Adam Bleday, LHP/OF, Titusville HS, Class of 2013

                                            

Adam Bleday had a spring to remember leading his Titusville High School team to the District 10 Championships. The season was highlighted by a 23 strikeout performance against Youngsville on April 13th. This feat followed up his solid 2011 summer season with the Indiana Prospects that was culminated by him being named Amatuer Baseball Report 16U National Player of the Year. But both of these feats were simply stepping stones to his announcement this week that he had committed to the University of Virginia to play his collegiate baseball.

Bleday is a 6-foot-0, 165-pound left handed pitcher who is also a quality outfielder. Bleday tops out at 88 mph and commands a solid change up and a plus curve ball as well. His mechanics and work ethic are outstanding and both should help him to add to his velocity in the coming years.

Following, Bleday supplies his answers to questions from Prep Baseball Report regarding his recruitment and decision process:

PBR:  Where have you decided to attend college and why did you make this choice?
Bleday: I decided to attend college at the University of Virginia. I made the choice because UVA is both a great academic school and it has a very competitive baseball program. In addition, I loved the coaching staff along with the facilities it had to offer.

PBR:  What other schools were you considering?
Bleday:  I was also considering Notre Dame, Dartmouth, and the University of Cincinnati.   

PBR:  Was distance from home a factor in your decision?
Bleday:  The distance from home was not a factor however, I feel like I am still reasonably close to home.  I like the location of UVA becasue it allows for a longer playing season.

PBR:  Where did the coaches first see you?  How did your relationship develop with their coaching staff?
Bleday: The coaches first saw me while I was pitching in Georgia at the WWBA 17u tournament.  My relationship with the pitching coach is a great one.  He and I hit it off right from the start, and I am looking forward to being coached by him so that he can continue to help develop me into a competitive pitcher in one of the best baseball conferences in the country--the ACC.

PBR:  What role do the coaches expect you to play your first year on campus?
Bleday: The role the coaches expect me to play my first year on campus is to contribute to the team as much as I can as a freshman.  I realize that I will have a learning curve, but I will have excellent mentors and I expect to work as hard as I can to help the team.

PBR:  What is your biggest strength as a player and how do you feel that will help your team?
Bleday:  My biggest strength as a player is to stay focused in difficult situations. In addition, competing at a highly competitive travel ball level has helped me to learn how to keep my focus in difficult situations.

PBR:  Who do you play for in the summer and what was your most memorable experience from this past summer?
Bleday:  I play for the Indiana Prospects which is based out of Indianapolis and coached by Shane Stout. My most memorable experience playing with the Indiana Prospects was winning the BCS Perfect Game tournament in Florida when we were 15.

PBR:  What is your current GPA?
Bleday: My GPA for my junior year was 4.59 on a weighted scale.

PBR:  Now that you have your commitment out of the way, what are your goals both individually and for the team going into your senior season?
Bleday: One of my individual goals for next year is to get my change-up working every time I throw it and to bump my velocity up to 90 mph.  A team goal for next year is to win a state title.