Nick Bertram (right), a 2013 LHP/OF from Centerville High School, discusses his early favorite college programs as well as his summer playing for the East Cobb Astros. Bertram, who is one of the top prospects in the class of 2013 for Ohio, is expected to garner heavy interest from around the Midwest and South.

 

PBR: As the summer winds down and you head into your junior year, what colleges have shown interest and which are you considering?

Bertram: Right now the colleges that I am most interested in are University of Louisville, University of Tennessee, University of Kentucky, and University of Cincinnati.

 

 

PBR: Do you see yourself committing early or taking your time in the process?

 

Bertram: When the time comes and I find a school that I can truly see myself being happy at, I would like to get the commitment out of the way to take some stress off.

 

PBR: You played this summer for the East Cobb Astros, how did playing for a team so far from home come about?

 

Bertram: Ever since I was a kid I always followed East Cobb Baseball. I was always looking at their website and the winning tradition that they have. I always thought it would be so cool to play for them. I emailed the coach, attached a video and told him that I was interested in playing for his team. He told me he wanted me to come down and throw a bullpen in person to get a better look. My dad drove me down last summer after my summer ball season and I threw a bullpen. Afterwards he offered me to play on his team that fall which would be the determining factor for next summer. I went down to East Cobb 3 times this past fall and went to Florida with the team and he offered me a spot on the team for this past summer.

 

PBR: What was the summer like playing for such a highly recognized team?

 

Bertram: It was an awesome experience. Everywhere we played people knew who we were. The whole summer we had a target on our back. Everyone wanted to beat us. I got to play for the best coaches in the country. I learned a lot and I can’t thank them enough for the opportunity they gave me. But also my teammates made the summer what it was. It was a lot of fun getting to play with some of the best players in the country. Because not only did my coaches make me a better player but my teammates did as well.

 

PBR: Do you have any moment, weekend, or event that sticks out more than others from this past summer?

 

Bertram: I’d say the best week of my summer was the 17u Perfect Game WWBA National Championship. We were playing great all week and went into bracket play playing some of the best 17u teams in the country. We beat the South Florida Elite and that was a big game for us. Even though we lost the next game in bracket play to FTB Mizuno we still played great that tournament.

 

PBR: Do you feel that playing for Centerville in your tough conference, and tough southwest Ohio region prepares you for playing elite summer competition?

 

Bertram: Yes, I think playing for Centerville helps a lot. We play in one of the tougher regions in Ohio I think and I would say that prepares me for the summer. Also the great coaching we have at Centerville prepares me as well. My coaches at Centerville are always willing to stay after games and practices for extra practice and work.

 

PBR: What was it like playing this past spring for a state-ranked team?

 

Bertram: It was a lot of fun. We had a great team this past spring. We were very close as a team and we always played as a team. I’m excited for this spring because I think we are going to have another great spring.

 

PBR: Following your spring season, where there things you set out to improve on in the summer?

 

Bertram: I went into the Summer wanting to improve my offspeed, and location. I think that I improved those two phases of my game a lot. Playing the high elite teams I played this summer you have to mix up your pitches and your location or you will pay for it.

 

PBR: Do you play fall ball, if so who will you be playing for?

 

Bertram: This fall I will be playing for 17u East Cobb Braves along with playing in the Cincinnati Elite Fall League.

 

PBR: As a pitcher what are the pitches you throw?

 

Bertram: Fastball, Curveball, Slider, Change-Up.

 

PBR: Which secondary pitch do you feel most comfortable with?

 

Bertram: Curveball, as a secondary pitch I feel the most comfortable with throwing it for a strike or throwing it in the dirt for an “out pitch.”

 

PBR: As a left-handed pitcher and first baseman, do you prefer playing one position over the other?

 

Bertram: I like both positions a lot. But the position I prefer is Pitcher. I feel that I am a better pitcher than a first baseman and If I do get the chance to play in college I feel my future is in pitching. But I still enjoy hitting and playing first base.

 

PBR: What goals have you set for your junior year?

 

Bertram: My goals going into my junior year are to improve my velocity, improve my offspeed, and location. I just want to keep improving overall as a pitcher. But, I also want to improve my play at first base and hitting. Just to overall become a better baseball player.