LIBERTY TWP. - College baseball has always been the plan for Ethan Sweat.

“I grew up with a lot of kids going D-I,” reflected the incoming-junior at Moeller. “I feel they’ve all rubbed off on me.”

And the desire to play at the next level took off.

“Since 8U going to Florida with the Flames I knew this is what I wanted to do,” Sweat said.

It is becoming a reality for the third-ranked 2023 third baseman in Ohio.

“My two big colleges I’ve been talking to are East Tennessee State and Xavier,” Sweat related. “Those are the main ones I’m considering right now. East Tennessee reached out when we went to Nashville and my coach has connections with Xavier. They said they were looking at me after the Top Prospect Games.”

The 17-year-old stood out at the TPGs back in early June.

“It was a very good event for me,” Sweat noted. “I went 2-for-3 with a triple. It was a great event, very organized. It was one of my favorite showcases. I had some great teammates.”

Jordan Chiero, PBR Ohio Director of Scouting, came away impressed.

“A two-way prospect, Sweat was one of the most impressive in-game hitters of the day,” Chiero said on the PBR website. “A physically imposing bat who took a solid BP then torched balls in-game. Multi-hit day while showing the ability to run the gaps off some of the top arms in the state. The combination of bat speed (76mph), physicality and barrel control point to him being a middle-of-the-order type bat who doesn’t have a ton of swing/miss in there.”

At the moment, Sweat is high on both Xavier and East Tennessee State when it comes to a potential college home in the future.

“I’ve always wanted to go to college for business and Xavier has a great business school,” Sweat said. “And it’s local.”

ETSU is a little farther away - a 51/2 to 6-hour drive - which is a good thing according to Sweat.

“I’ve always wanted to go south to play,” Sweat noted. “So the two are totally different schools.”

Each is impressed with what the 55th-rated 2023 in Ohio can provide.

“The two biggest things I’ve gotten from them is hustle and my aggressiveness at the plate,” Sweat said about what stands out about him to Xavier and ETSU. “No matter the score, even if I’m only 1-for-3, I’m going to make sure I’m hustling.”

That is an area of the game the 5-11 180-pounder believes will continue in college.

“I feel statistics at the end of the day don’t mean that much,” Sweat explained. “Everyone goes through hard times. Hustle is the easiest thing you can do, but not many do it.”

Chiero feels Sweat can be a major asset to a program at the next level.

“He is a guy that can do a lot of things well,” Chiero said of the second-ranked uncommitted 2023 third baseman in the state. “He seems to hit every time we see him, including multiple extra-base hits at the Top Prospect Games. He’s physical with well above-average bat speed which makes him a run-producer type bat at the next level. He’s also an interesting follow on the bump.”

While pitching is a possibility, Sweat points to his stick as the key to his future.

“Pretty much my bat is what’s going to get me there,” Sweat admitted. “Pitching is there if needed, and that’s definitely an option, but I’m more of a utility player. I let my bat lead me.”

Help has come in that regard for Sweat, who carries a 4.0 unweighted GPA at Moeller.

“Working with coach (Jimmy) Onate has definitely instilled the mental side of the game with me,” Sweat noted. “Coach Asif Shah (with 5-Star Midwest National and Country Day) has also been big. He’s really helped me with my recruitment and getting my name out there.”

As for making a decision on college, that timeframe is far from a certainty.

“I’m not trying to rush anything,” explained Sweat, who also plays football at Moeller. “I’d like to decide by the end of junior year so I’ve got a lot of time.

“I’m still in the early stages of high school.” Sweat added. “Since I was a little kid I’ve wanted to go south to play ball, but I also want to make sure I’m ready to excel with whatever comes after college.”