Freshman to senior year

Baseball recruiting timeline & contact rules

Organized by grade, so it works for any graduating class. Rules last checked Oct 17, 2026 against NCAA sources. This is a plain-English summary, and rules change. Confirm details on the linked sources and with each school's compliance office.

Freshman year

  • You can reach out anytime: email coaches, call them, send video, fill out questionnaires and go to camps. These limits are on coaches contacting you, not on you contacting them.
  • D1 coaches: may not call you, take your calls, or send recruiting materials or electronic messages (texts, emails, DMs) yet. Camp info and questionnaires are generally fine.
  • D2 coaches: the NCAA Division II recruiting guide says athletically related recruiting materials may be sent anytime.
  • D3 coaches: may call, write and message you anytime. Unofficial visits (at your own expense) are allowed anytime.
  • To do: take NCAA-approved core courses and keep your grades up, start filming games for a highlight video, and build a starter target list from the directory.

Summer after freshman year

  • Play summer ball, go to a camp or two at schools you'd actually attend, and get verified measurables (60 time, exit velo, velo) you can put in emails.

Sophomore year

  • Same contact rules as freshman year. D1 coaches still can't call, text or email you, but they read your emails and watch your video.
  • To do: register with the NCAA Eligibility Center (and the NAIA Eligibility Center if NAIA schools are on your list), start emailing coaches your video and schedule using the email templates, fill out questionnaires and attend camps.

Summer before junior year

  • June 15 after sophomore year, D2: in-person, off-campus recruiting contact can begin (NCAA Division II recruiting guide). NCSA's summary says official visits start then too.
  • After sophomore year, D3: off-campus, in-person contact is allowed once you've completed sophomore year (NCAA Division III Bylaw 13.1.1.1).
  • August 1 before junior year, D1: coaches may call you, take your calls, and send recruiting materials and electronic correspondence (NCAA Bylaws 13.1.3.1.1, 13.1.3.2.2 and 13.4.1.1, baseball proposal adopted Apr 26, 2023).

Junior year

  • September 1 of junior year, D1: off-campus, in-person recruiting contact may begin (Bylaw 13.1.1.1 baseball exception). From then on, a school gets no more than 3 off-campus contacts within 7 total recruiting opportunities per year (Bylaw 13.1.5.2).
  • D1 visits: the NCSA summary of current rules says D1 official and unofficial visits with recruiting conversations can begin September 1 of junior year. This is a secondary source, so confirm with each school's compliance office.
  • January 1 of junior year, D3: official (school-paid) visits can begin, one per school, up to 48 hours (NCAA Division III Bylaw 13.6).
  • D1 calendar: in-person recruiting must also fit D1 baseball's contact, quiet and dead periods, which the NCAA publishes each year. Check the current NCAA recruiting calendar before planning visits.
  • To do: narrow your list, take visits, take the SAT/ACT if your target schools want it, and keep sending coaches new numbers and video.

Summer before senior year

  • This is a busy contact and camp season. Keep following up with coaches every few weeks with a new fact, and update your video.
  • NJCAA (JUCO): the NJCAA has no recruiting calendar. A school-paid visit requires you to have finished your junior year. Check the NJCAA eligibility rules.

Senior year

  • To do: compare offers, sign, request final amateurism certification from the NCAA Eligibility Center, and send final transcripts after graduation.
  • Signing dates and periods vary by division and year. Confirm them with the school recruiting you and the current NCAA calendar.

NAIA

  • The NAIA doesn't set grade-based limits on when coaches can contact you or when you can visit. Register with the NAIA Eligibility Center.

D1 roster limits

  • Since July 1, 2025, D1 schools in the House settlement (the defendant conferences and schools that opted in) have a 34-player baseball roster limit in place of the old 11.7-scholarship cap (Bylaw 17.2). That means fewer roster spots and more scholarship flexibility, so keep D2, D3, NAIA and JUCO on your list.

Sources (checked Oct 17, 2026)