Commitment Spotlight: Joey Collier
June 18, 2020
We had the pleasure of catching up with 2021 LHP Joey Collier from Paradise Honors. Collier recently committed to the Air Force Academy. Collier was a member of #TEAMARIZONA for the 2019 PBR Future Games and has been on the PBR radar for quite some time as polished left-handed pitching prospect. Today, He took some time to answer some questions for us about his college recruiting experience.
Take a look at what Joey Collier said about his college recruiting experience:
PBR: Why did you choose the school you did?
Collier: I chose to play for the Air Force Academy because of the variety of educational opportunities, the amazing coaching staff, and all of the people that I will be surrounded by. I will also have the ability to play for something that is bigger than baseball.
PBR: What other schools were you considering?
Collier: Along with the Air Force Academy, I was considering taking the JUCO Route to give me another opportunity to go play at the Academy.
PBR: Where did the coaching staff first see you? How did your relationship develop with him?
Collier: I first met Coach Kaz at the USA Baseball 14U NTDP where he was the head coach of the Stars team. He and I had an immediate connection and we have kept in touch ever since.
PBR: Do you feel relieved now that the process is over and you can just focus on baseball and not deal with everything that goes into picking a school?
Collier: Yes, I feel very relieved knowing that now I can simply focus on developing as a player, studying for the ACT/SAT, and preparing for the rigorous academics at the Academy.
PBR: Was there one deciding factor that put your choice over the top?
Collier: There were many factors that make this a great choice for me including: the coaching staff, unique opportunities to challenge myself, and the great environment that I will be surrounded by.
PBR: Who has helped you the most to get to where you are today?
Collier: My parents have helped me the most in getting to where I am today. They always supported no matter what and made sure I had every opportunity to pursue a college career. I have had a lot of amazing coaches that have helped me along the way to develop into the person and player that I am.
PBR: What were your expectations about the recruiting process? Was it easy/difficult?
Collier: I had expected that the recruiting process would be very difficult and a little overwhelming at times. I just tried to stay positive through it all and once it was over I felt a great sense of relief.
PBR: What plans does the coaching staff have in store for you in your freshman season?
Collier: I do not know exactly where plans the coaching staff has for my freshman season but I will go in and try to compete for a spot in the rotation and do anything I can to help the team win.
PBR: What is your most memorable baseball moment to date?
Collier: My most memorable moment playing baseball would either be playing in the USA Baseball 14U NTDP or playing for Team Arizona in the Future Games. It was great to compete against some of the top players in the country and to play in front of all of the college coaches that were in attendance.
PBR: Who is the best player that you have competed against?
Collier: The best player that I have competed against would be Luke Leto.
Scouting Report
The 6-foot 170 pound southpaw showed flashes of what he can become in today’s outing. He worked 78-83 with a clean, fast arm. He generated good angle with an extreme crossfire delivery, perhaps to the detriment of his command. The ball comes out his hand nicely and with continued development more velocity is on the way. He also mixed in a 67-70 mph CB.
6’ 165-pound frame. Throws slightly across body. Fastball worked up to 80 MPH with angle and some arm side run. Low effort delivery leads to ball jumping out of hand. Good timing with hands and leg lift, keeping him in the strike zone. Feel for the breaking ball at 64-66 MPH. Has depth on a slurvy breaking ball that spins well out of the hand. As he gets stronger, velo will jump quickly, with easiness of arm action.