Will Schmidt can be the next great Mississippi State pitcher
BATON ROUGE, La. (BVM) — College baseball teams are continuing to secure the future success of their programs. The Mississippi State Bulldogs and Chris Lemonis did that after receiving a verbal commitment from Catholic High School pitcher William Schmidt.
“Will was always a baseball guy,” Catholic head baseball coach Brad Bass said. “He has come to our baseball camps since he was nine years old. Will hit a nice growth spurt his freshman summer, and his body was finally catching up to his brain. [He] loves the game [and] the sky is the limit for him.”
Schmidt knew he could have success on the diamond from an early age. He excelled at other sports like football and basketball. But when it came to baseball, he had an above-average arm. And with a fastball that has reached 89 mph and is only improving, Schmidt has a bright future ahead of him in baseball.
🔒 COMMITTED 🔒
Congratulations to William Schmidt (@_williamSchmidt) on his commitment to @HailStateBB!🐶 #Committed2Day
2024 from @CurDogBaseball / @knightknation4L topped 87mph at a @2DsportsLA event last summer ⬇️
— 2D Sports Baseball (@2D_sports) February 11, 2022
“Baseball has been the life setting for me,” Schmidt said. “The closest friends I have still play baseball with me to this day. There are ups and downs, but they all even out. Baseball is one of the best memory creators.”
Standing at 6-foot-2 and weighing 160 pounds, Schmidt’s potential was great. All he needed was one college to reach out and take a chance on him. And Mississippi State was that program.
“Will has special stuff,” Bass said. “He has an 88-90 mph fastball and a plus-plus curveball. When Will has the ball in his hand is very dangerous to any opponent.”
Along with his potential as a pitcher, Schmidt fell in love with Mississippi State when he was invited to their baseball camp.
“I wasn’t really sure if I was going to like it or not and just told myself, ‘Doesn’t hurt to try,’” Schmidt said. “[It was] the most beautiful facility I had ever been to. I had been to plenty before there, but this one was different to me. I loved it. The main reason being the coaches. After having a few calls and a couple of in-person conversations, I feel like the coaches and my relationship was very strong.”
Schmidt is only a junior and has one year left with the Catholic High School Bears. But he’s still striving toward a goal of his: a state championship.
“There is one obvious goal: [a state title],” Schmidt said. “But besides that, I would [want] give max effort and get better at the sport each time. You never know when your last game will be.”
Schmidt is an excellent piece to an already growing 2024 class for the Bulldogs. He has proven that and will continue to prove that as he prepares for his future in Starkville. Can Schmidt be the next Brandon Woodruff or Will Bednar? That remains to be seen. But Bulldog baseball fans better believe he’ll put in the work and bring a gritty work ethic to the diamond.
“The sky is truly the limit [for him],” Bass said. “I cannot begin to put a cap on this young man. I can see him playing well beyond high school. As he continues to physically develop, he’ll continue to play with great passion and grit.
‘24 RHP William Schmidt (LA) showing off some of the highest upsides of the day:
86-88 w/ a loose-athletic arm & spinning downer curveball up to 3019rpm at 74-75.
Developing frame that should add much more.#LAAllState || @PBR_Louisiana pic.twitter.com/Zq545S9GBa
— Shooter Hunt (@ShooterHunt) October 30, 2021
