strategy. Our experts guide you through the process, leverage our network of college coaches, and help you find the best opportunities—both close to home and nationwide.