The fall is the big time of year for college baseball camps and showcase events. The winter/off-season for baseball, which runs end of November through March 1, still offers high school players the opportunity to attend baseball events. The majority of college camps that run at this time are geared towards instruction and learning, not towards showcasing and evaluating. College coaches know that players are not in top baseball shape in the winter. So, does it make sense to go to camps in the winter or just wait until the summer?
You should choose your winter camps based off of schools that you would like to visit, meet/view the coaches in action on the field and get quality instruction to better your game. It definitely helps to make a good impression at these camps and many times helps put a player's face with the name for the coaching staff. The key for the players is to not try and do more than what their bodies are capable of during this time of the year. Pitchers especially have to stay within their throwing programs and not "get ahead of their arms" just to try an impress the coaches. If, and only if, you are intentionally targeting a camp for an evaluation from the coach, should you start your throwing program earlier than normal to be ready to throw full speed at a winter camp. Examples of this are: a senior who this may be their last shot in front of that school or a player going out-of-state to a camp because logistically the school is too far to attend his games.
Baseball companies will be running showcase style events all year long as this is how they generate revenue, build their database and keep updating information going out to the colleges that subscribe to them. A showcase event cannot be attended by DI/DII coaches during a Quiet Period. Many times these events are for evaluation purposes by the hosting company and the results are added to their website where coaches may view the results. Remember, if you are not in top baseball shape, you may not grade out as well as you can but your statistics will still be posted for viewing. A player should make sure they are ready to perform before spending the time and money to attend these events in the off-season time frame.