HARTLAND - The prospects of playing Division I college baseball seemed unlikely for Ciaran Caughey two years ago. After all, the right-handed pitcher was weighing in at 120 pounds as a freshman.

“Going into high school college baseball was always a dream, but I thought it was impossible,” noted Caughey, now entering his junior year at Orchard Lake St. Mary’s. “I’ve only had development the past two years.”

While gaining size is still a focus for the fifth-ranked RHP in Michigan’s 2022 class, finding a college home is no longer a concern after a recent commitment to Kent State.

“I started talking to them two months ago,” Caughey related. “I started face-timing them which was new. I liked that. Not long after our first conversation they gave out an offer. I waited out until after the Future Games, but I realized that Kent had all I wanted.”

The final piece to the puzzle came after the PBR event in Pennsylvania concluded.

“I drove by Kent on the way back home,” Caughey explained. “After that I knew I could see myself there. The coaches are great people. They made me feel the most comfortable. And the baseball field was really nice.

“Another thing that affected my decision is that Kent is really good. It’s one of the top programs in the MAC. Being close to home is a plus.”

Wright State and Bowling Green had also offered the 12th-rated junior in the state with Michigan, Ohio State and Army others that Caughey highly considered during his recruitment.

“I talked to every coach before the Future Games,” Caughey said. “I played pretty well and I called Kent on my way home. I said I’m on campus now. Two days later I committed.”

Kent State saw a lot to like about the lanky right-hander.

“They like my projectability,” Caughey noted. “I’m only 145 and I throw hard. That’s one thing that stood out. There’s also the option of being a two-way. But I’m going there as a pitcher.”

Hard work has helped Caughey, a middle infielder when not on the mound, get where he is in the game today.

“It’s mainly been the weight room,” Caughey said of where he has made advancements over the past year. “Freshman year I’m 120 pounds, and I’m still super skinny, but I’ve been doing Driveline and hitting the weight room hard and I’ve gotten a jump in my velo.”

There is more that Caughey has developed besides a fastball topping out at 87.

“I’m commanding three pitches now,” Caughey pointed out. “My change has gotten really good.”

The work is far from over, however.

“Gaining weight is the biggest thing yet,” Caughey explained. “If I can go there at 185, that will be the biggest thing that’s going to play for me.”

It would go well with what Caughey feels he can bring to the Mid-American Conference program.

“My energy is one thing that stands out,” Caughey said about what he believes he will provide Kent State. “I love to compete. No matter if we’re playing the best team in the country, I want the ball. And aside from baseball, I can be a good teammate.”

High school coach Matt Petry and summer coach Devon Conklin have been influential in Caughey becoming the player he is now.

“Coach Petry has been a great help for me,” Caughey said. “Coach Conklin has probably been the greatest help getting me phone calls and talking to recruiting coordinators. I can’t thank him enough.”

Admittedly, the recruiting process was a long one according to the 4.0 student who plans to major in business at Kent State.

“A few of the coaches I talked to made it feel like a business,” Caughey noted. “That drew me away from a few schools. But others, like Kent, made conversations like I was talking to an old friend. I was very comfortable with them. To find a coach you’re comfortable with impacts the decision. It impacted mine.”

As did the ride home after the Future Games.

“This was what I envisioned at the start of the year,” Caughey said. “I wanted to go to the Futures and was going to wait a little longer before I pulled the trigger. But after the Future Games driving by the classes at Kent ... and the campus was super big, which is what I wanted. It all really impressed me. That's what I needed to make my decision.

“I feel 1,000 pounds has been lifted off my shoulders,” Caughey added. “I can finally breathe again.”