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Q&A with Southern Illinois commit Bradley Harrison

February 11, 2014

By Steve Nielsen
Scouting Director – Illinois/Wisconsin

A couple weeks ago, 1B/LHP Bradley Harrison (O’Fallon) marked the eighth 2016 graduate in Illinois to make his college decision, verbally committing to Southern Illinois. We first saw Harrison in January of his freshman year as he impressed us with his projectability and ease at which he plays the game. Currently Harrison is ranked No. 28 in the state.

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

Harrison: I had a feeling the recruiting process would be difficult and would take a lot of work and time. Fortunately, I was given the opportunity to commit early to a school I wanted to attend, so I seized that opportunity. Therefore, the process was much easier than expected.

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?

Harrison: I received some questionnaires from schools last year after attending PBR in January, but this December after attending the Pirates Winter Camp it really got going.  I received several invites to college camps in Illinois and Missouri.

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

Harrison: I wanted to play Division I for a school with an exceptional baseball program and a school that would give me the opportunity to excel academically.

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

Harrison: Definitely.  I have always been close with my family, so my parents, along with my grandparents, who are great supporters of me, would be able to attend many of my home games.

PBR: Where did Southern Illinois first see you? How did your relationship develop with them?

Harrison: Originally, they watched my recruiting video I created last summer and then I participated in a camp in December that Coach Finigan attended.  I had checked out information about the school, team, staff, and facilities and was interested in Southern Illinois.  As soon as I visited and talked to Coach Henderson and Coach Finigan, I immediately felt a connection to them as coaches and as people.

PBR: What do you like most about Southern Illinois and what were the key factors in making your decision?

Harrison: I really liked the coaches at SIU and felt a connection with them. Also, I liked the new facilities and the academics they had to offer. The distance from home was also a factor in my decision.

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

Harrison: Other schools I was interested in included Missouri State, Illinois State and Bradley.  I was very interested in Missouri Valley schools.

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

Harrison: I attended a Prep Baseball Report Showcase in January of 2013 in which I performed pretty well and received a good report.  At that point, I realized that I had the potential to play baseball after high school. That would only happen though if I continued to improve on all aspects of my game.

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

Harrison: All young players should work as hard as they can all the time but most importantly have fun. Baseball is a fun sport so they should enjoy it. Also, as my coach always told me, players need to “control what you can control.” If something happens that goes against you and there is nothing you can do about it, then why let it bother you? Work around it and control the things that you are able to control.

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

Harrison: I have very high expectations for the upcoming season.  We have several seniors returning this year and O’Fallon will compete well in the strong Southwestern Conference and far into postseason.  I am hoping to contribute at the plate as well as in the outfield and some on the mound.

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