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

When I visited the campus, I was amazed how nice everything was, such as the stadium, the facilities, and the dorms. It felt like a perfect fit for me and that I belonged there.

You have been playing with Top Tier your entire high school career. You are also the first player from the North branch to commit to a college. Tell us about your experience and what it means to wear the TT’s.

I knew when joining Top Tier that it was the best program around and since I wanted to play college baseball, that I was in the right spot with the right people in order to do so. Wearing the TT’s is a great feeling that is hard to describe, but it reminds me to give 100% every time I have them on.

Share one of your favorite Top Tier memories.

One of my favorite memories so far from Top Tier was when we were in Cincinnati and it was our first road trip for the 16u summer season. We went to see a Reds game with the team and played good baseball that weekend. We got much closer as a team and it gave us confidence going forward.

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

This June, I was playing in a 17u tournament in Cincinnati against a team with over ten division 1 commits. The Pitt coach was there to watch the pitcher, who was uncommitted throwing upper 80’s. In my 3 at bats, I squared him up every time, which immediately drew the coach’s attention. I stayed in touch with the Pitt coach until the Future Games in early August. After showcasing my speed in center field and stringing along some nice hits, the Pitt coach called me one of the nights I was down there and let me know they were going to offer. I visited the campus in late September, knew this was where I wanted to be, and committed a week later.

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

I was looking for a school that would fit a player like me. With Pitt being in the ACC, I knew going there would put me up against some of the best players in the nation. In addition, the coaching staff were a bunch of great guys; they really took care of me when I visited. I wanted to be a part of a rebuilding process, and Pitt, with a current staff mostly in their 2nd year, was just that. Also, Pitt is a highly academic school, alongside being the number 1 Life Skills school in the country. I know Pitt will make me not only a better baseball player, but a better person as well.

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

Although I’m already committed, I have to work even harder now. I’m going to be competing with other great players for playing time. It is important I physically and mentally get ready to make the next step.

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

Being a student-athlete, education will always come first. I have to make sure I am always staying on top of that. My goal as a college baseball player is to win Pitt a conference championship and ultimately make a trip down to Omaha. But, that doesn’t happen without grinding the next 4-6 years I have left of high school and college ball.

If you could give one piece of advice to all of the younger players coming up, what would it be?

Advice I would give to all of the younger players out there is that talent doesn’t guarantee success in the future. If you’re not one of the most talented kids for your age, it is your job to outwork all the kids that are ahead of you right now. Hard work will beat talent 10 times out of 10. But if you're among the most talented players in your grade right now, stay ahead and don’t get passed up by others. It doesn’t get easier from here. High school baseball will expose you if you rely on your talent and don’t work hard. True commitment and dedication to the game is necessary if you want to play college baseball one day.

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

First and foremost, I would like to thank Coach Duffy and Coach Gragnani for giving me the opportunity to play for Top Tier. They have truly developed me and have taken my skill set to another level. I would like to thank Top Tier Baseball as an organization for giving me national exposure on the baseball map. Finally, I want to give a special shout-out to my parents for giving me the opportunity for all this to happen. Without their financial and time-consuming commitment to me, I would not be writing this right now.