Oates Looks Forward To Winning Games At Connecticut

NORTH WEYMOUTH, Ma. - It was only a few years ago that Michael Oates tried out the position of catcher. Now the junior at Xaverian Brothers High School will get the opportunity to go behind the plate at the next level after a commitment to Connecticut.

“I was playing in an AAU tournament for a day and they asked me to do it,” reflected Oates, a 3B/SS/RHP prior to then. “I liked it and I’ve never moved.”

The ability behind the plate of the seventh-rated 2023 catcher in New England certainly made an impression on Connecticut.

“I played there last summer for my summer team in a one-day tournament and talked to the coaches,” Oates noted about being seen by UConn. “Then I went to a camp there earlier this year and the next day we emailed. They ended up offering me. My parents were out of town so I said I’d call him back in five minutes. That’s when I committed.”

It was a no-brainer for Oates.

“I wanted to stay close to home, that’s big for me,” pointed out Oates, who lives 90 minutes from the Connecticut campus. “The facilities are beautiful and they win baseball games.”

Oates did enough to impress the times he was seen by Connecticut.

“I did well in the defensive workouts,” explained Oates. “I also swung the bat really well both times they saw me.”

Improvement has helped the 5-7 180-pounder in his quest to play at the next level.

“I started catching later than most, at 14-years-old, so I’ve really worked on my receiving,” Oates related. “Every chance I get I catch a bullpen. I also work with my dad with weighted balls doing hundreds of reps.”

Getting better at the plate has also taken place.

“I’m doing much better hitting offspeed and using the whole field,” Oates said.

UMass-Lowell, Holy Cross and Merrimack are other colleges being considered by the 38th-ranked junior in New England, who at one point had other athletic aspirations when it came to college..

“Originally my thought was to play football in college,” Oates explained. “But after Covid in 2020 when I only played legion ball, I ended up playing in 2021 with GBG and did really well. That’s when I realized I wanted to play baseball. It’s something I really enjoy.

“Growing up it was my favorite sport,” Oates continued. “A lot of it comes natural to me. I think it’s a sign to stick to it.”   

A 3.3 student with plans to major in business/finance, Oates believes he can be a major benefit to the Big East Conference program.

“I hope to be able to help them win in any way I can,” Oates said. “I can play a couple of different positions.”

Outfield and pitcher are other possible positions Oates could see time on the field. But for now, Oates is just happy to be a UConn commit.

“That was the best moment of my athletic career,” Oates said of committing. “Now I’m looking forward to getting on campus, joining the team and getting ready to start winning some baseball games.”