Louisville Has Everything Wittmer Wanted In A College

Bryson Wittmer LHP / OF / Milan Edison, OH / 2026

MONROEVILLE - It was a birthday to remember for Bryson Wittmer.

Not only did the Milan Edison freshman turn 15 years of age on Jan. 24, but the top-rated 2026 left-handed pitcher in Ohio also made a college commitment to Louisville.

“When I went down to the Future Games they had a scout there and I talked to him one time,” Wittmer reflected back to his initial connection with his school of choice. “I started posting stuff and they contacted my coach. That’s when my relationship began to grow.”

Four days before his birthday, the then 14-year-old went to a camp at Louisville.

“I talked to the coaches and it felt like home,” Wittmer noted. “All the coaches were incredibly amazing and I talked to a lot of the players. Obviously it’s close to home and I have a good relationship with Adam Wolf (an Edison graduate who went to Louisville).”

A commitment came soon after the camp.

“I had a zoom call with (head) coach (Dan) McDonnell and that’s when I made the decision to talk to my parents about it and I committed that night on my birthday,” Wittmer said.

The decision came a week after a visit and offer from Ohio State, with Cincinnati, LSU and Alabama others that Wittmer had been in conversation with on an extended basis.

“The history of the program is tremendous,” the ninth-ranked freshman southpaw in the nation reasoned as to why he selected Louisville. “They have the second highest number of wins and the coaching staff is perfect. They said they won’t be leaving for a long time. I just wanted to get it over with and focus on getting better.”

An attachment with Louisville has been there for some time.

“Louisville has been my dream school since I was little,” Wittmer explained. “When I was in fifth or sixth grade they went to Omaha. I had a baseball youth American Games back then and I stepped on the Louisville field.”

That kindled his desire to play at the next level.

“I started thinking about and knowing about college baseball then,’ Wittmer said. “In eighth grade is when I started to take notice and that summer is when I started getting recognized. I knew then I had to start looking at colleges.”

A change in summer teams to NMC Baseball aided the recruiting process.

“They started to get my name out there,” the third-rated 2026 in Ohio related. “I did a PBR Scout Day with them in January of last year and I hit 86. That’s when UCF and TCU started having interest. Then in the summer I had a little more exposure.

“But what really helped get the bar up was when I went to the Junior Future Games. That’s when it started to get real for me. I talked to Jordan (Chiero, PBR Ohio Director of Scouting) at the Scout Day and he said to just keep working, that he didn’t see anything I couldn’t do. He set up all the phone calls for me and really helped me a lot.”

Improvement was also beneficial for the 6-0 200-pounder.

“I always threw harder than everybody but at 12 or 13 I started to get accuracy,” Wittmer reflected. “At age 12 I got a pitching coach, Dale Slater, and he helped my progression. I threw 56 at age 12 and couldn’t believe it. My form wasn’t there. But I went to him for a year-and-a-half two to three times a week and that’s when I started to throw harder. I hit 82 with him.

“I had another guy with connections to Ohio State that also helped my mechanics get right. Then I joined NEB and they refined them. Everything got really good over the summer.”

But the 67th-ranked freshman in the country is more than just a pitcher.

“I’d love to be a two-way,” admitted Wittmer, who plays outfield when not on the mound. “Louisville likes me in the outfield and likes my swing. But time will tell what’s best for me.”

What Witter knows now is that he is excited about the opportunity to go to the Atlantic Coast Conference university where the 3.3 student is unsure about a college major.

“My first feeling I got after I committed was that I couldn’t believe it,” Wittmer explained. “I’ve prayed about this since I was a little kid. To know I’m going to a D-I college that’s one of the best is amazing. The first thing I did was hug my parents, they’ve made so many sacrifices. I called my coaches, Max Carevic and Nick Carevic, who really helped me.”

Wittmer looks forward to his days ahead at the ACC school with confidence about making a big impact.

“I’m definitely looking forward to the relationships I’m going to build,” Wittmer said. “A kid on my Junior Future Games team is committed to Louisville and I’m excited about that and building connections with the team.

“I want to bring a championship to Louisville,” Wittmer added. “I want to be the best person I can be, work hard and see what the future holds. Hopefully, I get drafted.”