But we got a good group coming in next year. In a couple of years these kids will be very good. Seddon doesn't have the luxury of recruiting players with the promise of a scholarship, because Penn, as an Ivy League school, does not offer athletic scholarships. To counteract that, Seddon stresses the benefits of a Penn education and diploma. He has been able to recruit several good prospects for next season, he says.
Parents still view college as an investment for the children.
Realizing not all student-athletes make the pro leagues, parents and the players are willing to forgo a scholarship for the Penn experience. But a few players have gone on with their baseball careers after leaving Penn. Last June, the Atlanta Braves signed infielder Mark DeRosa, who spent his first year playing pro ball at Pulaski, Virginia. Then, there are the walk-ons. Like the professional who gets signed out of a tryout camp, there's a romance about a freshman attending a practice and making the team.