The Dugout Plan scoring system is designed to provide consistent, meaningful evaluations of player skills across different age groups and skill levels. This page explains how scores are calculated and what they mean.
The overall player score is calculated from five main skill categories, each weighted according to its importance:
If a player has the following category scores:
The weighted calculation would be:
(7.5 × 0.25) + (6.0 × 0.25) + (8.0 × 0.25) + (7.0 × 0.15) + (6.5 × 0.10) = 7.18
This raw score is then adjusted by the skill level factor.
The 0.80 factor for High School skill level is part of a graduated scoring system designed to account for the increasing expectations and standards as players advance to higher levels of play.
As players advance from beginner levels (Tee Ball) to more advanced levels (High School, College), the expectations for their performance naturally increase. The same raw performance that might be excellent for a Tee Ball player would be considered average or below average for a High School player.
| Skill Level | Adjustment Factor | Score Reduction |
|---|---|---|
| Tee Ball | 1.00 | 0% |
| Recreation League | 0.98 | 2% |
| Little League | 0.95 | 5% |
| A | 0.93 | 7% |
| AA | 0.90 | 10% |
| AAA | 0.87 | 13% |
| Majors | 0.85 | 15% |
| High School | 0.80 | 20% |
| College | 0.75 | 25% |
If a Tee Ball player and a High School player both have identical raw scores (say 50 points), the Tee Ball player's final score would be 50 × 1.0 = 50, while the High School player's score would be 50 × 0.8 = 40. This reflects the reality that the same performance level is more impressive from a beginner than from an advanced player.
This adjustment helps coaches provide more accurate and meaningful evaluations. It prevents score inflation at higher levels and ensures that improvements are recognized appropriately within the context of the player's skill level.
The system encourages continuous improvement. As players advance to higher skill levels, they need to work harder to maintain or improve their scores, which aligns with the increasing competitiveness of higher-level baseball.
The 0.80 factor specifically for High School represents a significant 20% reduction in scores compared to beginners, reflecting the substantially higher standards expected of high school players who are often competing for college opportunities or even professional scouting attention.
This approach is common in sports evaluation systems where the same raw abilities (speed, strength, technique) need to be evaluated differently based on the competitive level of the athlete.
Exit velocity (measured in mph) is converted to a 1-10 rating using this formula:
Formula: Rating = 1.0 + ((Exit Velocity - 30) / 90) × 9.0
Fastball velocity (measured in mph) is converted to a 1-10 rating using this formula:
Formula: Rating = 1.0 + ((Fastball Velocity - 15) / 90) × 9.0
Infield throwing velocity (measured in mph) is converted to a 1-10 rating using this formula:
Formula: Rating = 1.0 + ((Infield Velocity - 15) / 90) × 9.0
60-yard dash time (measured in seconds) is converted to a 1-10 rating using this formula:
Formula: Rating = 10.0 - ((60-Yard Time - 6.0) / 9.0) × 9.0
Home-to-first time (measured in seconds) is converted to a 1-10 rating using this formula:
Formula: Rating = 10.0 - ((Home-to-First Time - 3.0) / 4.0) × 9.0
Physical metrics are scored based on age-appropriate expectations:
For example, a vertical jump of 24+ inches for a player over 15 years old would receive a score of 9.0.