Prep Baseball Report

Q&A with Air Force Commit Mitchell Woelfle


Matt Huck
Midwest Area Scout/JUCO Wire Editor

By Matt Huck
Area Scout

RHP Mitchell Woelfle (Janesville Craig, 2019) recently committed to Air Force. Woelfle is currently ranked No. 18 in the PBR Wisconsin Class of 2019. Woelfle will be the ace of the staff at Janesville Craig this season, where they are considered a top contender for a state title in 2018. He represented Wisconsin at the 2017 PBR Future Games in Indiana this past summer. Here is a report on him from the event.

2017 PBR Future Games - 6-foot, 185-pound right-handed pitcher, solid build, sturdy frame with strength. Long over the top arm action, firm arm action with strength. Shows ability to get downhill, creates heavy action at times on fastball, topped at 87 mph, sat 84-86 mph, showing fastball control down in the zone. Showed knack for inducing groundballs. Curveball showed feel, 70-71 mph. Showed a changeup at 77 mph.

PBR: What were your expectations about the recruiting process? Was it as expected? Easy/Difficult?

Woelfle: I didn’t really have any expectations going in, because recruiting was new for me and my family.  My baseball coaches were very helpful and upfront on the process of recruiting.  The difficulty came from making my final decision, because all of the universities I visited had positives and negatives.

PBR: What were you looking for out of a college program to continue your baseball career at?

Woelfle: To play as a freshman in college, and to get the best education I could.

PBR: Did location or distance from home play a factor in your decision?

Woelfle: It was a factor initially, but in the end I weighted it lower in my priorities, and ultimately, I decided to attend the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, despite the distance.

PBR: When did the recruiting process really start to heat up for you? Was there a particular game or event that you feel turned the corner for you?

Woelfle: I started receiving steady contact in early September of this year.  I had two good outings in Iowa this fall, and then the phone started to ring non-stop.

PBR: Where did the college you chose first see you? How did your relationship develop with them?

Woelfle: The Air Force Academy first saw me in Atlanta this summer, and again at the PBR Future Games in Indiana. Then, I visited the Air Force Academy in November, and saw the outstanding opportunities they offered.  The high level of education, the future career opportunity, and the ability to continue playing baseball lead me to the Air Force Academy.

PBR: What do you like most about the college you committed to and what were the key factors in making your decision?

Woelfle: I liked the idea of being able to come in and pitch as a freshman, while attending one of the best educational institutions in the United States.

PBR: What other schools were on your short list before you made your final decision?

Woelfle: Xavier University, Creighton University, University of Memphis, and UW-Milwaukee.

PBR: Who is the best player you have faced in your state, and why?

Woelfle: It is a tie between Drake Baldwin from Madison West, and Alan Roden from Middleton.  Both players are exceptional hitters, and have seen me pitch.  Also, I would like a chance to pitch against my high school catcher and Illinois baseball commit, Jake Campbell.

PBR: At what point in your career did you realize you were a college caliber player and became serious about taking your game to the next level?

Woelfle: As a freshman, while talking with Greg Reinhard, the founder of my summer team, the GRB Rays.  Greg pointed out the potential I had to play college baseball.  He explained that I had the talent, and if I put in the effort, college baseball would be in my future.  He also stressed the importance of being a good student, and how beneficial it can be in the recruiting process.

PBR: What advice would you give to young baseball players striving to get where you are?

Woelfle: I would advise young players to work hard in the classroom as much as on the field because colleges coaches recognize effort, commitment and good grades just as much as how fast you throw.

PBR: What is the most memorable moment in your baseball career to this point?

Woelfle: Pitching at Vanderbilt University this summer and also the friends that I have made throughout the years.

PBR: Preview your high school season for us. How do you feel your team will be? What are your expectations and goals?

Woelfle: We should be solid this year, and we hope to make it back to State in 2018.  We return a good portion of our team including Jake Campbell, Noah Berghammer, Dan Blomgren, and JJ Brennan, all of which are college baseball commits.

PBR: Where do you play in the summer? And what has been your most memorable experience with them?

Woelfle:  I play with the GRB Rays from Madison, WI in the summer.  My most memorable experience is Drive Line Wednesdays, and competing against the upperclassmen.  On Wednesdays, my coach Zach Ransom, pushed all of us to improve, and I began to see myself getting better as I measured myself against some of the older committed players at GRB.

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