Is 18 Years Old Too Old To Start Playing Baseball?

Appreciate the criticism. I'll keep you posted on the situation. What my friend is going to do is call up a trainer to evaluate him.

18 years old? he is still a puppy. Tell him to go for it but he is going to need a personal trainer.
 I wish I was 18 years old.

tell your friend instead of paying the personal trainer, pay u half the money kick ur friend n the nuts and he still comes out ahead. big waste of time

I'm suprised you didn't   one bit about the Jets

Jim, you played college baseball and some of your friends got a whiff of the major leagues, even junk pitcher Paul Byrd.  I concur that unless this 18 year old is a freak of nature that throws a 90 MPH fastball, or has an array of 3 pitches that he can throw, it is basically a futile effort on his part. 

That being said, if he wants to give it a shot, I think he should work his butt off, but don't expect much.  Talent is first needed to succeed at a higher sports level.  Then those people of equal talent are eventually separated by their work ethic. 

This kind of desire is typical of a child who has been told all his life he can do whatever he wants if he just tries real real hard.   He may have a whole shelf full of ninth place trophies and ribbons for his efforts.  I'm sure mommy and daddy have encouraged him every step of the way and he has been taught that winning isn't everything,  You are so special.    He needs a reality check which I'm guessing he will get if he tries to walk on somewhere.

i gurantee the kid wont make the MLB, but it is definitely a possibility......It is worth the effort for the kid to do this...play a few years in college and can always play in local wooden bat leagues in his mid 20's if he still loves it. that is the main question...does he have a love for the game and kinda seems like he doesnt with such a late interest in playing competitively, hopefully he has good work ethic

I just changed career paths - I'm now working on becoming a pro hockey player.  Didn't realize it took 3 years of practice to become a pro prospect.

18 years old, he's not a freshman in high school anymore.  Sorry but I really don't see him making it on any team.

Actually his parents are pretty realistic. They teach him not to get his hopes up for nothing. So you really shouldn't be coming up with your own conclusions.

Buy him a wiffle ball and bat.

 I love wiffle ball, as it takes a lot of skill to hit one that is thrown right.    And anyone that tapes a wiffle ball is a wuss.  It then just becomes a plastic softball. 

Also, when we used to play heads-up in the yard, no base running was required:  Throw it hard like a baseball and start with a 1 and 1 count, as it is hard to throw strikes sometimes.  A walk is a base runner and a new count.  2-2 count, second foul is an out.   

A ball needs to cross a certain line in front of the pitcher or it is a foul ball.  A hard grounder needs to be fielded cleanly, or it is a single. 

Hit it in the garden by the back fence, it is a double.

Hit it off the fence, it is a triple.

And a home run had to clear the main fence, and not necessarily the fence surrounding the horse pasture.

 I miss the game of wiffle ball, as my brother quit playing and moved out of town.

Never 2 old

I coach high school baseball....he is way too old to start playing, unless he has a great arm.

My biggest question is what do you mean competitively?  I am assuming he has played either high school, legion or amateur ball right?  If so how did he fair against that competition?  If well with appropriate training he could also try out for an independent pro baseball team with the hopes of doing well and getting the eye of scouts to be signed to a minor league deal and working his way up.

I used to work for an independent team from my home town (pay wasn't great but I got to watch live baseball nearly every night) and I got to see the following players play:  (1) JD Drew (remember he sat out a year of baseball after rejecting the Phillies offer and re-entered the draft the following year - the summer he sat out I got to see him play several times); (2) Jack Morris (well after his prime but still a great surgeon with his pitch selection); (3) Matt Nokes (yep that one time tout great prospect that amounted to nothing); (4) Ozzie Canseco (yes Jose's older brother... just as big and just as juiced though); (5) the only professional woman's baseball player (she was a relief pitcher who worked off of junk pitches); and the list could go on and on but you get my point.  BOL!

well, he might be able to itch, but he would never learn to hit the ball.

wow....can't believe how many people say he is too old...

he is 18 for god sakes!!!! 

   Is he going to college? He would be able to make almost any Junoir College team (unless its a powerhouse school for being a junoir college) He can join a team during the summer, there are tons of leagues all over no matter where you live, he can play 18 and older or Legion ball or something with no problem.

 you never know unless you try, GL to him

powerade: He will NOT make a junior college team, let alone any junior college team.

.......make a Juco team after never even played HS...?.....OMG...

He also would never make a legion team.  Unless this kid is some freak of an athlete he's not gonna be playing anything but some league where it is still possible for anyone and everyone to sign up and play.   It's called "Colt" where I am from and it is 15-18 age group.  Kids that aren't good enough for legion or even "colt A" or Junior Legion.