Commitment Spotlight: 18' Will Eckland, RHP, Edina
September 25, 2017
By Josh Threlkeld
Prep Baseball Report Minnesota
Will is an accomplished pitcher from Edina, a team with high expectations for the upcoming season. Edina has quietly been one of the more formidable teams in metro area as they battle week in and week out with teams like Eden Prairie, Wayzata, and Minnetonka. Army is getting a guy who has been through the fire on the field. Will in return is getting the chance to play for and graduate from one of the most regarded institutions in the country. We wish Will the best of luck through his senior season and beyond!
PBR: Why did you choose Army?
ECKLAND: Over the spring and summer, I built a great relationship with Coach Pinzino, and shortly after with Coach Foster. I can't wait to play for them. Plus, West Point/Army is one of the best schools in the country academically. I'm also excited about military service and being a lawyer in the JAG Corps eventually.
PBR: What other schools were you considering?
ECKLAND: There were some other schools that were interested, but I felt that even if I got offers from them, West Point was the place I wanted to be.
PBR: Where did the coaching staff first see you? How did your relationship develop with them (Phone calls, on-campus visits, etc.)?
ECKLAND: Coach Pinzino first saw me pitch in a showcase in early spring and liked me a lot. At the time, he was coaching at Virginia Tech. After some coaching changes there, he was hired as the pitching and assistant coach at West Point. He invited me for a visit and I loved it.
PBR: What did you enjoy about the recruiting process? What were your least favorite aspects?ECKLAND: The most enjoyable part of the recruiting process is going to big tournaments and being able to face the best kids in the country. My least favorite part is how you have a very small chance to really impress coaches and If you're not on your game, there's no interest.
PBR: Was there one deciding factor that put your choice over the top?
ECKLAND: There wasn't one deciding factor. It was all of them combined--baseball program, coaching staff, education, and being able to serve my country.
PBR: Who has helped you the most to get to where you are today?
ECKLAND: There are many people who helped me. My family for one always supported me. Coaches who helped me along the way are Kevin Manson, Jim Nunn, Cass Kreitlow, Mike Theis, Carter Freeman, and Gene Larkin. Justin Musil from Elite helped me a lot through the process.
PBR: What plans do you have in store for you in your freshman season at your new school?
ECKLAND: My plans are to make an impact on the mound my first year at West Point and help my team grow.
PBR: What advice would you give to others that are currently or will soon be going through the recruiting process?
ECKLAND: My biggest advice is to trust the process, and never worry about who's in the stands. There's a reason people are coming out to watch you play. So when Coaches are there, don't change anything you do from when they aren't there.
PBR: What goals do you and your high school team have for the upcoming seasons? What is a strong point (pitching, defense, offense) that you feel will help your team achieve that goal?
ECKLAND: Our
Scouting Report
6/20/17- 6-foot-1, 155-pound right-handed hitting pitcher. Lean lanky frame. Controlled delivery with good tempo. Long clean arm action with extension out front. Fastball shows late life and jumps on hitter at 84-87 mph for strikes. Breaking ball showed improvement, thrown with conviction, and had solid 11/5 shape and depth for strikes. Changeup was thrown with solid fading action
3/20/17- 6-foot-1, 155-pound right-handed pitcher. #17 ranked player in MN 2018 class. Starting to physically mature and add weight and strength. Slight tuck and turn at balance point, occasional pause at top, easy actions on mound, arm is loose and has extension to plate. Fastball flashes life and was 85-88 mph with late run and sink. Curveball has 11-5 shape with early rolling break to plate for strikes. Avg. action on changeup that should continue to improve; thrown with fastball arm speed.
2016 Future Games- 6-foot-1, 150-pound right-handed pitcher. Lean loose build. Good rhythm and tempo to delivery. Above avg. extension to plate. Shows ability to work fastball in and out. Changeup is best secondary pitch with above avg. fade; thrown at fastball arm speed. Projects to add/hold velocity more as he continues to mature physically. Fastball was 80-82 mph. Curveball, with varying shape, was 60-61 mph. Changeup was 69-70 mph.
7/6/16- 6-foot-1, 150-pound right-handed pitcher. Lean athletic frame. Slight tuck and turn delivery, Good sequence and rhythm. Loose actions on mound. Fast hand on release with extension out front. Shows command to both sides of plate. Primarily fastball/changeup pitcher presently. Breaking ball inconsistent but should continue to improve. Fastball was 83-85 mph, with run, and above avg. command in bottom of zone. Changeup was 72-74 mph, thrown with fastball arm speed, with solid fade and late sink. Lower spin rate on breaking ball causing loose spin and inconsistent break. One of top RHP in MN 2018 class.
5/3/16- 6-foot-1, 145-pound right-handed pitcher. Projectable frame with long legs and loose actions. Solid mechanically, clean arm action, up-tempo delivery, with good body control. Fastball has good life on downhill plane with late run at 79-82 mph. Curveball has tight rotation with sharp break consistently; 12/6 shape. Above avg. action on changeup when thrown at fastball arm speed. Strong follow in 2018 class.