Commitment Spotlight- '17 Noah Winkelman, OF, Foley
September 21, 2016
By Rob Allison
Prep Baseball Report Minnesota
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Name: Noah Winkelman
Position: OF
Class: 2017
Height/Weight: 6-foot-2, 190-pounds
High School: Foley
PBR Rank: #20 in MN 2017 Class
Evaluation: January 2016- Winkelman has made significant strides with the bat since last year and looks poised to make a jump in Minnesota’s 2017 rankings. His skill set projects him as a left-handed hitting corner outfielder with a strong arm and power in the bat. Winkelman showed 91 mph arm strength from the outfield and posted a 101-mph exit velocity, exhibiting a line-drive swing plane with cleaner overall hitting mechanics.
PBR: Why did you choose NW Florida State College?
WINKELMAN: I chose NWF because they are one of the best jucos in the nation with great coaches. Getting to play year round will be great, I think it will help me develop a lot.
PBR: What other schools were you considering?
WINKELMAN: Utah, Minnesota, Kentucky, Colorado-Mesa, and a few others.
PBR: Where did the coaching staff first see you? How did your relationship develop with them?
WINKELMAN: Coach Johns first saw me while I was playing in Colorado over the summer, a couple weeks later Coach Martin and Coach Johns saw me play in Georgia and invited me on a visit.
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?
WINKELMAN: Definitely, it's going to be easier now just focusing on baseball and not having to worry about recruiting.
PBR: Was there one deciding factor that put your choice over the top?
WINKELMAN: I'd say the biggest factor was that at NWF, I have more options for what I want to do after I'm done, whether it be transferring to another school or getting drafted.
PBR: Who has helped you the most to get to where you are today?
WINKELMAN: Jesse Tollefson and Adam Barta, they've coached me since I was 13 and helped me improve my game. My head coach Mike Beier has also been a huge part, he's coached me since I was 11 and has been a role model ever since.
PBR: What were your expectations about the recruiting process? Was it easy/difficult?
WINKELMAN: At the beginning I was kind of clueless, then I met Byron Embry. He helped me to understand the recruiting process and guided me through it every step of the way.
PBR: What plans does the coaching staff have in store for you in your freshman season?
WINKELMAN: They're expecting me to play and be in the starting lineup every day, I'll most likely be playing right field.
PBR: What is your most memorable baseball moment to date?
WINKELMAN: This past spring when we played Little Falls. Going into the game they were the top ranked team in a class above us. The game was tied 1-1 in the 7th when I hit a solo home run to put us ahead, we scored a couple more but they came back and it was 4-4. I came up again the next inning and hit a 2-run home run and we won 6-4.
PBR: Who is the best player that you have competed against?
WINKELMAN: I'd have to say Nate Sweeney, he was committed to Arizona but got drafted. When I faced him he was 92-94 with good off speed.
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