NORFOLK, Ma. - It hit Matt Brinker during fall ball freshman year.

“I saw a lot of kids I played with growing up that were going off to play college baseball and I wanted to do that,” Brinker related.

The Xaverian Brothers junior has fulfilled that dream of joining those that will play at the next level after a recent commitment to Northeastern.

“I appreciate the program they’re building,” Brinker said of the Colonial Athletic Conference school, which under the direction of sixth-year head coach Mike Glavine has won the regular season title two of the past three years and made its first NCAA tournament appearance in 15 years during the 2018 campaign. “I really like the coaches, they’re good guys. The players they’re putting out are better than when they showed up so they’re developing them. Plus, it’s ranked 40th in the country in academics.”

Boston College was the other school of consideration for the 32nd-rated 2022 in New England.

“They first saw me playing fall ball,” Brinker said of Northeastern. “They said they’d heard good things about me. I went to a camp in December there and played well. They asked me to keep in touch and to send any videos of me catching along with any of my numbers. That continued into spring.”

But COVID-19 put a damper on plans to see Brinker in person.

“I kept sending videos to Northeastern,” Brinker noted. “I’ve got a weight set and did baseball workouts on a field behind my house that never closed so I was able to go with my dad there.”

Still, the virus brought uncertainty to the recruiting process.

“Before the quarantine happened I’d hoped to have the opportunity to commit by the end of high school season,” Brinker said. “When the quarantine started I wasn’t so sure. But it worked out very well for me.”

The third-ranked junior catcher in New England impressed Northeastern on the videos.

“They liked the improvements I’ve made,” Brinker related. “They liked my swing and the weight I’d put on since the winter camp.”

Those are the two biggest areas Brinker has focused on.

“I was 155-160 in September and I’ve gained a lot of weight since then,” noted the 5-11 180-pounder. “That was a big thing for me, especially being a catcher. The other was I’ve done a lot of swing adjustment and it’s made a huge difference for me.”

An offer from Northeastern came about a week ago.

“Northeastern has been one of my favorite schools for a long time,” pointed out the16th-rated uncommitted 2022 at the time of his decision. “It’s convenient for my family, it’s only a 35-minute train ride. As for the baseball program, there’s not much better. It’s just a great opportunity.”

A 4.29 student, Brinker looks forward to continuing his development as a catcher.

“I played a lot of outfield when I was little, but at the age of 12 or 13 I started to hone in on catching,” noted Brinker, who at the GBG Northeast Hawks PBR Scout Day in February was ranked the top 2022 positional prospect.three months after being listed in the “2022s on the Rise” by PBR National Supervisor Nathan Rode. “I like being involved with all the pitches in a game.

“I’ve worked a lot on my receiving and blocking over the winter. Lateral blocking was one of my huge focuses over winter.”

Brinker pointed to a trio of people that have been influential in his baseball journey.

“My parents help me all the time,” Brinker said. “Coach Chris Sullivan of RBI has been my hitting coach for awhile and he really has helped me, too.”

The Xaverian Brothers junior gets right to the point when it comes to what he can provide the Northeastern program.

“I bring a lot of energy and I work hard,” Brinker explained. “I show up every day and play my best baseball.”

Knowing a commitment has been finalized is a comforting feeling for Brinker.

“It’s definitely relieving to finally be committed and know where you’re going,” Brinker concluded. “It’s also exciting knowing you’re able to play Division I baseball at a school as good as Northeastern.”