By Phil Wade
Director, PBR Indiana

Jacob Brewer, a 6-foot, 195 pound 2015 southpaw out of Southridge HS recently committed to West Virginia University and Head Coach Randy Mazey. 

PBR: Ultimately, why did you choose West Virginia?

Brewer: West Virginia is a perfect fit for me. I like the coaching staff and am confident in where they are going to take this team in a few years. Being in the Big12 Conference, we will also play some great competition throughout our season. I also really like the academic side of West Virginia, a nationally recognized university. The extra work that the Mountaineer program puts into the community really attracted me too. The baseball team at West Virginia gives back and led all other teams in community service hours.

PBR: What other schools were you considering?

Brewer: Having to be close to home has not been mandatory for me. I have been focused on selecting a quality academic school with a great baseball program. I have been considering multiple schools throughout the Midwest and have also been considering colleges in the Southeast.

PBR: Where did WVU first see you compete and when did you take your first visit?

Brewer: WVU first saw me play during the first tournament of this summer in Cincinnati. They were impressed with my outing and wanted to watch me again before making an offer decision. Two weeks later, they watched me pitch against the Dulins Dodgers in Nashville, and I made a campus visit 4 days later at the end of June.

PBR: What role do the coaches expect you to play your first year on campus?

Brewer: Coach Mazey, the WVU head coach, said that there were innings for grabs as early as my freshman year. I could be used as relief, closer, or even a starter on a couple occasions.

PBR: What were your expectations in regards to the whole recruiting process?

Brewer: I expected the whole process to take more time and move more slowly than it did. From the time I found out they liked my outing in Cincinnati, I was visiting campus two weeks later and committed shortly thereafter.

PBR: You play for the Indiana Prospects in the summer, talk about your experience playing for them.

Brewer: Playing for the Indiana Prospects has been a great experience for me. I have learned and developed a lot as a player and person within the organization. The Indiana Prospects also has an outstanding reputation with college coaches and has done a great job communicating my skills leading me to this exposure and commitment with WVU. It was common to have many college coaches at each one of our games giving us a chance to display our skills.

PBR: Who has had the biggest impact on you as a baseball player?

Brewer: The entire baseball community in Huntingburg has made a huge impact on me. I started pitching when I was nine, in Little League, and there has always been such a strong support from many coaches, teammates, and community that has positively influenced me to play hard and enjoy the game.

PBR: What were your stats this spring at Southridge?

Brewer: I ended the season with an ERA of 0.74 on 47 innings pitched with 65 strikeouts on 13 walks (5 K/BB ratio).  I pitched four complete game wins including Forest Park, conference win against #1 South Spencer, shutout against Heritage Hills to secure our PAC conference title, 2 hitter against #6 Jasper in our sectional semi-finals, and a complete game loss against #4 Silver Creek in our regional allowing 1 earned run.  I also pitched 6 innings against eventual state runner-up Gibson Southern allowing 1 earned run.

PBR: Who is the toughest hitter you’ve faced in Indiana?

Brewer: Dillon Whitten, from Gibson Southern, was the toughest hitter I faced throughout this season.