TROY - It did not take Tulane long to realize their affection for Matthew Major.

“This past summer when I went to the PBR National Championships they were watching the next dugout and saw that I put out a lot of energy,” the Troy Christian sophomore reflected back to late July. “I did pretty well and afterward they contacted Jimmy Onate and he said for me to call them. I was excited to hear that and I called and they said they were going to offer.”

More conversations with the school in Louisiana followed before a trip down south.

“We talked three to four times a week and then Labor Day weekend me and my dad and older brother went there for a visit to check it out,” Major related. “We looked at the city, talked to an academic advisor, went to a football game and checked out the baseball facilities. The weather there is great. I like that you can play year ’round there.”

Major, who had an offer from Missouri and was talking to West Virginia and Purdue along with interest from schools such as Kentucky, Virginia Tech and Virginia, did not take long to make a decision after returning to Ohio.

“After I went there I thought this was where I wanted to be and was ready to commit,” the 13th-rated 2025 in the state said.

Major, an infielder who was seen playing third base by Tulane, has been hopeful of playing at the next level for some time.

“I always wanted to play college baseball since I was little,” Major pointed out. “My eighth grade summer I was thinking this could be a reality. I got an offer from Missouri and thought I could do this. Confidence carries you a long way.”

Improvement played a part as well for the 6-1 180-pounder.

“I grew into my body a little more,” Major noted. “I was hitting the gym lifting and getting faster along with tweaking my swing and working on infield mechanics.”

His father, brother Ben, an uncommitted senior, along with high school coach Tony Ferraro and summer coach Brandon Riley “who both poured hours and hours into me” were influential in making it all happen according to Major, who enjoyed going through the recruiting process.

“PBR definitely helped a lot,” Major said. “Most of the events I went to, especially the Junior Future Games, really were helpful for me. You can say it was a little stressful trying to play your best every game, but it was fun at the end of the day.”

Major believes the fun will continue with an opportunity to play ball in the south.

“That’s something that was important, being able to play year ’round,” Major explained. “Travel-wise you get to play more home games down there so you’re in class more. Ultimately, it was big for me to go south.”

Major, who noted that his parents are planning to look into getting an apartment in the area for visits to make the distance to college less concerning, is confident about playing a major factor at the American Athletic Conference university in New Orleans.

“I can see ultimately winning a conference championship and getting to the World Series,” noted Major. “They have Ohio guys going there (Mason Onate and Grant Wilson) and I talked to them about it. Our goal is to win a World Series.”

It only made the feeling of a commitment even better for the 15-year-old.

“It was definitely exciting,” Major said. “It was a relief, and kind of stressful. The work isn’t done, but the commitment process is done which makes it fun for my family and coaches.”

A 4.0 student unsure of a college major, with computer science a possibility, is happy to think about what lies ahead.

“I’m looking forward to the development stage, helping me get to the next level, MLB, which is ultimately my main goal,” Major concluded. “It will be fun to bond with other players that have that same goal.”