Episcopal and Canes baseball’s Josiah Harrison showing out for the summer
RICHMOND, Va. (BVM) — In the ninth inning of the Canes Baseball American 17U team’s game against the Indiana Bulls in the first round of the Geico Baseball City Series in Glendale, Wisconsin, Canes center fielder Josiah Harrison hit a choppy grounder to shortstop. Though a relatively routine play for the defense, Harrison made it difficult for the thrower as he launched out of the box with impressive speed. By the time the ball got to first, Harrison had already touched the bag, showing off elite wheels in a tournament filled with topnotch prospects.
“I think [speed] is my top aspect,” Harrison said. “I think anything that helps the team win is amazing to do.”
Though he didn’t have the biggest numbers in the box score during the tournament’s first day, his infield single being his lone hit of the afternoon, Harrison would prove on day two that he has more than just footspeed. Harrison would hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the first to give the Canes a lead over the Wisconsin Hitters that they’d never relinquish. He would also add another RBI later in the game to help further secure the Canes 7-5 victory as he finished his day going 2-for-3 with four RBIs.
Harrison, a Chesterfield native, has shown his skills on the diamond throughout his high school career. For his first two seasons, Harrison would play for Clover Hill High School in Midlothian before transferring to Trinity Episcopal School, which boasts one of the top baseball programs in Virginia.
In his first year with the Titans, Harrison would prove why he’s considered an elite prospect as he would bat .450 with six homers and 20 RBIs. During a particularly impressive part of the season, the junior connected for 11 straight hits, five of which were home runs, driving in 15 runs during the span. He would finish the year with an on-base percentage of .613 while also stealing 19 bases as a speedster on the bags. His play would earn him a spot on the Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association 2021 all-state first team in his first year of eligibility for the roster.
During the summer, Harrison has been working to improve his odds of making it to the collegiate level. One particular event was the MLB’s Hank Aaron Invitational which has approximately 250 players (ages 13-18) from across the United States receive training from former Major League players and coaches such as Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr., Hall of Famer Dave Winfield, Delino DeShields and others. The 44 best players during the second week of the invitational also earned an invitation to a showcase game at Truist Park, the home stadium of the Atlanta Braves. Harrison was among these 44.
I would like to Thank all of the coaches, staff and @MLBDevelops for this amazing experience. Blessed to be invited and to play in the Hank Aaron Invitational and play at Truist Park. #HankAaronWeekend #1of44 pic.twitter.com/KOS5aBDNnm
— Josiah Harrison (@JosiahG_H) August 2, 2021
Of course, another major advantage for Harrison’s collegiate aspirations has been playing with the Canes. As such, he understands how important it is to play well in tournaments like the Geico City Series and how important the team atmosphere is.
“I think it’s a different experience,” Harrison said. “You get to meet new players and meet new people so it’s exciting.”
On a team filled with Division I talent that includes commits to schools like South Carolina, East Carolina, Wake Forest, Wofford and others, it comes to no surprise that Harrison gets asked a lot of questions about his future. The uncommitted rising senior is in no rush to make a decision just yet and is just enjoying his time on the field.
“I think the recruiting process is going OK right now,” Harrison said. “I had a huge summer this year so I’m not too worried about it.”
For now, Harrison just wants his Canes’ team to return home to Virginia as victors of the Wisconsin-based tournament.
“We got to go one game at a time and hopefully we pull out a win,” Harrison said. “Hopefully for the rest of the tournament we win. That’s the goal. We just got to play one pitch at a time and one game at a time.”
As the college recruiters get to continue watching Harrison’s play on the field, he will look to prove that although his speed does in fact kill, that’s not all this uncommitted rising star can do.
