Prep Baseball Report

Q and A with Wright State Commit - 2015 INF Kyle Dockus (Moeller HS)



Kyle Dockus, INF, Moeller HS, Class of 2015

PBR: Why did you choose Wright State?

Dockus:  Wright State was the school that was the best fit for my style of play. The coaches are great and have a huge amount of respect from all of their players.  The entire staff has very high expectations for their players and demand a lot from them on and off the field.  Overall, I feel the Wright State coaches and school was the best fit for me in developing myself, not only as a player, but as a student.  I am very appreciative of the coaching staff and I'm glad they saw what a great fit I would be at WSU.

PBR: What other schools were you considering?

Dockus:  At the beginning of my recruiting process I had heard from several big-time schools from all over the country.  As the process continued, I began hearing from less and less schools.  I had my choices narrowed down to Dayton, Wright State, and Walters State CC (TN).  I knew WSU was where I wanted to go and was really waiting on them to make an offer.  Once they called me, I jumped on the decision very quickly.  I am proud to say that there is no place I'd rather go than Wright State.

PBR: Where did the coaching staff first see you and how did your relationship develop?

Dockus:  Coach Chiero saw me play this summer as he was a coach for Ohio Elite.  From there, he invited me to attend a camp in early September.  Afterwards, the coaches said they really liked me, but needed to figure a few things out on their roster before they could do anything about me.  Eventually, I ended up attending another camp with several of their top recruits and commits which finally resulted in them making me an offer.  Coach Mercer called me Monday night and I was quick to commit on Tuesday.

PBR: Was the recruiting process what you expected?

Dockus: Not at all.  In the beginning, it was very exciting.  I got to take visits to numerous schools and attend plenty of free college football games.  From that, I thought I was going to have plenty of colleges to pick from.  As the recruiting process continued, it became very frustrating at times.  I could play one of the best games of my life in front of schools that I had been talking to, but it seemed no more interest was being generated.  I would see other kids committing, meanwhile I had no offers.  Eventually, I realized that I needed to put everything into God's hands and I knew that something would eventually work out.  I'm certainly glad that it's over.

PBR: How does it feel to be a part of a Division 1 baseball program?

Dockus:  It is quite an honor to be a part of a division 1 program.  It has always been a dream of mine to play baseball at the highest level possible.  With that said, I know my journey is just beginning.  After committing, I am hungrier than ever to be able to make an impact in my remaining time at Moeller and my early years at Wright State.  I got to talk to Coach Pate (my infield coach over the years) very soon after committing, and the first thing he told me is to stay hungry and don't ever be satisfied.  That is exactly what I plan on doing as I move forward in my baseball career.

PBR: Moeller is one of the top baseball programs in the country.  How does it feel to wear the same jersey as some of the all-time greats?

Dockus: It is awesome to be able to be part of such a great tradition.  However, I don't think all outsiders quite understand the tradition of Moeller.  It is not so much about the great players that come through Moeller, but rather the blood, sweat and tears spent at Moeller that turns them into such great players.

PBR: Who do you play for in the summer and what was the most memorable experience from this summer?

Dockus: I played for the Cincy Flames the past few summers and this next summer I will be playing with Ohio Elite (Lee).  My favorite memory has to be going down to the WWBA event in Atlanta and beating the East Coast Baseball Select, who had kids committed to just about every SEC school you can imagine, in a very tight defensive game.

PBR:  What person has the great impact on your baseball career and why?

Dockus:  My entire family is the reason I have the opportunity to continue my baseball career at the collegiate level.  I thank my dad for always pushing me and keeping me level-headed.  Whether it was hitting me ground balls, throwing BP or just tossing in the back yard, he was always willing to help me become a better player, no matter how tired he was.  I thank my mom for always supporting me and making tremendous sacrifices so that I can do what I love without worry.  It doesn't matter she was packing me a cooler, waking up at 4:00 a.m. for work every day, or simply putting up with me, I will be forever in debt to her for her countless sacrifices and efforts to make my life easier.  I also thank my brother for always giving me that sibling competition that allowed me to be competitive on the diamond.  Lastly, I thank my extended family for providing me with support and places to stay throughout my entire baseball career.

PBR: What were your stats this spring season at Moeller?

Dockus: 54 AB, 17 H, 12 R .500 OBP  .315 AVG

PBR: Who is the toughest pitcher that you have faced in Ohio?

Dockus:This is a tough one.  But, I'm glad to say that they are both my former teammates at Moeller.  Zach Logue (UK Commit) was extremely difficult to hit.  He could get you out by overpowering you or mixing up speeds.  At times, his fastball could have more movement than most pitchers' off-speed.  However, it's a shame he is terrible at hockey.  The other pitcher who had my number was the ONU Polar Bear TJ Storer.  His pitches moved so much that it was difficult to simply bunt his pitching in the cages.  He was very effective as he had pitches that could run both towards and away from you as a hitter.  Although he didn't see as many innings, he was one of the nastiest pitchers on the pitching staff and certainly made some hitters look foolish.