Prep Baseball Report

Become a Member

More +

Ashe Russell Commits To Texas A&M

October 13, 2014

By Nathan Rode
National Supervisor

RHP Ashe Russell (Cathedral HS, IN) is off the market. After de-committing from Notre Dame this summer, the No. 2 prospect in the Overall Rankings for Prep Baseball Report’s coverage area has verbally committed to Texas A&M. Russell had committed to the Fighting Irish between his freshman and sophomore year, but ultimately put himself back on the market in July.

“The first time I didn't get to go through it as much because I was so young,” Russell said. “I made a premature decision, but going through it this time, actually going through calls and visits, I enjoyed it. I thought it was a lot of fun. It's definitely a weight to take off my shoulders. I wanted to get that commitment under my belt so I knew where I was going next year.”

Russell said he received about 20 calls the day he de-committed, but quickly narrowed his list to Texas A&M and South Carolina. His summer teammate on the Evoshield Canes, RHP Beau Burrows (Weatherford HS, TX), shared his thoughts on the Aggies and passed Russell’s number along to the coaching staff. Russell made his official visit this past weekend, going to the football game and checking out the baseball facilities.

“I walked to the facilities down there and they were amazing,” he said. “I met with Coach (Rob) Childress and he walked me through some of the stuff he does with pitchers, which was great.”

Russell will head to Jupiter, FL, in two weeks with the Canes to pitch in the World Wood Bat Championship, a tournament he and his teammates expect to win.

“We have a solid team, a solid pitching staff,” he said. “We have Beau, Evan Sperling—a Virginia commit. I expect to win.

“My personal goal is to go down there, pitch well, get as many strikeouts as possible and hopefully help my team win a championship.”

After Jupiter, Russell will shut throwing down for three months and focus on strength and conditioning. Cathedral has a strength and conditioning coach and the baseball team meets with him three days a week to lift an run.

“We do a lot of lifting and a lot—a lot, a lot—of running,” Russell said. “Sometimes it's miserable, but it all pays off. I do a lot of lower body work and core work to keep that in shape.”

Whether or not Russell actually makes it to College Station is a question that will remain for several months. He has first-round stuff with a fastball that sits in the low 90s and regularly touches the mid 90s to go with a nasty, low-80s slider.

Related Content