Q&A with Mainland Regional baseball player Cole Campbell
LINWOOD, N.J. — Cole Campbell has been the starting catcher the past two seasons for the Mainland Regional High baseball team. He had an outstanding career, establishing himself as one of the top catchers in South Jersey, both offensively and defensively, and he plans to continue his education and baseball career this fall at New Jersey Institute of Technology. South Jersey Glory Days Staff Writer Dave O’Sullivan recently caught up with Campbell to talk about his high school baseball career and what it was like catching for first-round Major League Baseball draft pick Chase Petty in 2021.
Now that you’ve had a little time to think about it, what’s the first thing that pops into your mind when you think about your four years at Mainland?
Cole Campbell: What most people don’t realize is we had that Covid year (in 2020) and that actually brought us all closer together because we would go to the field every day and work out. It all started with Chase’s group, and we all kind of stuck together. It made me realize what a family is from a team basis. I knew we were all going to be playing together eventually, but it showed me how important it is when you lose a season and you have your guys still there wanting to play baseball with you.
What an experience to be the catcher for a kid like (Chase Petty). Take me through that a little bit and what that 2021 season was like for you.
Campbell: It’s really hard to explain. Last year was my first varsity season, so I never had that experience. I remember walking into my first game and turning around and there were 40 scouts with radar guns looking at me, and I was like, ‘oh, my God.’ But it only took two or three pitches and I started to settle in. It’s something that’s unspeakable — it’s not every day you’re catching 100 miles-per-hour as a 16-year-old.
There aren’t many catchers on the planet who have caught that type of velocity.
Campbell: Yeah, especially at the high school level. You never see 102. I guess I was the lucky guy to be able to catch him that year. I can describe it like being on the ping-pong table and there is a guy about 10 feet from you and he whacks the ball as hard as he can. That’s pretty much what it’s like. It’s a little blur coming at you. After one inning I’d look at my hand and it was black-and-blue. After the first game I had massive swelling and I thought my hand was broken.
That must have been a fun year. Every time he pitched there were all those scouts, and even the fans, little kids coming up and wanting autographs and pictures with him. What was that like being a teammate of a kid who is going through something that 99 percent of high school kids don’t have to go through?
Campbell: It’s really crazy to see a kid who is one of your close friends signing baseballs and stuff. I remember one day, me and Chase were warming up and a kid walks up to us and was like, ‘hey, can I have your autograph?’ I had my back turned and Chase said, ‘sure, buddy.’ And the kid says, ‘no, I already have yours, I want his.’ I looked at him and thought, I don’t even know how to write in cursive!
What did you learn about yourself throughout your career? You come in like everybody else as a 14-year-old freshman and you leave as an 18-year-old senior and a guy who is going to play college baseball. How much did you learn about yourself through a career that included a covid year and a lot of adversity?
Campbell: Coming in, I didn’t even know what my future was going to hold because I initially was a two-sport athlete. I was like, ‘maybe I’ll play Division III baseball or Division III football.’ I ended up working really hard and talked to people who said I could play at a high level, and that’s when it started playing out and I ended up committing to a Division I school. That blew any expectations I had out of the water.
What comes to mind when somebody asks, what’s the best moment of your high school career?
Campbell: It’s no doubt the walk-off double in Trenton (a 3-2 win over Don Bosco Prep). I thought I had a home run, but I guess weighing only 165 pounds that season, maybe I didn’t have enough juice to hit one out of a minor league park.
What was it like going into the state playoffs this year when you know any game could be the last one of your high school career? Take me through that emotion of taking off that Mainland jersey for the last time.
Campbell: It’s a bittersweet feeling. Yes, my high school career is over, but being a captain this year I feel like I had an impact on a lot of younger guys. When you’re a freshman you say you can’t wait to get out of here. Everyone says you blink and you’re out of high school. I’m just ready and excited to be able to spend the last few weeks (of the spring semester) with my friends and try to soak up every moment.
This is an unedited user writing submission. The views, information, or opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Best Version Media or its employees.
