Uyulur Two-Way Potential Intrigues Colleges

YPSILANTI - “The intriguing upside of Ozan Uyulur is evident thanks to his athletic frame and potential to continue as a two-way player at the next level.”

The assessment by PBR National Crosschecker Shooter Hunt says a lot about what colleges are beginning to see in the fourth-rated 2022 right-handed pitcher in Michigan.

“It began this past summer when I had my first college contact with Michigan, and I’m still in contact with them,” Uyulur said of his recruiting process that has offers from Toledo, Eastern Michigan and Wayne State along with interest from Oakland, Pittsburgh, Indiana State and Wright State. “A couple of them saw me at an Ed Santa showcase, a couple saw me at the PBR Fall Prospect Games and others this past summer and on video.”

What colleges have witnessed in the Ann Arbor Huron High School junior is a 6-1 195-pound 16-year-old whose stock has risen thanks to a fastball that is now topping 90.

“Over the last year I’ve gotten stronger,” Uyulur credited his recent improvement. “I wasn’t working out before and had no idea what goes into hip mobility and throwing. I was 83-84 and now my fastest is 92. I started working with Deshorn Lake a year ago and he’s helped along the way.”

High school coach David Brooks and travel coach Tom Dishman are others that have played a role in the development of Uyulur on the mound as well as in the field where he sees most of his time at shortstop.

“Ozan was one of the top standouts from our summer events,” pointed out Aaron Wilson, PBR Michigan Director of Scouting. “A potential two-way prospect, he shows high-level arm strength and has one of the highest spin rates in the 2022 class nationwide on his fastball. He is one of the top uncommitted prospects in the state.”

The desire to play at the next level began when Uyulur started playing for the Michigan Blue Jays organization at the age of nine.

“Since I started playing for my travel team it’s been a dream to play in the big leagues and you have to play in college first,” Uyulur reflected.

However, the path to take the 12th-ranked 2022 in the state beyond high school was slow developing.

“I haven’t gotten big exposure,” Uyulur admitted. “I wasn’t going to showcases or contacting colleges. But now that I’m better and going to showcases, I’m getting my name out there. I’m hoping to have a great performance this high school season and everyone can see me and the interest builds.”

Those that already have Uyulur on their radar have found there is more than just a ballplayer.

“The number one priority is my academics,” noted Uyulur, who has a 3.98 GPA taking AP classes to go along with a 1300 SAT score from freshman year. “I want to go to a school with selective and competitive academics.”

The Ivy League is another consideration for Uyulur, who is hoping to take a visit to Columbia in addition to Toledo in the near future.

“Those I’ve talked to like my talent and raw ability to pitch and that I have a chance to be a two-way,” Uyulur said. “Some are looking at me as a two-way and some as a pitcher-only. What they’ve said is when I get to college they’ll test my hitting ability.”

No matter the position, Uyulur believes he can be a valuable part of a college program.

“I think I’ll be a really good leader, help everyone out and be an overall good teammate,” Uyulur said. “I wasn’t where I wanted to be last year but I’ve been working hard and gotten better. I’ve been working in the gym four times a week and focused on hip mobility and shoulder mobility. That’s helped with my mechanics and increased my velocity.”

It has also helped in the way of recruitment for the second-ranked uncommitted junior in Michigan.