Hambley Reaches Pac-12 Goal At Oregon State

VICTORIA, B.C. - Dom Hambley has had one college baseball dream - to play in the Pac-12. The Belmont Secondary School senior has accomplished that goal with a recent commitment to Oregon State.

“I had a little talk with a couple schools in the Pac-12 in grade 11 but no offers until I went to Area Code and pitched well,” Hambley related. “That’s when Oregon State offered.”

The second-ranked player in British Columbia then weighed what to do..

“I didn’t accept right away, but two weeks later I committed,” Hambley noted. “I was sitting back taking in all the offers, but since I started looking at schools Oregon State has always been in my top three.”

Offers came from the likes of New Mexico and Pittsburgh, but the opportunity to play in the Pac-12 was too much to pass up.

“I like their history as a program,” pointed out Hambley. “I’ve followed them since I started looking at colleges and I like how they play. I like the coaches and that it’s kind of close to home. My parents can come and see me play.”

Oregon State has had its share of success with NCAA Tournament championships, winning titles in 2006, 2207 and 2018.

“Since I was little the ultimate goal has been to play pro baseball and have a career in the MLB,” the 135th-ranked 2021 RHP in North America said. “To know college is the route to take to get there, I’ve been thinking about this.

“Then about ninth grade I went to a showcase with my travel ball team and a couple of schools told my coaches to keep in contact and pass on information about me. That solidified I was going to play Division I baseball.”

A pitching velocity that has reached 95 on the mound certainly helps the cause as Hambley continues to work toward his long-range goal.

“I’ve been really focusing on strength and speed,” Hambley said. “I’m doing a program Top Velocity and have gained five miles an hour that brought me up to 95.

“From here I want to continue getting better with my pitching craft as a whole, the depth and movement of my pitches. There’s not a certain thing I can neglect. Everything needs worked on.”

Oregon State sees a lot of promise in the 385-rated 2021 in the country.

“They like how aggressive I am as a pitcher,” the 6-2 225-pounder noted. “They like how I play the game full out. When the team is getting hits off me, I’m not backing down.”

Just 17 years of age, Hambley has impressed those at PBR Canada

“There’s no ignoring the pure arm strength he.possesses,” it was reported back in June. “Hambley is one of the top uncommitted arms (at the time) in the 2021 class and will also be a close follow for next year’s draft.”

A 4.0 GPA adds to the resume for Hambley, who points to his coaches for playing a huge role in “the technical side and mental side” of helping him grow as a player.

“I’m always going to work as hard as I possibly can,” Hambley pointed out about what he can bring to the Oregon State program. “I love the team atmosphere and love being with my teammates, supporting them and helping them get better and them helping me get better.”

Admittedly, there was some uncertainty when it came to the recruiting process.

“My coaches helped talk me through it,” Hambley said. “It was kind of stressful but the negotiating was fun. It was definitely interesting.”

A commitment to the Pac-12 school brings relief.

“It’s a big weight off my shoulders,” Hambley admitted. “I don’t have to worry about playing to get to a school, now I can work on improving my abilities.”

And the “ultimate goal” has not changed.

“I still want to play professional baseball and make a career out of it,” Hambley concluded. “I just need to keep doing what I’m doing, stay committed and don’t get sidetracked. I’m a big believer in everything happens for a reason, so we’ll see where that takes me.”