One of the best parts of what we do at Prep Baseball Report is tracking prospects after they make a really good first impression, whether that be at a game or at one of our events.  Last June, 2024 RHP William Schmidt (Catholic BR HS) attended our June 8th, 2021 showcase and made a statement, as a prospect that we needed to track and follow over the coming months.  He sat 81-84 mph with his FB and spun a 69-70 mph CB (up to 2,850 RPM) with good shape and depth.  Fast forward to our 2021 All-State Games in October, and Schmidt made a velocity jump, sitting 86-88 mph with his FB and showed that same downer CB at 74-75 mph (up to 3,019 RPM).  After the event, Schmidt began to receive interest from multiple college programs and was invited to several of their camps in January.  Last week, he officially announced his commitment to the defending National Champion Mississippi State Bulldogs.  His story and development has been really cool to see and unfold over the last 6-8 months.  Below, we discuss his recruitment and much more.  Congratulations again to William and his family on this great achievement! 

 

Congratulations on committing to Mississippi State University!  What led you to ultimately commit to Coach Chris Lemonis and the Bulldogs?

I have always dreamed of playing in the SEC, to compete with the best players in the country.  A few months ago, my family and I were cheering for the Bulldogs in the College World Series to win the National Championship.  I never dreamed that I would have the opportunity to play in the best stadium in the country and in front of the best fans in the country.  It was a very tough decision, but I developed a really good relationship with Coach Lemonis.  He was genuine and very detailed.  He showed excitement about my future and I trust that he will develop me into a better player on the field and a better person off the field.

 

We all have people that help us along our journey.  Is there anyone that you'd like to thank for helping you get to where you are today?

My mom and dad have always been my biggest fans.  There are so many coaches, teammates, and friends that have supported me along the way.  My baseball career started in kindergarten with the Lions, led by Coach Kenny Hodges.  Sometimes we were the "bad news bears",  but we competed with the best and are lifelong friends.  Most of all, we always had fun and I'm still playing with some of those teammates today.  There's such a long list, but I owe so much to PBR for helping me with the recruiting process and Coach Brad Bass, Coach Tyler Naquin, Coach Kenny Hodges, Coach Sean Teague, and Coach Ryan Theriot for believing in me and pushing me to be my best.

 

You attended our 2021 All-State Games this past October.  What did you enjoy the most out of that event?

It was a great experience to compete with the best players across the state in Alex Box Stadium.  The atmosphere was fun and there was a lot of talent there.  These games really jump started my recruitment.  The Trackman used by PBR has helped me to understand my pitching and see what I am doing good and what I need to work on.

 

You're a part of a Catholic BR team that seems to be on of the favorites in Division I this season.  What can fans expect our of the Bears this spring?

Yes, this is a really fun team to be a part of with a lot of talent.  We have a strong brotherhood and we enjoy playing together from freshman to seniors.  We have a lot of fun, but we also put in a lot of work.  We have a lot of depth on the mound and at every position and we will compete and play with heart every day.  Fans can expect a fast paced, high energy group, who is going to play the game with excitement, striving to make a late run within our division, towards another state championship.

 

 

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