CINCINNATI - Playing baseball in Ohio has given Luke Vaughn a lot to prove over the years.

“A lot of dudes up north have a chip on their shoulder,” explained the junior-to-be at Elder. “I always had one not being seen when I was younger.”

That strong desire to prove a point is just one of the characteristics displayed by Vaughn that stood out to Central Florida.

“Coach Lovelady said I remind them of Athletics’ catcher Sean Murphy who he coached,” Vaughn said in reference to Central Florida mentor Greg Lovelady, a former head coach at Wright State where Murphy played before being selected in the third round of the 2016 MLB Draft. “They like my athletic ability and my size. They like how I can move and the different stances I set up in.

“They like my bat, too,” Vaughn added. “The recruiting coordinator, coach (Ted) Tom, liked my bat the most.”

There was enough interest to offer the second-rated 2023 catcher in Ohio, who committed to the American Athletic Conference school this summer after helping Elder to the Division I state finals in June.

“I started talking to them in early September before basketball,” Vaughn reflected back on his recruitment. “Our team went to Lake Point and coach Tom was watching me online. Then I went to play in Fort Myers with the 17U team and he saw me again and was impressed. Coach Lovelady came down for five games this summer at Lake Point.”

A connection led to a commitment for the 6-2 190-pound 16-year-old.

“I went on an unofficial visit in May for a series with Liberty,” Vaughn related. “I liked how warm it was. My grandparents have a condo an hour away, but I’d never been to campus until then.”

The idea of playing baseball in the south is something Vaughn has desired to do for some time.

“Since I was young I’ve wanted to move away from here where it gets cold and play where it’s warm,” Vaughn admitted. “UCF gave me an opportunity that not a lot of people get. I just want to try and make the best of it.”

The thought of playing in college has been a long-time aspiration for the top-ranked 2023 uncommitted position player in Ohio prior to his decision to attend UCF.

“It’s always been a dream of mine to play at the next level,” Vaughn noted. “I really started to want to go play college baseball my fifth- or sixth-grade year. By eighth grade it hit me hard how I had improved and how I carried myself.”

Schools such as Cincinnati, Xavier and Campbell were intrigued by the 16th-ranked 2023 in the state, but Central Florida proved to be the right fit.

“Coach Lovelady won two national championships and played in the Marlins’ system,” Vaughn said. “I like the energy and how UCF plays as a team. He made me confident in the staff and what they can do. He made my decision easy. He talked with my family the night before and that made everyone feel good. I think I made a great decision.”

Vaughn pointed to a number of people that helped along the way led by Lance Durham, Cincinnati Flames’ coach Brad Hargreaves and PBR Ohio Director of Scouting Jordan Chiero, in addition to his parents, George and Julie Vaughn.

“They’ve given me the best opportunity to get where I am today,” Vaughn said.

Landscaping, architecture and criminal justice are potential majors for Vaughn, a 3.95 student that enjoyed the recruiting process.

“I liked talking to a lot of people every week,” Vaughn related. “Some colleges I really liked and others were not as high on my list. UCF coach Tom made me feel like I was wanted. Then talking to coach Lovelady made me feel even more wanted. I didn’t think anybody wanted me more. They were very genuine. They wanted my energy and my ability.”

Once a decision was made there was no doubt it was the right decision according to Vaughn, who played third base at the end of the season for Elder after starting the year catching before a shoulder injury suffered on a slide forced him to miss part of the regular season.

“Everybody was excited,” Vaughn noted. “The UCF staff was excited and I was excited when I finally committed. Now I just have to keep working and continue to get better … keep that chip on my shoulder and keep working.”