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Q&A with Mount St. Mary's Commit Jeremy Hileman

October 7, 2013

By Greg Williams
PA Director of Scouting

HilemanRHP/OF Jeremy Hileman recently announced his plans to play his college baseball for Mount St. Mary's. The two-way prospect showcased his all-around skills at the Preseason All-State Showcase last January. Hileman is a pitcher first with a mid-80's fastball, but impressed as an outfielder as a member of Team Pennsylvania at the Big 26 Classic in July. The 6-foot-2, 165-pound Red Land HS senior showcased an 86 mph arm from the outfield, ran a 7.10 60-yard dash and had a solid showing at the plate in the three game series against Team Maryland.

Hileman discussed his college choice and the recruiting process with PBR shortly after announcing his decision.

PBR:  Where have you decided to attend college and why did you make this choice?

Hileman: I have decided to attend Mount Saint Mary’s because I felt like it was a very good fit both athletically and academically. Between having a division 1 baseball program and a good education with the chance for me to play early on I felt very comfortable making my choice.

PBR:  What other schools were you considering?

Hileman: Throughout the summer and into the fall I had different schools coming to watch me but in the end my decision really came down to Towson and Mount Saint Mary’s.

PBR:  Was distance from home a factor in your decision?

Hileman: Distance was not a deciding factor in my decision. However, I think it worked out well. It is close enough for my parents and family to get to see me play but not too close to home either.

PBR:  Where did the coaches first see you?  How did your relationship develop with their coaching staff?

Hileman: The coaches first saw me last summer and fall in showcases with my summer team Elite Baseball of Lancaster. This summer they saw me again and that is when my relationship with the coaching staff really began.  Coach Leonard sent me a few emails and would call me occasionally to keep in touch after he had told me that they were very interested in me. Also, my summer coaches know the coaches at Mount Saint Mary’s pretty well so they were in touch throughout the summer and fall.

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

Hileman: My first year on campus I am expected to come in and have the opportunity for innings early on. I plan on working as hard as I can and the rest should take care of itself.

PBR:  What is your biggest strength as a player and how do you feel that will help your team?

Hileman: I think my biggest strength as a player is my work ethic and willingness to put the extra work and time in that is needed.  I think that will help to push my teammates as well to get the most out of us that we can. In the end, hopefully that turns into us winning games which ultimately our goal.

PBR:  Who do you play for in the summer and what was your most memorable experience from this past summer?

Hileman: During the summer I play for Coach Matt Werts and Matt Knox with Elite Baseball of Lancaster. They really do a great job with helping you find the right fit for you in your college search. My most memorable experience probably didn’t come with Elite, I think getting to Represent Team Pennsylvania in the Big 26 was most memorable. Having the buddies and playing in the game with them really put things into perspective and made you realize that those kids just love baseball and look up to us. It made you understand how blessed we were to be in that position. Also, playing with some of the best players in Pennsylvania was also a big part in making it so memorable.

PBR:  What is your current GPA?

Hileman: I have a 3.7 GPA.

PBR:  Now that you have your commitment out of the way, what are your goals both individually and for the team going into your senior season?

Hileman: Individually I want to continue to improve as much as possible. On the mound I want to add some strength and hopefully turn that into added velocity as well as getting comfortable enough to spin my breaking ball in any count no matter what the situation is. At the plate I just want to continue having good at bats and squaring balls up to all fields. Hopefully the strength will also turn into more power at the plate too.

For the team, I would like to go as far as possible. We want a shot at not only districts again but even the state playoffs. We had a great team last year and won the conference and the Mid Penn but we ended up getting knocked out in the first round of the district playoffs. After that experience I think that all of us know how bad that feeling was. I think that will continue to push us to work hard and will be a big factor in us not letting that happen again.

PBR: How did Prep Baseball Report aid you in gaining exposure as a potential college baseball recruit?

Hileman: PBR gave me a chance to showcase my skills and put a video together for me. It was beneficial so if any coaches wanted to see a profile on me they could check out PBR and see all of my information.

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