Congrats on your new commitment! What is it about Maryville that excites you the most?

I really liked Coach Evers and what he had to offer. Its an up and coming program and their facilities are top notch. I was impressed with Maryville’s academic offerings including a well-regarded physical therapy program. Plus, it's only a little over 4 hours away from my home so my parents can come and see me play.

You have been playing with Top Tier for a few years now. Tell us about your experience and what it means to wear the TT’s.

Over the past couple of years Top Tier has helped me get to my goal of playing baseball at the next level. The level of organization as well as the expertise of the coaches has been top notch. They have always expected us to perform at the highest level, both as an individual and as a team. It is hard to express what wearing the TT logo on my hat and jersey means. To me it is more than just a team, it becomes a family. Being able to represent Top Tier over the years has been a tremendous honor.

Share one of your favorite Top Tier memories over your career.

Ever since I first started playing for Top Tier I have made so many memories both on and off the field. The one that stands out to me the most is when the 16u Americans went undefeated in the inter-squad games, beating everyone including the 17u Americans. On that team, not only did I feel accomplished and excited for the rest of the summer but so did the whole team. At that we time we knew we had a special group of guys and that we were going to do some great things that summer.

Talk a little bit about the recruiting process and how everything went down.

My recruiting process started about halfway through the 16u season. I had a couple calls from schools that had seen me in tournaments over the summer. After my parents and I met with Coach Phelps at the end of the season we talked about some schools that were of interest to me and that I might have the opportunity to get recruited by. Before the start of my junior year we reached out to several programs and sent them video that I thought would be helpful. Things really started heating up this summer after I received several calls from programs throughout the Midwest and into the southern states. I made several campus visits throughout the summer and was able to finally find a school that fit all my needs and wants. It was an exhaustive process but one that I’m glad I did.

What were some of the priorities you looked at when deciding where you wanted to commit?

It seemed like every school I ever talked to asked the same question, “What are you looking for in a school?” I wanted the school to have the major that I am interested in and it needed to be close enough to home so my parents can come see me play. I also wanted the school to be affordable for my parents, I wanted to make sure I could see myself there as a student without baseball, and that I would have a good chance of recording a lot of innings early on in my collegiate career.

What challenges do you see ahead of you before you get to campus?

Even though my high school program and Top Tier expect performance at the highest level I still feel the need to prove myself. I’ve seen several differences between the high school and collegiate level player so I am improving my physical strength as well as my speed and conditioning.

What are some of the goals you have set for yourself as a college baseball player?

It is my goal to be a starting pitcher at the college level. I hope to be an excellent teammate and to earn the respect of my coaches and my teammates. By improving my mental and physical skills I hope I can continue to play baseball at the professional level.

Is there anybody you would like to give a shout-out or thanks to?

I would first like to thank God for all he has done for me. Next, I would like to thank my parents for all of the love, support, and time they have given me in order to get to all of my practices and tournaments. Without them, none of this would be possible. I would like to shoot a special shout-out to all of the coaching staff at Top Tier for their expertise and guidance. Thank you to Coach Phelps who gave me the opportunity to play with the 16u Americans and to Coach Plante for allowing me to continue my Top Tier career as a 17u American. These coaches are the ones who helped get my name out there and brought in college coaches. They are great coaches and great men. I would also like to thank my St. Laurence High School coaches for constantly pushing me and expecting greatness at everything I do.