Q&A with Drury Commit RHP/OF Adam Link (Kickapoo, 2017)
December 6, 2016
Shon Plack
Missouri Scouting Director
Adam Link (Kickapoo, 2017) is a 6-foot-1 160-pound right-handed hitting outfielder and has committed to play in his hometown at Drury University. 
Link was member of the 2015 team that took third place in Missouri's 5A class. He has the Chiefs poised and ready to make another run this spring.
Link has a tall and lean frame that would suggest velo increases as he enter college. He has cutting action on his fastball at 85 mph and features a sharp breaking curveball with late 11-to-5 action. Link also has command of his change up with arm side sink. Link runs a 7.00 60 and has a positional velo of 82 mph from the outfield.
Recently, Link talked about how he chose Drury and his upcoming senior season. Here is a look inside the recruiting process for Adam Link.
PBR: What were your expectations about the recruiting process? Was it as expected? Easy/Difficult?
Link: The recruiting process was about what I expected. Getting noticed by coaches and scouts is the most difficult part of the process. Then, it does take a decent amount of time communicating with coaches and visiting schools but it is all fun and exciting. I took my time with the process and learned as much about each school that I could.
PBR: Did location or distance from home play a factor in your decision?
Link: Location and distance from home did not play a huge factor in my decision. I went into the recruiting process very open to any school around the country. Now that I am signed with Drury, I have realized how great it will be that friends and family will be able to attend my games and continue to be part of my baseball career.
PBR: Where did Drury first see you? How did your relationship develop with them?
Link: Drury has watched me pitch for several years. The first time was probably spring of my sophomore year with Kickapoo. My relationship with them really took off this past summer through contact with Coach Nasby about playing baseball for him. I attended one of Drury’s fall showcases and got offered soon after. I then made several visits to Drury and knew that it was the right place for me.
PBR: Who is the best player you have faced in your state, and why?
Link: Two of the best players I have played against in the state are probably Mark Vierling from CBC and Nick Wohlbold from Rock Bridge. These are two guys that I have played against several times in both the spring and summer. They are extremely competitive on the field and have always played the game the right way. I also have some of my best memories playing against them in our third place finish at state my sophomore year.
PBR: What advice would you give to young baseball players striving to get where you are?
Link: Some advice I would give to younger players would be to work as hard as you can in the off season because that is when all the improvements to your game is made. Also, once you’re in a big game with scouts and coaches present you must limit all of the distractions. Focus on playing to the best of your ability for all of your teammates. Most of all, don’t try to do too much and enjoy the recruiting process.
PBR: What do you do in the offseason to keep yourself in baseball shape and prepare for the upcoming season?
Link: My off-season is very busy and puts me in great baseball shape. At Kickapoo, we have an outstanding weight lifting program that we do before school three days a week. I also spend my afternoons at 2K Training Facility where I work on getting to be a better pitcher overall.
PBR: What is the most memorable moment in your baseball career to this point?
Link: The most memorable moment in my baseball career was my sophomore year for Kickapoo when we placed Third in the state. It was a great run with some of my best friends. Although we came up short, it was a great experience that I will never forget.
PBR: What do you like most about Drury and what were the key factors in making your decision?
Link: Some of the things I like the most about Drury is that it is a top school for academics and offers outstanding majors. The entire coaching staff at Drury is great and I know that they will make me the best baseball player possible. Also, some of my good friends Riley Herron and Joey Dopp will be my teammates, which will make it a lot of fun.
PBR: What other schools were on your short list before you made your final decision?
Link: Some other schools that were on my list were Central Missouri and SIU-Edwardsville. I had visited these schools before and both were quality programs. On my visit to Drury, I really knew that it was the place for me.
PBR: When did the recruiting process really start to heat up for you? Was there a particular game or event that you feel turned the corner for you?
Link: This past summer was when the recruiting process really started to heat up for me. Playing with the Midwest Nationals helped me to improve as a baseball player. I started pitching better than I ever have before and my velocity really increased. All of this helped to catch coaches’ eyes and really got the recruiting process going.
PBR: Preview your high school season for us. How do you feel your team will be? What are your expectations and goals?
Link: This spring, our Kickapoo team should be one of the best in the area. We lost several seniors from last years’ team but we have several guys that are ready to fill in their role. I would take our pitching staff against anyone in the state. That and a solid defense are going to make us a very tough team to beat.
PBR: Where do you play in the summer? And what has been your most memorable experience with them?
Link: In the summers I have had the opportunity to play with the Midwest Nationals since I was 14 years old. This has been a great opportunity and has given me several great memories. Probably the most memorable part was making it to the quarterfinals of the Premier World Series in Joplin where we ultimately lost to the Rawlings Hitters.